《Adopting Disaster》 Chapter 0: Prologue Hi everyone! I''m excited to announce that I''ve started tranting a hidden gem of a novel, and I''m using chatGPT MTL which I''m editing to provide the best possible experience for you. If you notice any mistakes, have feedback, or just want to say hi, drop ament. I''m aiming to release new chapters on a regr schedule. Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoy! When ying a game, most people tend to immerse themselves in the protagonist. The cool protagonist andrades who trust and follow them. An adventure full of energy, searching for a ray of light in the darkness. The ending credits and the feeling of aplishment after defeating the final boss. However, Jung Jinhyuk''s immersion was quite different. The beings opposing the protagonists. He sympathized more with those who aremonly called viins. He rted more to the crazy clown rather than the bat-human with a code of non-violence, and to the terrorist boss of Afghanistan rather than the chaebol scientist in red iron armor. [T/N: Joker, Batman, Raza and Iron Man references] The final bosses and viins had a different impact from the protagonists. They had a different weight and their stories were often more impressive than the heroes when delved into. Jinhyuk admired such viins, immersing himself in their stories while ying as the protagonist. However, there was one boss that even Jinhyuk couldn''t empathize with. "Isn''t this character too trashy?" Reed Adeleheights Roton The mastermind behind the seven disasters of the game''s title! Also the fake final boss of the fantasy game, ! However, even Jinhyuk, who loves viins, couldn''t help but shake his head at this viin. He was the first-ever trashy character that made Jinhyuk, who loved viins, lose interest for the first time. "Even if he''s the final boss, isn''t this a bit much?" Jinhyuk muttered while watching the rising ending credits. The main viin of was an absolute evil character. Absolute evil was something that came out in ssic games, so it could be easily overlooked. However, Jin-hyuk felt something unsatisfying about the absolute evil he felt from Reed Adeleheights Roton. He created monsters through the deprivation of love and brainwashing, and those monsters made Jinhyuk feel ufortable until the end. He yed several times, expecting a different twist in thetter half, but it only ended pathetically, and the question that eventually burst out was, "Isn''t this character too trashy?" "How did he be the main boss?" The only conclusion was that more than 80% of the gamepany employees were either headless duhans, or they had gone mad due to frequent overtime work and projected the CEO onto the final boss. Jinhyuk''s principle was not to y a game again, no matter how much of a masterpiece it was, if the viin was not attractive. Yet, he was ying this game for the fifth time. It was because the other viins were so impressive, except for this pathetic final boss. "They''re all pitiful." There were too many characters that were heart-wrenching even without looking from the viin''s perspective. The seven disasters created by the tower were particrly so. A female swordsman who joined hands with absolute evil to be recognized by her father. An orc warrior who reached the extreme of despair due to racial discrimination. Reed used their darkness to turn them into monsters. However, if there was one being that was undoubtedly the most pitiful. "The real final boss." The ultimate monster created by Reed Adeleheights Roton, "Code Name: Cosmo." In the setting, she was 17 years old and had been turned into a monster after going through various tortures and brainwashing by Reed since the age of 7. She appeared by splitting Reed''s head in half, who didn''t die until thest moment, and threatened the protagonist and his party. -I''ll kill you. I''ll kill you all. -Humans must die. Orcs, elves, dwarves, goblins! Everyone! Everyone! I will destroy all life on the surface! -Hahahahaha!!! The final boss, whoughed maniacally with an unsettling female voice from the beginning to the end. Jinhyuk sympathized with the final boss. If he took over Reed''s tower and read the records, he could catch a glimpse of the stories about Cosmo. The ultimate monster created by the viin Reed Adeleheights Roton, and the intended failure. He sympathized even more because it was not a failure of her own, but a failure deliberately created by someone else. ''If I were a viin, I could have made her cooler...'' A girl who was raised wrong by the wrong person. She had talent, but he envied it, and in the end, both Cosmo and Reed faced a terrible fate. Jinhyuk didn''t like that story. It was inevitable that he would not like such things which left a lingering regret. "Sigh... let''s just sleep." Jinhyuk sighed and turned off theputer. It was time to sleep since it waste at night. * * * "Tower Master..." ... "Tower Master nim~." A whispering voice tickled Jinhyuk He tries to ignore it, thinking it''s a voice from a dream. "Tower Master, it''s morningggg¡­" The voice bes clearer. Realizing it''s not a dream, Jinhyuk opens his eyes wide. Turning his head, he sees golden snake-like eyes staring at him. "Ugh!" "Uhah!" Startled, Jinhyuk frightens the woman next to him. An unexpected woman was standing in his studio apartment. "Wh-who are you!?" "Y-yes?! I''m Phoebe!" "No, why are you in my room!?" "Ah, uh! Sorry! I apologize for entering your bedroom without permission, Tower Master!" The woman kneels and apologizes. Master? Is she calling me Tower Master? "What¡¯s going on¡­?" As Jinhyuk says this, his view expands. What he sees is not his small studio apartment which had a desk, a bed, and aputer worth five months'' rent. His room should have clothes worn for two days scattered on the floor. But what he sees now is not his room. A room the size of ten of Jinhyuk''s rooms, with a bed the size of his room, and a marble floor. ''A hotel room?'' It was a 5-star hotel room he''d never set foot in his entire life. ''Is this a hidden camera prank?'' But that seemed far-fetched. Ordinary people with no connections are rarely involved in such situations. ''Besides, this roomyout¡­ I feel like I''ve seen it somewhere before¡­'' Though unrted to Jinhyuk, the scenery felt familiar. It wasn''t just about the room he was looking at now. ''And the woman next to me¡­'' There were more than one or two things that bothered him. Her blonde hair and golden snake-like eyes were tolerable. But when a pair of alien-like horns on her head were added, she resembled a very familiar woman in his mind. Despite never having seen her in reality, even her flustered state felt familiar. "Uh, I''m sorry, Tower Master. I know you''re tired these days, but you weren''t waking up, and I thought your morning routine would be ruined, so I had to take the liberty of entering your bedroom to wake you up. Imitted a grave sin. Please don''t kill me! I''m sorry!" Her speech was usually slow, but when flustered, she spoke rapidly like a machine gun. Her quirky and timid personality. ''Her personality and appearance¡­ Could it be¡­'' Jinhyuk uttered the name that came to his mind. "Phoebe Asteria Roton¡­ right?" "Yes! Yes! That''s right! I''m Phoebe! Ah, my tongue¡­" She was so excited that she bit her own tongue. Her name was correct, but Jinhyuk felt chills down his spine. ''What''s wrong with my voice?'' He thought his voice was just groggy, but even after coughing repeatedly, it didn''t return to normal. ''The fact that Phoebe Asteria Roton calls me Master means¡­'' A word that crossed Jinhyuk''s mind sent chills down his spine. In a hurry, he gets up and looks into a mirror. No way. It can''t be. It''s impossible! "This is insane¡­" The reflection in the mirror was exactly what Jinhyuk had thought. The worst viin, Reed Adeleheights Roton, was standing there. Chapter 1.1 "What the hell..." The curse sprang out of his mouth without hesitation Standing there was not a man in his 20s with unkempt ck hair and a scruffy beard, but a young man with long, silver hair that flowed down like a woman''s. A slim figure with silver hair, sharp eyes, and golden irises within them. A heavy, solemn voice. And the tower master who has a half-dragon as an assistant. Jinhyuk took all of these facts into ount. ''There''s no doubt.'' Jung Jinhyuk had be Reed Adeleheights Roton. "Damn it." Jinhyuk cursed once again. The fact that he had entered the game , which he loved enough to y five times, made his heart race. Moreover, he was even more excited about being in the role of the viin he had always admired. However, ''Out of all the viins in , I had to be this piece of trash!'' The fact that he was Reed Adeleheights Roton infuriated him. "Um¡­ Tower Master?" As he turned his head, he saw a blonde head peeking out from the door of the bathroom. Reed''s loyal assistant, Phoebe, stammered like a frightened puppy. "Is something wrong, sir? I don''t know what I should do. if I did something wrong, if I did, I, I, I apologize..." She rambled on and on, looking flustered. ''Calm down, Jung Jinhyuk.'' Jinhyuk''s actions werepletely opposite to those of Reed Adeleheights Roton. So, it must be confusing for Phoebe, who was watching. Jinhyuk spoke to her as cautiously as possible in his most serious voice. "It''s nothing. You may leave now." "Ah, well, then I''ll step out!" Her face, which had been peeking out, quickly disappeared, and the sound of the door closing followed. Although she seemed to find it strange, there was no doubt that it had been handled reasonably well. ''After all, he was an impressive character in a different way.'' As much as Jinhyuk disliked the arrogant viin, he knew his information well. An authoritative attitude that didn''t fit his position. Most of the time, that would make him look like Reed. In fact, it worked. "Phew... Let''s calm down for now." It was time to stop looking flustered. Jinhyuk knew that there was no escaping from his current situation. Those who show weakness are the first to fall. That''s the rule for all viins. So, there was only one thing he could do right now. ''First, learn as much as possible about Reed Adeleheights Roton.'' He had no choice but to blend in as Reed while observing his surroundings, regardless of how pretentious it may seem. As the ce became quiet, Jinhyuk leaned against the sink and took another look at his face. ''My current age is... much earlier than when encountering the protagonist.'' At the time the protagonist encountered Reed, he was approaching 45 years and had wrinkles starting to form. Usually, gray hair would make one look old, but because he took care of it well, he appeared like a man in his mid-20s. He hated to admit it... but he was also handsome. ''Can I see my body condition? If this is really a game, there must be a status window... right?'' Ding! As soon as he thought about it, a status window appeared in front of Jinhyuk. Name: Reed Adeleheights Roton Job: Tower Master of Silence Tower Age: 35 years old Disposition: (Unknown) Health: 1,432/1,432 Stamina: 340/340 Mana: 4,982/4,982 [Traits] ¡¸Tower Master of Silence Tower¡¹,¡¸Talent Appraisal¡¹,¡¸Bloodline of Adeleheights¡¹, ¡¸Escolleia Second Seat Graduate¡¹ [Abilities] , , , , , , ... and 10 others. The abilities were divided by levels, and there was a trait section. What Jinhyuk saw was definitely the character status window from . ''The character seemsplete, but the specs aren''t as good as I thought.'' Aplete character refers to one that has no more room for growth and can only y a significant role in the early and mid-stages as a temporary supporting character. Although he was a fake boss, he was still a man with abilities that were almost on par with the final boss. ''I thought there would be at least one transcendence...'' The typical level limit for ability is 5, and if certain conditions are met, they can transcend and increase their level to 7. However, even the protagonist can only achieve one transcendence, and it''s safe to say that level 5 is the limit for anyone who isn''t a major supporting character. Of course, level 4 wasn''t a number to be underestimated in a world where the limit was level 5. In addition, Reed''s attributes were diverse enough to be considered a master of all magical things, making him a versatile mage. ''Though, It''s different for being a Tower Master...'' A level 4 mage could be within the top 20% capable of wiping out a group of monsters, but bing a Tower Master requires a minimum of level 5 in magic. If the level isn''t 5, one must gain an advantage in other aspects, but , which affects total mana and recovery rate, was also 4, as were the necessary for elemental magic and , the foundation of spirit magic. ''Well, if you think of him as the Tower Master of Silence Tower, it''s not that surprising.'' Reed Adeleheights Roton''s residence was the Red Curtain Tower. [T/N: Red Curtain is the literal trantion of ¡®?? ???¡¯, I can¡¯t find any better word for it. Later on, I might change it if I find a better word. (Can suggest inments)] However, many mages sarcastically called it the "The Tower of Silence" because nobody visited it. Seeing the specs of Reed, the tower''s owner, it was easy to understand why he was made fun of. Jinhyuk focused on more relevant information that could serve as a clue. It was his age. Ten years before his death at the hands of the protagonist... This meant that it was before the game even started. The story of spans three years until the ending, so it is now seven years before the game starts. "10 years..." Jinhyuk unconsciously muttered the words. Let''s say he entered the world of the game. But why did hee as Reed from 10 years ago? Chapter 1.2 Ordinary mages wear robes. It''s a simple rule of the fantasy world, but there was a reason exined in . Swordsmen''s weapons are swords, and archers'' weapons are bows and arrows. The ultimate weapon of a mage lies in their ''secrets.'' They couldn''t reveal what magic they knew, how they fought, or what their secret measures were, even to party members who had their backs. Secondly, they wore robes to protect the magical tools and books they carried, as their performance could be affected by the weather. For these reasons, Tower Masters have different attire from ordinary mages. If mages value secrets, Tower Masters value the reputation of their towers. So, instead of wearing robes that conceal themselves, they wear noble-like uniforms. In Reed''s case, it was a red uniform with gold trim and the mark of the Silence Tower Master. Since it wasn''t much different from a modern suit, there was no difficulty in wearing it. Knock, knock. While checking his appearance in the mirror and finishing up, he heard a knock on the door. Jinhyuk cleared his throat and did his best to act like ''Reed.'' "Come in." Phoebe cautiously opened the door and entered. "Ma, Master, are you ready?" Her nervous voice outside sounded like a frightened puppy. ''Now that I think of her as a dog, she really looks like one.'' She gave off the vibe of a golden retriever with a puppy face and arger build. Her cheeks looked like they would stretch like sticky rice cake if you grabbed them. Since Reed was a conservative and authoritative figure, it would be crucial to maintain a natural demeanour. "Yes." "¡­Huh?" The puppy widened her eyes and sent a signal as if something had gone wrong. ''Did I act poorly?'' What went wrong? As soon as he thought that, Phoebe clicked her teeth and asked. "Don''t you want to ask me about the inventory of the library or mana vessel management methods?" "¡­" He almost reflexively asked, ''What''s that?'' Despite having yed the game five times, these were such useless pieces of information that his mind was filled with question marks. Anyway, at this point, his attempt to act like Reed had partially failed, and he needed to recover. "I don''t have time to check those things every day." "But you always say we shouldn''t forget these things and always make me recite them for 30 minutes¡­" "Do you want to keep arguing?" Not wanting to continue this awkward conversation, he snapped at her with an irritated tone. Whether that was the right answer or not, Phoebe''s flustered voice became resolute. "No, no! If the Tower Master says so, that''s how it is!" The Tower Master''s words are the truth. If he asks, she must answer, and if she doesn''t have it, she must create or bring it. His authoritative demeanour came in handy at times like this. Still feeling uneasy about ending the conversation this way, Reed added a remark. "I''ll asionally ask, so always be prepared." "Yes, sir!" Phoebe responded with an energetic voice. Well, good. With this, he roughly grasped the tone and feeling of their conversation. "Let''s go to the office." Reed naturally led her to guide him, and Phoebe guided him to his office. Reed''s location was the Tower of Silence. Also called the Magic Tower of Silence, it was a group of mages who gathered to study magic and broaden their knowledge. Reed was the master of the ce, and people called him the Tower Master of Silence. The Tower of Silence had a total of 82 floors. At the beginning of the game, the magic tower was operated on a small scale with 120 apprentice mages, 50 junior mages, 30 senior mages, and 5 chief mages. ''It''s exactly like the game, no, it''s even more detailed than the game.'' When he experienced it through the game, there were limitations to the level of detail thatputer graphics could provide. Seeing it with the graphics of reality, it was an even more magnificent and serene ce. The ce they reached by riding the elevator powered by magic stones was the top floor of the tall tower. It was the Tower Master''s office. The white marble floor was decorated with red stone walls, and on those walls hung relics and treasures. The office desk made of old wood had panels that could be operated like a smart screen. There were all the panels needed for tower management, such as storage magic, summoning magic, and mana control management magic. "Hmm¡­" Reed didn''t hastily touch those panels; instead, he turned his body to look out the window. A vast blue sky and mountains with clouds hanging below. The blue forest and ins spread out beneath them, and small viges as well. It was a scene that perfectly captured the fantasy world of . ''No, not perfectly.'' When the disasters start to appear, everything bes deste, barren wastnd filled only with screams. This kind of scenery was only present at the very beginning. "Ten years ago, it looked like this...." Jinhyuk possessed Reed''s body. That too, 10 years ago. "10 years ago¡­" There was no doubt that 10 years had some meaning. It was just frustrating that it seemed to be locked away deep in the depth of his memories, unable to be recalled. "Master, are you there?" He turned his head at Phoebe''s voice, which sounded like a high-pitched, elongated rice cake. She was peeking in here just as she had been when he was in the bathroom. "What is it?" "I came to deliver this~." Phoebe approached him with a bright expression and quick steps. In her hand, she held a carefully bound paper, like a precious treasure. The moment he received it, Reed''s expression twisted horribly. Project: Flower Garden. The moment he heard that name, Reed''s felt a surge of anger as he reflexively clenched his fists. "Using the materials you provided, I''ve organized the presentation materials for this uing meeting once more, hehe¡­" "¡­" "I thought it would be good to have multiple perspectives, so please just use my organized materials as a reference, and if you could¡­ give me your opinion¡­ once¡­ uh¡­" She was expecting to hear apliment from him, but her smile gradually faded as she looked at Lead''s expression. She undoubtedly thought that he didn''t like her arbitrary actions. "Um, Master¡­ is it not to your liking¡­?" "¡­" "Should I do it again??" "¡­Huh? No, just go." "Yes¡­" Phoebe walked out of the office with a frightened expression. Reed didn''t pay attention to her state. For a moment, he was so flustered that he almost forgot that he had to act like Reed. All because of ''Project: Flower Garden.'' ''I think I know why I came back 10 years ago.'' Did the gods grant his secret wish? At first, he thought that possessing the body of a thoughtless viin was a way to torture him. However, recalling the existence of Project Flower, Reed''s thoughts changed. ''The starting point of all stories.'' The reason why Reed was the viin. The reason why the protagonist had no choice but to go on adventures. In other words, it was a project that was nothing less than the purpose of the game. Chapter 2.1 Handling mana is an innate talent. Among humans, 80% live their entire lives without any connection to mana. Even among the remaining 20%, the majority struggle to awaken their abilities. While some learn how to manipte mana before they even eat solid food, others only manage to feel mana just before they die. That''s why even a renowned professor once said: ¡®Magic begins and ends with learning.¡¯ With the belief that there is no limit, many magicians tirelessly learn and pass their knowledge onto the next generation, continuously advancing the field. However, Reed disliked such thinking. He loved the present world more than the afterlife and was a man who believed in his ability to excel in anything, driven by ambition. But hecked the most important talent: Mana capacity. What clearly defined his limits was his amount of mana. Despite trying all sorts of methods, he could not reach the level of mana possessed by geniuses. That''s why all his magic remained at level 4, not reaching the maximum level of 5. In the end, he was nothing more than a criminal striving towards genius. Reed, who had hit his limits, was driven to the edge of a cliff and despaired. As the desperation and despair strangled him, a chance for rebirth shed through his mind. Like drawing water from a high mountainke, he could link with a person, making them his mana tank. That was the ''Flower Garden Project'', which left disasters for humans. While everyone has probably thought about this concept once, no one had established it until Readpleted "Project: Flower Garden" and established the conceptpletely. The longing for genius had given him onest chance. The project that would bring disaster to humans was finallypleted. "And ultimately, the reason he dies." As Reed, not Jinhyuk, the critical project that determined his fate was underway. Considering the timing, all the forms for the project must have already been created, with only the implementation left. ''The first sess turns Reed into aplete monster.'' Project''s first subject and the final boss, codename: Cosmo. Itspletion elerated the creation of other disasters. Thus, the seven disasters were created, the main bosses of the original game, . ''How will they carry out this project...?'' Reed stared intently at the notes Phoebe had organized. He didn''t even want to touch them, let alone open them. He thought that looking at these notes would be like crossing an irreversible river, just as Adam and Eve touched the forbidden fruit. The moment the notes touched his fingers. "Master~." Phoebe''s sticky rice cake-like voice rang out again. Reed raised his head and looked at Phoebe. "What is it?" "Well, a visitor came." "A visitor?" "Yes, he said he brought the items needed for this project." Reed had a rough idea of what those items might be. If they were items for this project, they would undoubtedly be children. Young boys and girls with unawakened potential would be used likeb rats. Original Reed would have definitely objected, but the Reed with Jinhuk''s spirit inside was different. "I don''t care..." His words stopped as he was about to send them away. He almost made a huge mistake. ''Reed sessfully modifies the first subject of the project.'' This meant that he could meet the final boss, ''Codename: Cosmo,'' in this event. "Uh, should I send them away?" Phoebe, reading his hesitant expression, asked. "No." Reed shook his head. "Tell them toe in." After instructing them to enter, 10 minutester, Reed rode the magic stone-powered elevator to the 32nd floor. There was a reception room on the 32nd floor of the silence tower. Upon entering the open reception room, there was a man who seemed far from a magician standing there. No, it was an impression that made one wonder if he was human at all. "Oh my, hello, Tower Master, hehehe." A sharp voice that instinctively made one''s eyes narrow. It was a typical line and pose that seemed to say, ''I''m terribly sneaky.'' Reed knew this man well. The one-eyed rat, Leto. His protruding front teeth and crooked posture made him feel like a standing rat. Moreover, he had lost one eye and wore a ck eyepatch, earning him the nickname of one-eyed rat. "Leto... I see." "Hehehe, you can call me the one-eyed rat if you want. Whether it''s one-eyed or a rat, call me as you please. High-ranking people don''t call me by the name Leto anyway." That was true. Seeing how the surrounding NPCs treated Leto, he was no more than a ''rat,'' so that must be what he was used to. What would a viin say here? After briefly thinking, Reed replied. "Don''t order me around, Leto." "Ouch, what order! I''m just a lowly rat." When Reed disyed a physiological aversion, Leto seemed frightened and hesitated. If one didn''t know him, they might think he was a human with rich emotional expressions, but Reed knew how calcting Leto was. He lived in the underground of the imperial capital, Hamel, and mainly ruled the underground as a king through information and errands. Human trafficking, gambling, smuggling, and so on... Committing heinous acts that couldn''t be done under the light and prolonging his life was his daily routine. He was a bystander in terms of position. He only moved for money, so he was a man who would sell information to enemies if he was paid. Whether he was a good guy or a bad guy didn''t matter. ¡®He''s a reliable source of information, and the content itself is trustworthy.¡¯ He was the kind of person to keep close but never get involved with. Reed moved on to the main point. "So, have you brought the items you prepared?" "Of course! These are items that you would like, sir!" Leto, who had beenughing maliciously and speaking in a high-pitched tone, shouted in a heavy voice from outside the door. "Come in quickly, you pigs!" The moment Reed saw the items, he was at a loss for words. No, he had already anticipated it, but it was a sight that made one hesitate to look at it through civilized eyes. Children strung together by iron chains like Vienna sausages. All of them looked haggard, and there was no life in their eyes. A total of 30 children entered the reception room. The number of children was quiterge for a covert human trafficking operation. "Oh dear, I apologize, Tower Master. The smell must be quite strong, right?" "...It doesn''t matter." Leto seemed to think that the expression was due to the stench emanating from the boys and girls. It was just that Reed was not used to seeing such a scene while being a civilized person. Leto rubbed his palms together and spoke to Reed. "How is it? These children can be dealt with without any trouble, as you ordered, hehehe." "How can there be no trouble?" "These kids are all troublemakers caught from the kingdom and the empire. They are taken care of for maintaining public order and security." They were like trash. There would be many of them even if an orphanage was run. ''In the end, Reed, who uses such orphans, is also trash.'' There was no room for excuses. Since Reed had allowed Leto to set foot in the tower, he decided to do his job. ''The Flower Garden project targets only those with talent.'' Those without even a hint of potential or those with ambiguous abilities could not survive in the project structure. The sess of such a daring project was thanks to Reed''s ability to ''see talent.'' ¡¸Talent Appraisal¡¹ Type: Active You can check the potential of the other person. You can see the unawakened traits and the level that can be raised. You cannot check your own potential. I know how much the other person will grow, and I can watch it happen. It could be said that this cursed trait elerated Reed''s inferiorityplex. ''However, it is because of this ability that he could carry out the daring project called Flower Garden...'' It was what made it possible to create the Seven Disasters and Codename: Cosmo. If it weren''t for his twisted personality, it would have been a talent that could make him a sufficiently shining viin. Chapter 2.2 Reed used that skill to scan the children. As the ¡¸Talent Appraisal¡¹ ability activated, he could see auras emanating from behind the children. Focusing on one of them, a status window appeared as if floating in front of Reed. Name: Unknown. upation: Orphan Age: Unknown. Disposition: Chaotic Neutral [Traits] ¡¸Quick Hands¡¹ [Abilities] , , [Unawakened Traits & Abilities] None. When Reed looked at a child with no visible aura, there was no unawakened potential. They were literally F-grade talents. He examined a few of the more prominent individuals among them, but they possessed traits and abilities unrted to magic, such as "Merchant''s Wealth" or "Sword Demon." They were far from the kind of talent Reed was looking for. The most amusing thing was that among the boys and girls gathered here, there was no one with more potential than the one-eyed rat, Leto. Reed felt something strange about it. ''Surely, the first target of Flower Garden should have been Cosmo...'' The final boss of and the monster created by Reed''s twisted affection. With thepletion of that monster, the Flower Garden project gained momentum, and other disasters were created. "Hmm..." As Reed leaned against the backrest and stroked his chin, Leto checked him out like a ghost. Having survived by eating crumbs, he had the intuition that he wouldn''t even be able to pick the bones if things continued like this. "Oh my, my lord, there are still more talented individuals avable. Would you like to continue to see them?" "¡­Let''s do that." As Leto gave a hint, his subordinates moved the ve boy standing at the front. Shortly after, another 30 people appeared. However, they were no different. Useless abilities with useless origins. "Next." By the third round, Reed quickly scanned them for potential and immediately called for the next group. By the fifth round, he had seen a total of 150 ve boys and girls. ''Nothing.'' Reed couldn''t find Codename: Cosmo. Not to mention, he couldn''t even find children with abilities close to it. ''Well, if they were noticeable talents, someone would have adopted them already.'' He could understand that. However, he couldn''t show that understanding to Leto. Now was the time to get angry. "You rat." "Yes?" Reed leaned his chin on his fist, resting his hand on his armrest. "Is that all you''re good for?" "What do you mean¡­?" "I''m asking if you''re taking me lightly like the others." Upon asking, Leto''s eyes widened. Underestimating a magician means courting death. Leto sensed death in his words. As Reed frowned, Leto stoppedughing deviously like a rat. Being quick-witted, he should know how annoyed Reed was. Leto bowed his head in shame, sweating profusely. "Ah, no, why would I dare to underestimate you, sir¡­!" "Show your trash collection to others. I am the Tower Master of Silence, Reed Adelheits Roton." "I''m sorry. It''s my fault¡­!!" Leto knelt down and sincerely apologized. ''Is this enough?'' Reed showed a bit of his dignity as a Tower Master. Now, he could grant mercy and send him back. ''But it''s still strange.'' 150 people. The fact that Leto had precisely brought 150 people to show him weighed on Reed''s mind. Normally, it would be impossible to bring exactly that number of people. That''s why Reed asked Leto a question with the thought that this was thest one. "Are there any more?" "More... well, there is, but..." "What is it?" Leto fiddled with his fingers, sweating profusely, and said. "Well... I don''t think it''s what you''re looking for, Tower Master. So I set it aside separately." "You set it aside? How many are you talking about?" Leto showed one finger. "Well... just one person." Chapter 3.1 One person. At those words, Reed crossed his legs and said, "Bring her here." "But she''s really not worth much..." "I''ll be the judge of that. Don''t make me say it again." Leto no longer argued and signaled to his subordinate. Out of 150 people, would he really be interested in one particr girl? That seemed unlikely. Leto was not a man to work carelessly, and he had an eye for merchandise. ''There''s always someone better than the best.'' However, he only knew the surface value of the merchandise. While Leto was simply looking at the box, Reed could see through the contents of the box. And his intuition turned out to be right. "Here she is." A girl with lush white hair and a seemingly dazed expression. She looked so innocent and naive, as if she didn''t even know how she was being treated. "She''s a seven-year-old immature child who can''t even speak properly." Leto introduced her with a face that seemed to hold no expectations. However, Reed''s eyes lit up in contrast to Leto''s expression, as they say, "knowledge is power." ''I didn''t expect her aura to fill the entire room...'' Through the Talent Appraisal, He can see how different her innocent and naive face was from her aura that was running wild. It was a formidable potential that seemed to swallow the entire room. Reed stared at her quietly and looked at her specs. Name: Unknown upation: Orphan Age: 7 years old Alignment: Chaotic Neutral Health: 50/50 Stamina: 50/50 Mana: 40/40 [Traits] "None." [Abilities] , [Unreleased Traits & Abilities] ¡¸Ruler of Magic¡¹, ¡¸Master of Adaptation¡¹, ¡¸Eternal Hole¡¹ , , , ... and 5 more. A monster that waspleted at the age of 17, starting at the age of 7. There was no doubt. ''This child is Codename: Cosmo.'' Reed struggled to maintain hisposure. He bit his finger in surprise when he saw the impressive specs hiding behind the innocent face. ''I expected it, but these abilities are truly outrageous...'' ¡¸Ruler of Magic¡¹, a trait considered the best in magic. ¡¸Master of Adaptation¡¹, which allows her to absorb all education twice as fast. ¡¸Eternal Hole¡¹, which, once awakened, surpasses the mana capacity of a blue dragon that stands at the pinnacle of magic. She possessed EX-grade abilities so exceptional that even a protagonist with a magic build would have to struggle to barely match them. ''On top of that, almost all magic-rted attributes are in a state that can be transcended.'' In thetter part of the story, she was a wildcard that troubled both the protagonist and the world. It was a wonder that no magician had taken in such a monstrous child until now. ''Of course, at first nce, she must look like a durd.'' She had low health, low stamina, and even lower mana. She was a girl as frail as a tfish that would die if struck just once. At first nce, she didn''t seem like a talent worthy of nurturing as a magician. "What do you think? Shall I call in some other children instead-" "How much?" "Excuse me, you mean you''re thinking of buying this child?" Leto looked at Reed with an expression of surprise. Reed silently stared at him without answering the question. Leto recalled his warning not to make him repeat himself. "Well, 500 UP..." Leto had originally intended to ask for 100 UP. But seeing Reed''s attitude, he blurted out the price of 500 UP, the same as the other ves. "I''ll take her." "Really?" asked Leto in disbelief. Reed responded calmly, "You''re the one who said 500 UP. She must be worth that much, right?" "Yes, yes! Of course! A merchant without credibility can''t make a living~! Thank you." Leto rubbed his palms together and grinned slyly. His left eye seemed to disy the words ''smells money,'' while his right eye appeared to read ¡®got it'' as he showed a delighted expression on his face. Reed knew that he had been overcharged. He didn''t like Leto''s triumphant expression, but he had toy this groundwork. ''I need to use Leto as an informant, so I''ll just have a cool deal with him.'' For tower master Reed, 500 UP wasn''t a significant amount. From Leto''s perspective, they would both profit through future transactions. Reed called Phoebe and paid the 500 UP. Upon receiving the five silver coins, Leto respectfully bid farewell. "Then, have a good time, kehehe." Leto left with an unpleasantugh until the end. Reed looked at the outside scenery. He saw the carriage carrying the ves Leto had brought along disappearing into the distance. ''There''s nothing I can do for those children anyway.'' Although it weighed on his mind, offering pity wouldn''t be good for either party. If he couldn''t take responsibility, they would eventually be caught by ve hunters again or fall into the hands of someone even more vicious than Leto. Reed turned his head and looked at the girl on the sofa. Her disheveled white hair in shabby clothes, and her face with clearly visible tear stains under her eyes. The only thing shining was her red eyes filled with purity. Red eyes were said to be cursed and considered a mark of misfortune. But could one say that looking at these ruby-like eyes? He had his doubts. Reed knelt down to match her eye level. She didn''t show any expression. She didn''t cry orugh in confusion. The ability called meant that she was in a state where she could easily be influenced. As long as she had , her personality and abilities would be shaped by her educators and environment, and her would disappear as she grows older. It was a wonder to Reed that she had managed to maintain her attribute without it being reduced while living as an orphan until she turned seven. ''Such a pure child... was driven to that extent.'' Reed, no, Jung Jinhyuk, found Reed even more repulsive. Reed was a failed genius who wanted to be a true genius. The limit of not having talent drove Reed into despair, and in the end, he became a monster consumed by inferiority. He extended the ws of jealousy even towards the girl andmitted an unforgivable act by turning her into a monster through his n called Flower Garden. Reed looked up at the girl again. As he did, the girl, who had been sitting nkly, turned her head and made eye contact with Reed. A pure genius and a twisted failure. The two looked at each other. "Do you know who I am?" "¡­?" At Reed''s question, the girl tilted her head. He knew what that gesture meant. It wasn''t ''Who are you?'' but ''I don''t understand what you''re saying.'' Reed calmly continued his words. "You don''t know me, but I know you. And I know all about what will happen between us." In the future, Reed would die at the hands of this girl. A twisted rtionship, a life filled only with regrets. A future unknown to the girl, a future only Reed knows. "But that future won''t exist." He would correct it. And those memories would now be delusions that never happened. This innocent girl will not be Codename: Cosmo, the victim of the Flower Garden. "From now on, you''ll be my daughter." Because she was destined to be the daughter of the tower owner in a deste ce. Reed carefully took the girl''s hand. The girl''s gaze shifted to Reed''s hand. Unlike his dirt and dust-covered hand, hers was pure white and delicate. She didn''t understand everything Reed said. But even she knew something. The fact that sincerity can bemunicated. That this person genuinely cared about her. The girl ced her other hand on top of Reed''s hand that held hers. She looked up at Reed with both hands wrapped around his, making eye contact again. "Hehehe." The girl smiled. It was a warmer smile than the sun. Chapter 3.2 After adopting Codename: Cosmo, Reed had a clear path he needed to follow. ''Changing the Life of Fake Boss, Reed.'' From theme viin Reed with no sense of style to a Reed who can at least leave an impression on someone. Reed decided to make a note of what he needed to do to achieve this. 1. ''The Project: Flower Garden will be scrapped.'' Since Codename: Cosmo, the first target of the project, has been taken in as a daughter instead of an experimental subject, it''s impossible to follow the same path. "And it''s physiologically impossible, too." Provoking someone''s hatred and turning them into a monster was not his style. 2. ¡®Fulfill my role as tower master¡¯ Reed had never been fullymitted to his role as the master of the Silent Tower. He always harboured ambitions to leave the tower and swallow the Cloud Continent, the continent of . Because of that ambition, he ended up turning everyone against him, and ultimately, Reed faced his death. ''What is the role of a tower master?...'' The tower advances magic, and the height of the tower showcases the status and honor of the magicians, making it their pride. Of course, it doesn''t end there. Protecting small viges that are not influenced by the kingdom, monitoring the monsters and any abnormalities in mana that inhabit the area, and analyzing those abnormalities to contribute to peace and well-being were also their responsibilities. Those who took on such a mission were the magicians of the tower. ''...and as always, busy with fantasy plots.''(?????) As is always the case with fantasy settings, it begins with the crumbling of that status and honour. Breaking, breaking, and breaking again. As if it''s destined to copse like Jenga, with each piece being pulled out and barely holding together! [T/N: Jenga, for more info] The Tower of Silence was also destined to fall like other magic towers. However, it bothered him that it would be done by the hand of a protagonist, not an enemy. ''I have to protect the tower.'' It was such a reflexive judgment that it seemed like remnants of his past conscience remained. Next, he wrote down hisst task. Reed''s most shining trait was undoubtedly his "Talent Appraisal." Given the state of the world a decade ago, there must be many talented individuals who can''t even recognize their own talents and are wandering aimlessly. "Hmm..." The roadmap ahead can be divided into two parts: 3-1. Focus on educating Codename: Cosmo, who has been taken in as a daughter. 3-2. Gather other potential disasters besides Cosmo. The more, the merrier. Reed, tapping his memo pad with a pen, pondered and finally reached a conclusion. "Number 1 seems to be the way to go." First, focus on one thing wholeheartedly. If he couldn''t properly raise the most outstanding talent, Codename: Cosmo, he would already be disqualified. ''Because I promised to be her father.'' Nurturing her abilities not as a researcher and experimental subject, but as a father and daughter. For him, who was a novice in every aspect, as a father or a caregiver, the situation with just the girl was already overwhelming. At first, it was best to suppress his greed and do what he could. "Ah." With that thought, an idea shed through Reed''s mind. He wrote down an additional point, realizing it was far more essential than the previous two he had recorded. ''Reed will undoubtedly have many enemies.'' It''s impossible to say he has no enemies with that personality. ''Besides, all the characters I have in mind now are viins.'' Most of the talents Reed would recruit in the future would inevitably be people destined to be viins. Such talents harbor emotions which are like ticking time bombs, and they often don''t act rationally. Codename: Cosmo will eventually be a magician who surpasses him, and if he doesn''t prepare enough countermeasures for that, he would be a person who aims for a position that doesn''t match his worth. But Reed faced another problem. ''He''s already apleted character...'' He had essed all fields of magic and had hit the limit, which is why he tried to obtain greater power through the extreme measure of Project: Flower Garden. ''First of all, being versatile gives a wide range of choices.'' Reed Adelheits Roton was a versatile character capable of using all magic, except for the high-powered spells that could turn an area into ashes. ''Is this the ability I should choose after all?'' The ability Reed was looking at was something that should have been sealed deep within his mind. It was a technique thatbined magic stones and magical incantations with machines to draw out power. For example, the magic tower elevators and the screen magic on office desks were all realized through magic engineering. However, Reed didn''t have a high opinion of this ability, to the point of sealing it away. The main reason was that the advancement of magic engineering was believed to be detrimental to pure magic. ''In the end, during the story, everyone acknowledged magic engineering and relied on its power to ovee disasters.'' It was an excellent technology for supplementing inadequate abilities. Magic engineering was perfect for making the most of Reed''s ambiguously mediocre abilities. Reed must have known this fact and practiced it since his apprenticeship. However, ultimately, what he desired the most was pure magic. He thought that using shortcuts meant admitting the limitations of magic, and as a tower master, hepletely abandoned magic engineering. ''But even other magicians who love purity havee to recognize the necessity of magic engineering.'' In a world where such a future is guaranteed, is it necessary to insist on this? ''If I delve into magic engineering, I can raise other magic skills to level 5.'' With just a little more ability, even reaching level 6, called transcendence, was possible. This was a fact known only to Reed, who had experienced . Chapter 4.1 "Tower Master!" As soon as he decided on the path he needed to take, Phoebe''s voice came from outside the door. However, her voice was not as rxed as usual, but rather urgent. When he nced up, he could see traces of dampness that had just dried from Phoebe''s hair. "I''ve bathed the youngdy as instructed." She entered with a cheerful smile, apanied by the girl. The girl, who had been quite impressive with her pitiful appearance, was now radiating light. Her slender and lustrous white hair, as if freshly spun silk, and moist ruby-stone eyes. Wearing a light white dress, she looked almost like a doll. "Where did you get the clothes?" "I have so many dolls, hehe... It just happened to fit the youngdy perfectly." "Hmm..." It wasn''t just a coincidence that she felt like a doll. "Well done. Since she''ll be living in this tower from now on, I''ll ask you to find more clothes." "Yes, yes! Leave it to me!" "Now, let''s go out." Phoebe grinned happily at the praise. She carefully stepped back, leaving Reed and the girl alone in the room. "Uh, um..." "..." "I just realized I don''t know your name." "..." "Do you know your own name?" "¡­?" She cautiously looked up at Reed. And then lowered her head again, fiddling with her fingers. It seemed she was iming not to know who she was. As her codename was Cosmo, the name Cosmo could have been familiar. But that was the name of the insane woman who was the final boss. No, it wasn''t even a name. A code name is just that ¨C a code name. It''s nothing more than a simple string of characters with no room for affection. So, what would be a good name for her? ''I''ve actually thought about it before.'' While thinking about the final boss of , he had wondered what he would have called Codename: Cosmo if he had raised her. And now he tried calling her that name. "From now on, your name is Rosaria." With that deration, her eyes grew evenrger. As if she liked the name, a message appeared in front of Reed. [The name has been changed. Unknown. ¡ú Rosaria Adeleheights Roton] [The upation has been changed. Orphan ¡ú Daughter of the Silence Tower Master] Along with the message of the change, her upation also changed. Now, she had be Reed''s daughter in every sense. ''But... would a child who doesn''t even know her own name understand this?'' Since she didn''t speak, he couldn''t tell yet. While he was pondering, Rosaria turned her gaze elsewhere and examined Reed''s study. "Rosaria." "¡­?" She turned her head back to look at Reed. It became clear that she knew it was her name. "Yes, your name is Rosaria." Reed stroked her head. Rosaria smiled quietly. *** The magical factions on the Cloud Continent were divided into two main categories. There are the so-called official mages, who belong to an empire or kingdom. And there are the tower mages, who draw mana from ley lines for magical research and local security. Both hold a belief in the peace and development of magic, but their goals in development are significantly different. If the official magicians prioritize white magic, which focuses on healing and defensive magic from the belief that they should benefit humans, tower magicians tend to prioritize ck magic, which ces more emphasis on curses and offensive magic. That''s why the towers were portrayed quite negatively in . There are a total of 13 magic towers on the Cloud Continent. Every month, they hold a "Tower Master Conference," to share information that can be used to counter the workshop magicians and strengthen their unity. The stronger the conflict between the officials and the tower, the more necessary it is to confirm their bonds through the Tower Master Conference. Thus, at times like these, absence itself was almost taboo. The conference venue was decorated with antique furniture. Thirteen chairs surrounded arge round table with a map of the Cloud Continent engraved on it. However, only 12 of the 13 tower masters were seated. The empty seat had the name "Reed Adeleheights Roton" engraved on it. "Is Roton absent today?" Arge man nced at the empty seat and muttered. Then, everyone started adding theirments as if they had been waiting. "It''s surprising that the person who should be the protagonist of this conference isn''t here." "Wasn''t the project named Flower Garden? I heard a lot of rumours, and the Master of Jade Tower said it was a very satisfying idea." [T/N: For now I will use the temporary names of Towers. I might change it in future.] "Oh, my! What are you talking about? Wasn''t the master of Greenwood Tower the one who jumped the gun?" Although they gathered under the pretext of friendship and information exchange, the fierce rivalry was inevitable. Therge man intervened to stop the emerging fight. "Are you still thinking about having childish arguments at this age?" "My apologies." "Anyway, does anyone know the reason for the Tower Master of Silence''s absence?" Everyone fell silent at therge man''s words. Reed Adeleheights Roton was the Tower Master of Silence. The Tower of Silence was the weakest among all the towers. Reed was in a position where he had to reach out and expand hiswork first, but that was not his character. He was a twisted person who didn''t know when to bend or what to say when he needed to. So, there wouldn''t be anyone who couldmunicate with such a Tower Master, let alone know the exact situation. ...That''s what everyone thought. "I heard the project was overturned." All eyes focused on the person who uttered those words. There sat a woman with the physique of a girl in her early teens. ck hair, a nonchnt expression that seemed annoyed by everything, and a bold appearance. Wearing a revealing dress instead of the neat uniform like the other tower masters, and rudely putting her feet on the round table, yet no one was scolding her. Tower Master of the ck Sky, Freesia Vulcan Darkrider. "It seems the ck Sky Tower Master knows something." "I didn''t really want to know, but a fledgling working at the Tower of Silence told me." "The project was scrapped?" "Yes, a young mage working at the Tower of Silence said that, for some reason, the project, which had established all theories, was suddenly discarded." "Discarding it means... the project must have been worthless." "Or it could be a lie." Chapter 4.2 A project rted to magical research means that there is considerable information and money in the tower. Therefore, it is no different from showing the status of the tower master themselves. That''s why all the tower masters always have one or two projects, whether long-term or short-term, and whether they fail or seed, they tend to reach a conclusion one way or another. It was always the case, but the Tower of Silence was a different story. It had fewer floors than the other towers, fewer personnel, and the only thing it had was money ¨C the lowest-ranked tower master. Would such a tower master concoct false stories to try to make a leap in recovery with the ''Project: Flower Garden'' to raise reputation? If it was a lie? Then, as much as they had hoped, resentment would arise, and he would end up plummeting even further. "It seems Roton has finally hit rock bottom." A statement everyone had in mind, but couldn''t dare to say out loud. At that moment, they all silently agreed. "Do you think Reed Roton is that kind of person? With that thick skin?" Someone objected. The blue-haired Tower Master stood up and countered. Her tall stature, elegant uniform, and weighty gestures suited her well. Her sharp gaze hid a pair of shining blue eyes. It was Dolores Jade, the Tower Master of the Wallin(???). "He''s not that kind of person. He is a person who embodies the word evil. Cunning, wicked, and malicious." "Escolleia''s childhood best friend steps up to defend him." Freesia began to snicker and mock. Dolores red at Freesia, who was sitting across from her. "I''ve told you to stop using that nickname, ck Sky Tower Master. Other than being ssmates, we have nothing inmon." "Yeah, yeah, sorry. Is that better?" Although the blue-haired Tower Master red menacingly, Freesia didn''t budge. She flicked her ears and offered a half-hearted apology. "So, does the Wallin Tower Master have a different idea in mind?" "I think he discovered a dangerous magic that made him give up presenting the Flower Garden, which he had promoted with his reputation at stake. That''s what I believe." It couldn''t be more of a reckless thought. However, Reed was the kind of person one would not be at all surprised if reckless thoughts never crossed his mind. "Well, if the Tower Master of Silence overturned the Flower Garden based on his personality... it can only mean something more important hase up." "Does the ck Sky Tower Master know anything else?" "I''m not carrying a universal information pouch on my belly. How am I supposed to know that?" It was because even a magician working at the Tower of Silence wouldn''t have the skills to ess the exact contents of Project: Flower Garden, so they couldn''t know the exact situation. And so everyone fell silent. They didn''t specte any further. They all focused on what Dolores had said. What if she was right and dangerous magic had been discovered? ''It makes me even more curious.'' ''Even though it seems like it would definitelyck substance.'' Instead of the resentment and betrayal they felt from the Project Flower Garden, they became even more curious about the information the Tower Master of Silence had hidden. *** Meanwhile, at the same time as the Tower Masters'' discussion, at the Tower of Silence. What Reed was doing was neither honing his skills nor researching forbidden dark magic. "Do you know what this word is?" "Wind!" "How about this?" "Apple!" He was personally teaching Rosaria, thenguage. The fact that Reed had taken her in as his foster daughter was still not widely known within the tower. There wasn''t much main work for him to do, and even when the project was underway, Phoebe had taken care of most of the operations, so Reed had nothing to do. That''s why Reed taught Rosaria,nguage in the Tower Master''s library. She absorbed and answered all the words Reed had taught her so far. Except for just one. "Alright,st question. Who am I?" "Papa!" "I mean my name." "Papa!" For some reason, only when referring to Reed himself, she didn''t give the correct answer. It was hard to say anything about her pronunciation, typical of a child, and her innocent response. How could he scold her with a smile on her face? "Yeah, I''m Papa, Papa." "Hehe." Rosariaughed heartily. She began to read a book with her pure ruby eyes. The book she was reading was an encyclopedia with records of all things in the Cloud Continent. There were no fairy tales or heroic epics in the Magic Tower, which was dedicated to magic research. Among them, the only book with the most pictures and text was that encyclopedia. ''I can''t believe she learned to speak and read in just a week.'' He didn''t teach her strictly, and Reed''s teaching method was not particrly extraordinary. Reed would open a book, show her a picture, and say what it was. In this way, he taught her words and letters as naturally as water flowing. ''It seems like she understands me perfectly even though I feel like I''m speaking horribly.'' It was hard to believe that only a few days ago, the girl had just tilted her head when Reed spoke. ''Even without the ¡¸Master of Adaptation¡¹ being manifested, she''s like this?'' Reed checked Rosaria''s status once again through the ¡¸Talent Appraisal¡¹ to see if he had missed anything. Name: Rosaria Adelheits Roten upation: Tower Master''s Foster Daughter Age: 7 years old Alignment: Chaotic Neutral Health: 70/70 Stamina: 60/60 Mana: 40/40 [Traits] ¡¸None.¡¹ [Abilities] , [Unmanifested Traits & Abilities] ¡¸Ruler of Magic¡¹, ¡¸Master of Adaptation¡¹, ¡¸Eternal Hole¡¹ , , , , ... and 5 more. ''None of them have manifested.'' It was only natural. Hoping that magic would suddenly manifest when she had never been involved in anything rted to magic was no different than wishing for gold coins to fall from the sky. ''It''s about time to start teaching magic...'' He had somehow seeded in teachingnguage, but how should he approach teaching magic? He thought about it for a week, but couldn''t find a proper answer. In order to focus on that issue, Reed purposely did not participate in the Tower Masters'' meeting. ''Participating in the Tower Masters'' meeting creates an optimal situation where I can''t do anything properly.'' He already knew that he had set up expectations for the other Tower Masters beforehand the meeting. Disappointmentes in proportion to expectations. Reed knew that feeling and also knew that he should officially apologize at the Tower Masters'' meeting and respond like an adult. ''Well, thanks to avoiding it, I managed to teach her more lightheartedly...'' It wasn''t very mature, but in the end, Rosaria sessfully learned to read and write in just a week. And now it was time to move on to the next step. "Rosaria." "Hmm?" Rosaria, who was looking at a book, turned her head. "Do you want to learn magic?" At Reed''s question, her red eyes began to sparkle. Chapter 5.1 "I want to learn." A statement filled with pure longing. As a girl with a ruler of magic, her expression was full of enthusiasm. "Shall we give it a try?" "Yes!" It was partly for teaching Rosaria, but the main goal was, of course, to learn magic himself. A Tower Master who cannot use magic. It''s absurd. It''s like a farmer who doesn''t know how to farm, a knight who doesn''t know honor, or a king without territory or an army. It doesn''t make sense. ''I have a status window and everything, but... just no magic skill window.'' The skill window that characters in should have. There was no such window now, where skills would activate automatically by just pressing a button registered with a shortcut key. So, even with the ability, he was practically at zero. ''If I had known this, I would have put more effort into ying a magician character.'' A magician character was difficult to nurture and didn''t have many highlighted aspects, so he only yed it once out of five times. Reed lowered his head slightly. Sparkling. Her expression was as full of desire for knowledge as when she first read an encyclopedia. Reed began to search the library with Rosaria, who was following him closely. To a magician, a library is a kind of footprint and a ce containing their information. Like a robe that wraps around the body to keep secrets, the Tower Master''s library is only essible to the Tower Master, and outsiders are practically forbidden to enter. As it was isted from the outside world, it was a morefortable ce to lower authoritative aspects and was the most optimized ce to educate Rosaria. ''Will I find what I''m looking for in this high-ss library?'' Such worries disappeared shortly after. He finally found it while searching the spacious library like a national library. It was a hardcover with traces of dirt that couldn''t be removed even by magic. Reed picked up the book. [Understanding Basic Magic] In the corner, he saw the name ''Reed Adeleheights'' written with a mana pen. ''There are so many traces of studying.'' Colorfulbels attached. It wasn''t just that book. [A Quick and Easy Guide for Elemental Affinity] [Elementary Theory] The lower part was filled with major textbooks that made him feel dizzy just by looking at them. ''I didn''t expect all the basic magic books to be here.'' Books with traces of Reed''s studying were seen in a secluded ce worthy of leaving memories. ''I thought he was pathetic, but he is actually helpful.'' Reed was sincerely grateful. He opened the book. -This textbook will be used for only one semester in a basic education course that is a simple liberal arts subject. However, it contains content that everyone who walks the path of magic must know. 20% of the atmosphere in the Cloud Continent isposed of mana, and depending on how we draw in and use this mana, we... What a pain...'' He was greeted with a sentence containing sleep magic and cognitive inhibition magic from the beginning. ''I thought I would never see such a professional book again after college...'' "Is that a magic book?" At Rosaria''s question, Reed nodded. "Yeah, but I think Dad should read this first. Can you wait for a little?" "Okay!" Rosaria continued reading the book she had been reading. Reed began to read the magic books slowly. As he read through the boring chunks of text mixed with foreign words, Reed realized one thing. How much effort Reed had put into studying. Notes and parts that were not understood. And the exnations that were written to solve those misunderstandings. Each page was meticulously decorated. The more he had learnt, the deeper the despair would have been. After two hours of reading, Reed was able to grasp the method of manifesting mana. The book was difficult, but following the traces of Reed''s study, he could understand and grasp it well enough. "Let''s give it a try." Reed closed the book. The way a magician senses mana isplicated. The best way among them is to feel your own heartbeat. "Feel the heartbeat." Upon hearing that, Reed closed his eyes and his mouth, focusing all his senses on his heart and hears, Thump- thump- thump-. The faint sensation of beating against his flesh. The sound of his heart seemed to echo in the distance, pounding his eardrums. "Try breathing to that sound." Inhale- exhale. Inhale- exhale. Soon after, Reed felt something swirling in his body as if it were a lie. The moment mana started to circte in the body, even if he opened his eyes and let go of his consciousness, he could feel it swimming throughout his entire body for a while. The sea called the body. Thousands of fish swimming within it. Free yet controlled by consciousness. They moved as Reed desired like a school of fishdrawn to feed by thekeside. "It''s not usually described as this free..." The moment, when mana could be felt, was And from the moment you can control the mana circting in your body, it corresponds to . Reed was in the middle of stepping into Lv. 2 at once. The reason Reed could do this so skillfully was undoubtedly because and had already reached level 4. Considering the traces of Reed''s frustration, he must have tried and failed a few times. "Hmm..." He easily reached step 2. Could he do the next step too? "Lv. 3." Reed focused the sensation on his hand. Billions of fish swam towards his hand and gathered. "Blow it out." He let it out. Blue mana burst forth from Reed''s hands, like an overfilled vessel bursting. But it was not just a simple burst. He condensed the released mana around his hands again. It happened as naturally as a series of actions connecting from 1 to 10. Control it. The mana floating in the air feels the force and is drawn in. Reed seemed to be holding an invisible ball with both hands in midair. In the middle of that, blue mana began swirling and forming into a spherical shape. The size was that of a baseball, and it was spinning at an incredibly fast speed. It was an amazing and beautiful sight. "Gasp!" Feeling the limits of his mental strength, Reed stopped concentrating. The mana that had been gathered scattered all around the room. The light of the chandelier, which had been moving with mana, flickered for a moment before returning to its original state. Reid ced his hand on his chest. His heart was pounding as if protesting against the strain. It was a moment so difficult that he wondered if he might have fainted if he had concentrated just a bit more. ''This is the stage that someone who has reached can aplish...'' Lv. 1: Feel it inside the body. Lv. 2: Control it inside the body. Lv. 3: Emit it outside the body. Lv. 4: Control the mana emitted outside the body. If one reaches , they can absorb the mana sphere back into their body. Since Reid was stuck at level 4, where he could create the sphere, absorption was impossible. Reid checked his remaining mana. [Mana: 3,982/4,982] ''It took 1,000 mana to create this sphere.'' The most basic magic attack without an attribute is ''Mana Arrow,'' which consumes about 50 mana. The sphere that Reid created consumed the equivalent of 20 Mana Arrows. ''That could''ve been quite dangerous.'' Even if it was pure mana, if it had exploded instead of evaporating, both Reid and Rosaria would have been in danger. Chapter 5.2 Reed nced at Rosaria. Contrary to his concerns, her expression was full of wonder and amazement. "Wow..." Rosaria continuously eximed in awe. It was a rtable moment. ''I''m amazed too, but she must be even more so?'' If something had shot out of his hand, rolled up, and then disappeared, it would have been as magical as in the real world. Reed looked down at Rosaria and asked. "Do you have any idea what this is for?" "I don''t know!" Rosaria answered with a bright expression. "It''s the basics of magic, manifesting mana. You have to be able to do this to be called a magician." "Can I try it too?" Hearing that, Reed flinched. Could she have understood just by watching? "Give it a try." Reed, somewhat expectant, let her give it a shot. Rosaria stood up from her seat and imitated the posture Reid had taken. And then-. "Gasp!" She puffed up her cheeks, applying force to every joint of her fingers. Rosaria tried her best, but she couldn''t form a mana sphere like Reid. ''There''s no way...'' Rosaria''s abilities were still undeveloped. No matter how quickly she learned, emitting mana was a difficult task. "It''s not just about applying force like that." "How should I do it?" "Rosaria might find this difficult for now." "Aww, I want to make a sphere too..." Her previously puffed cheeks deted with a sigh. Reid chuckled and patted her head. "Rosaria will be able to make a sphere someday too. Until then, let''s study hard, okay?" "Yeah! Studying is fun!" ''How adorable.'' Reed smiled contentedly, thinking that this must be how parents feel when they see their passionate child. Knock knock-. Someone knocked, and a head peeked in. "Um, tower master..." A strange fatigue was evident in her dragging tone. Undoubtedly, it was because of managing the tower and dealing with other tower masters. That''s why Reed pretended not to notice and calmly asked her. "What brings you here?" "The mana in the tower is very disturbed. We need to set up the tower''s pir..." "The tower''s pir?" "Yes... All the magicians in the tower are setting up pirs to measure their abilities, so I thought you might be interested." Setting up pirs? He couldn''t understand what she was talking about. As a tower master, he couldn''t just ask what it was either. "Let''s take a look at the situation first." In the end, he had no choice but to figure out what she was talking about. When they left the library, she pointed to a spot without any guidance. What she pointed to were clusters of light beyond the railing inside the tower. Only then could he grasp what she meant. All magic towers are stacked inyers like rings with a hollow center, simr to a donut. It was designed with the most optimized structure to shoot mana drawn from the ley lines up to the top floor of the tower. The shot-up mana is called a pir. The blue light that illuminates the inside of the tower, fuel to supplement mana for magical research, and electricity used to operate all the products of magic engineering. ''The light is scattered a lot.'' Neatly organized tower mana is purely formed into the shape of a pir. However, what was shooting up into the sky now was more appropriately described as a cluster of light fog that scattered like dry ice. "Each magician is trying to see how much they can organize the pir, would you like to go and take a look too, tower master?" "No, I have something to focus on right now." "Eh? Oh, okay." Phoebe widened her eyes as if it were unexpected. Up until now, Reed would have definitely participated in setting up the pir to show off his power. However, Reed had his reasons now. ''How am I supposed to participate when I don''t even know how to do it? What if I get involved in something I can''t handle?'' With Project Flower Garden overturned, the situation was tense with mixedints and resentment from within the tower. Participating half-heartedly and getting caught in a situation where he had to show off his power by mistake? ''That would be the end.'' He couldn''t give them a reason to raise a revolt against him. That''s why Reed didn''t n to show himself until he was at least familiar with magic, even if he didn''t master itpletely. However, contrary to hisplicated thoughts, Rosaria was pure. Rosaria pulled Reed''s sleeve and said. "I want to go see." Her curiosity was strong, and she was full of desire to see new things. For a week, she had only been to the library, dining room, and her own room, listening to Reed, so she was somewhat restless. She would probably like to see the pirs being set up and tour the tower. Reed seemed to think it was a good idea. "Then, Phoebe, you can take Rosaria with you." "Oh! Should I? How about you, Miss?" "Great!" Since Phoebe had been bathing Rosaria and even apanying her to bed, there was no resistance towards her. Phoebe and Rosaria held hands and stepped into the elevator. ''I guess I''ll have to secretly study magic a bit more during that time.'' Freed from teaching, he now had pure study time. He didn''t want to waste such precious time. The quiet personal library had a calming scent and brightnterns. There was nothing more to ask for; it was the optimal condition. Flick-! ...Just when he thought so, the chandelier''s light went out. "Huh?" Surprised, Reed let out a silly sound. He got up from his seat, wondering what had happened, and went outside. He didn''t need to go far to know what was wrong. The pir of light that was visible when he came out was gone. Chapter 6.1 Rosaria (3) Just as Reed was about to start his new studies, Phoebe and Rosaria reached the first floor. The first-floor hall was full of magicians trying to erect pirs and spectators who came to watch. It was enjoyable content in a ce where the smell of mana numbed their noses. Erecting pirs. In other words, it was content that could be called a disy of magical prowess among magicians. It was a kind of test to show how good their mana sense was, much like a game that involves hitting a ball attached to a rope with a hammer to ring a bell hung from a high point. [T/N: High Striker] The event took ce once a month when the mana pir became unstable. Most of the people gathered to test their strength before tidying up. Rosaria, who had been nkly watching, pointed to the ce where the crowd was gathered and asked. "Who are they?" "They are the magicians of the tower. They work in this tower and are subordinates of the Tower Master!" Contrary to what she thought she would like to hear, Rosaria cocked her head at the word "subordinate". "Tower Master?" "The Tower Master is, uh¡­ Rosaria''s father, or rather, Papa!" "Papa is the Tower Master?" "Yes." Rosaria thought for a moment. And then, lifting her head again, "Is it a good thing?" "It''s the best." Then Rosariaughed heartily and waved her hand. She didn''t know the difficult part right now. If it''s good, it''s good! "Ah, it''s starting now. Take a look!" "But I can''t see¡­" With Rosaria''s small stature, she couldn''t see the show even if she tried. "Ah, in that case¡­" Realizing her own thoughtlessness, Phoebe picked her up. Phoebe put her head between Rosaria''s legs and carried her on her shoulders. "Up you go! Now you can see¡­ Ah! Don''t touch the horns, miss!" "Hehehe." Rosaria smiled innocently, grabbing Phoebe''s horns for bnce. Phoebe couldn''t evenin and left her be. The awkward atmosphere subsided, and the pir erecting began. A man entered the magic circle engraved in the center of the hall and closed his eyes to concentrate. The magic circle responded to his concentration, and a pure white light began to rise. Vooom-. With a resonating sound, the blue light scattered across the floor soon gathered together. The first floor became a solid pir. And, like a thermometer, the distinct pir of light gradually climbed toward the sky. Finally, the ascending pir of light stopped around half of the tower. "Hans, 45th floor!" "Hey, it reached a little bit of the 46th floor, right? Let''s just round it up to the 46th floor." "Do you really want to cheat like that?" "I don''t want to lose 100 UP over something petty... You''re so stingy." The magicians, measuring their power while cing small bets, scatter the pirs they''ve erected. In this way, they spent time learning about each other''s growth. "How about it? Fun, isn''t it?" Holding onto Phoebe''s horns, Rosaria replied, "Can I try too?" "Do you want to try?" "I want to try it!" Young and enthusiastic, Rosaria eximed, "I want to create a sphere like Dad. A blue sphere!" "A blue sphere... you say?" "It suddenly appeared in his hand! It was amazing!" Phoebe couldn''t understand what Rosaria was talking about. In the end, Rosaria wanted to try erecting a pir, so Phoebe focused on that. From Phoebe''s perspective, it was too much for Rosaria to try erecting a pir. ''I can''t even feel her mana...'' The pure child had no aura of mana that magicians usually emitted. Phoebe doubted whether Rosaria could even feel the mana, let alone create a pir. Normally, she would have told her to wait for the next time. "Let''s give it a try." But Phoebe was different from others. If she wanted to try, why not let her try once? Erecting a pir was literally testing the power of , which gathers surrounding mana. It wasn''t a particrly dangerous task for those who couldn''t sense mana. "Excuse us." With her unique drawling voice, Phoebe carried Rosaria through the crowd. "Who''s that child?" "Who brought her in? Don''t they know outsiders aren''t allowed in the tower?" "Who on earth... Gasp!" The magicians frowned andmented until they saw who brought her in, and then their words were cut off. "Deputy Tower Master?" The magicians were used to calling her Deputy Tower Master since she had managed the tower operations in Reed''s stead. She was a figure ranking second in the hierarchy, with power and magical abilities nearly as strong as the Tower Master himself. Phoebe stepped forward and exined to them. "Ah, this child is the Tower Master''s child." "The Tower Master? He has a child?" "Not by blood, but, what do you call it... Ah, an adoptive daughter!" "That Tower Master?" Since it was Phoebe, Reed''s personal secretary, who said it, it must be true, but they looked at her with disbelief on their faces. It was hard to believe that Reed, with his personality, would have an adopted daughter. Phoebe nced at Rosaria''s reaction, but she seemed to have no interest in anything other than the pir-erecting area. Phoebe asked the next person in line for permission. "Excuse me, this youngdy is interested in pir-erecting and would like to give it a try. Would that be alright?" "Ah, yes! If it''s the Assistant Tower Master, then it''s no problem." A man responded with a crisp voice. Phoebe smiled awkwardly and expressed her gratitude. "Thank you. Miss, you can go up there and try." "Okay!" Rosaria had seen several people do it, so she could imitate them to some extent. She stood in the middle of the magic circle with her short legs. Seeing her, the magicians began to murmur. "Can such a little girl really erect a pir?" "She''s so cute. Maybe she thinks she can do it because she saw others do it once?" "They''re just letting her try because she wants to." "I bet she won''t even make it to the first floor." While some found her bold attempt cute, most of them did not look kindly upon the na?ve girl''s simple amusement. Rosaria stood in the middle of it all. Pir-erecting was a very simple task. By concentrating, the engraved magic circle responds to the focus, gathering scattered mana in a specific pattern. Gather mana and shoot it upward to build the pir. That was the basis of pir-erecting. However, Rosaria hadn''t even heard of such concepts in passing. She didn''t sit and close her eyes to concentrate like the other magicians. Since she didn''t even concentrate, there was no way the magic circle would react. There was no one expecting anything from her, whocked even the basics. Rosaria looked up at the sky through the faintly glowing blue mana. She could see the blue mist-like clusters swirling and rising to the ceiling. The swirling blue mist danced brilliantly in her eyes. In Rosaria''s mind, there was only one thought: the sphere that her adoptive father, Reed, had created. The blue sphere that beautifully spun and condensed in his hands. Rosaria reached for the sky. She wanted to gather the mana that fluttered like threads. She wanted to gather them and show off. She wanted to be praised. It seemed trivial, but that single-mindedness was what awakened her talent. She stretched both her hands towards the sky. "Blue sphere!" The magic circle exploded. Chapter 6.2 Rosaria (3) "So, this is what happened?" Reed, who hade down to assess the situation after noticing thenterns had gone out, listened to the whole story, and Phoebe nodded her head with a shamefaced expression. "Yes... I''m really sorry." "...No." This was beyond Phoebe''s control. Reed turned his head and looked back at the source of the problem. "Oh dear..." A bizarre spectacle that made him forget even the thought of ying the viin. Where Reed was looking was supposed to be the ce where the tower''s pir, the essence of the tower, should have been. However, if his eyes were not mistaken, there was a sphere there instead. A sphere of light condensed in blue. Slowly rolling on the meager mana rising from the ground, it slowly rotated above the 5th floor. It was so condensed that no light came out, and only the blue surface was visible. "Anyway..." "Yes?" "Is that all the mana thates out when we condense our tower''s mana pir like that?" Reed wasn''t sure if it was his simple intuition, but even if it waspressed, the amount of mana seemed a little low. "That''s because... Miss Rosaria..." "Miss Rosaria?" "She absorbed some of it..." "...Absorbed?" Reed seemed puzzled. "When Miss Rosaria turned all the tower''s mana into a sphere, some of it was about to be emitted but entered her body instead." "Entered her body?" "It''s possible that she had absorbed it, but the amount entering her was so great that the magicians are now checking if she might have overburdened herself." Reed turned his head in the direction she was ncing at. Rosaria, seated on a wooden chair, and eight senior magicians. The magicians were thoroughly checking Rosaria''s physical condition. "I''m sorry. If I hadn''t let her try like the other magicians, this wouldn''t have happened..." As the deputy tower master, Phoebe had responsibilities simr to the tower masters. With those responsibilities neglected, her face was gloomy like a puppy with its tail tucked. However, contrary to her worries, this incident was actually good news for Reed. ''She absorbed enough mana to risk overloading herself. That means her talent has awakened.'' Reed looked at her with his ¡¸Talent Appraisal¡¹. Name: Rosaria Adelheits Roton upation: Daughter of the Tower Master Age: 7 years old Alignment: Chaotic Neutral Health: 50/50 Stamina: 50/50 Mana: 26,981/54,560 [Traits] ¡¸Eternal Hole¡¹ [Stats] , , [Unreleased Traits & Abilities] ¡¸Magic Ruler¡¹¡¸Master of Adaptation¡¹ , , ¡­¡­. His mouth nearly dropped open. Just two hours ago, her mana was 40, but now it has reached 54,560. ''Eternal Hole awakened and has been unlocked.'' The foundation of a magician, , was unlocked in one fell swoop and quickly reached Level 7. ''Lv. 5 is reabsorption, Lv. 6 is controlling external mana. And Lv. 7 is...'' Domination. It was not just a matter of focusing on mana; the mana followed her and obeyed hermands unconditionally. That''s why the mana, which should have been in the form of a pir, stayed still even when she released her concentration. ''I thought it was impressive in the game, but actually seeing it, the difference is staggering.'' The overwhelming power that appears at the wall of talent and the transcendent stage. There was no doubt that if Rosaria wanted to, she could extract the mana from the bodies of unsuspecting magicians and turn them into invalids. Reed asked Phoebe. "Is Rosaria aware of what she''s done?" "I don''t think she knows... She just wanted to create a sphere like her father, no, I mean like the Tower Master!" Phoebe hastily corrected herself, her face turning red. It was an evolution that urred as naturally as a newborn baby breathing. Rosaria probably couldn''t understand the detailed textbooks written about feeling the mana. "What should we do? The mana pir, which is the tower''s power source, is in that state..." "Can''t other magicians undo it?" "All the magicians have tried, but..." ''It seems they couldn''t undo it.'' The mana pir serves as electricity in the tower. What would happen if all that electricity were concentrated in one ce? The power supply itself would be imbnced, and the concentrated power would be dangerously unstable, potentially exploding at any moment. It was, in effect, a ticking nuclear bomb. And for the Tower Master, this nuclear bomb was a headache. "Hmm..." As he was thinking, his eyes met Rosaria''s. With boredom in her expression and cheeks gradually puffing, her eyes lit up like rubies at the sight of Reed. "Papa!" Rosaria got up from her seat and ran towards Reed. "I made a blue sphere!" Rosaria pointed with her finger, smiling brightly. Did this child really know she had created a bomb? "Did I do well?!" Rosaria asked, smiling brightly. Reed stroked Rosaria''s head. "Yes, you did well." "Really?!" "Really?!" Rosaria and Phoebe, who were startled together. Could it be that she did well? Reed gave her a hint and told Rosaria. "But Rosaria, if you make it into a sphere like this, the tower won''t function properly." "What should I do?" "We need to return it to its original pir form. That way, your father won''t have any trouble." Reed spoke gently, like a loving father. "Can you do it?" "Yep." Rosaria, the good daughter of her father, nodded her head and looked up at the sphere. She reached out both hands towards the sphere. Then the sphere, which had not budged before, began to move. The sphere, which could not be undone even when all the magicians in the tower tried, dispersed little by little and became a pir again. "The pir is back to normal!" "Phew, I thought I was going to die." The cheers of the magicians echoed throughout the tower. ''That should settle it for now.'' Not only had she returned it to its original pir form, but everything had worked out well since it was tightly bundled together. "I did as Daddy told me!" "You did well. It must be lunchtime soon. Is there anything you want to eat?" "I want a sandwich." "Alright, let''s have a sandwich." Rosaria cheered. And she naturally held Reed''s hand tightly. Reed held her tiny finger that gripped his index finger. The affectionate sight of the father and daughter spread not only inside the tower but also outside as a rumor. Chapter 7.1 Rumor (1) Reed Adeleheights Roton adopted a daughter. That alone was enough to cause an uproar within the Silence Tower. "The Tower Master of Silence?" "The one who used to curse and say that all the untalented ones were useless?" Most wizards are reclusive, and those with skills are usually reluctant to have children. They were busy immersing themselves in their magic research, and they couldn''t afford to have a child holding them back. Most wizards thought that way, but no one could believe that Reed, a Tower Master who was worse than anyone could imagine, had a child. But soon, Reed announced within the Silence Tower that Rosaria was his child. Those who were skeptical were shocked. Not even a biological child, but he adopted a daughter? "Did the Tower Master finally go mad?" "He''s someone who would mistreat his own daughter like a daughter-inw..." "Is he trying to make her his wife?" "You saw how she formed and crushed the sphere. If she has that much talent, he probably ns to raise her and devour her power." "No, if that were the case, the Tower Master would have looked at her with contempt from the beginning. Don''t you know his personality?" Those working in the Silence Tower knew well that Reed liked talented people but also hated them. They couldn''t simply interpret the fact that he had adopted a daughter straightforwardly. A talented girl and a hysterical Tower Master. The two with pr opposite personalities seemedpletely mismatched. But there was one thing they all thought alike. "Still... it seems like he genuinely cares for her." "Right." Everyone in the tower saw it. Tower Master Reed and his adopted daughter Rosaria walking hand in hand, affectionately. *** In the western part of the Cloud Continent, the sky is covered in darkness. Due to the abnormal aggregation of mana, there was an area with a certain climate. The ck Sky. An area named as such because the sky is always covered in darkness. The sunlight doesn''t prate, only dark vegetation survives, and it is treated as a barrennd where death lurks. However, the abnormal umtion of mana was an optimal ce for wizards to conduct research, making it a perfect location to build a tower. Thus, the ck Sky Magic Tower was built. Its Tower Master was Freesia Vulcan Darkrider. Contrary to the appearance of a little girl called "The Eternal Girl of the ck Sky," she harbored a psychopathic ck heart and was known as a master of dark magic. "What? Roton adopted a daughter?" Frieja, with her feet up on the obsidian desk, raised her eyebrows. She was looking at the man reflected on the screen floating above the desk. The man nodded. "Yes, that''s right. He even announced her name as Rosaria Adeleheights Roton." "That''s nonsense. Are you making this up because there''s no good newstely?" "Would I risk my neck for that? I saw it with my own eyes. And everyone in the tower knows about it." "So?" "¡­I''m sorry." "It''s fine. If you''re sorry, that''s the end of it. Yep, it''s all over." Freesia showed her mastery of sarcasm. Before she could nag further, the man quickly ryed more news. "But that''s not the important part." "What is it then?" "They say the girl folded the pir of mana into a sphere." "¡­" "Is that true?" As Freesia looked at him skeptically, the man spoke with a frustrated expression. "Even the most skilled wizard in handling mana couldn''t do that. It would interfere with the spell, and you''re saying she broke the spell itself? Well, it''s not impossible for the Silence Tower, which is running wild." "It''s a mana emission spell created by the previous Tower Master. Don''t you know what kind of person he was?" "Hmm, well, that Jude guy did create a good spell." Jude Roton. He was a figure who had contributed more to the operation of the tower than attack magic. He was a kind-hearted old man, unlike other wizards, and he was a man who generously shared his knowledge with other Tower Masters. The ck Sky Tower was also using the mana emission spell created by the Tower Master of Silence as a basis and reinforcing it. "Moreover, the spell is intact." "The spell wasn''t even broken?" "Yes." Was that even possible? Folding the mana emission spell into a sphere without touching it was no different than a person living with their heart torn out. "Hmmm..." Freesia furrowed her eyebrows and became lost in deep thought, looking elsewhere. Seeing her absorbed in her thoughts, seemingly forgetting their conversation, the man asked. "Uh, Tower Master." "What?" "Are you...sure you''ll keep your promise?" "Huh? Promise?" Freesia asked, narrowing her eyes. "The promise to take in anyone who leaves the Silence Tower as a member of the ck Sky Tower." "Ah, that promise. Of course, I know." She had forgotten. No doubt she hadpletely forgotten. However, she couldn''t scold or question him. He was dealing with the ck Sky Tower Master, Freesia Vulcan Darkrider. "But for the time being, you''ll have to transfer information from the Silence Tower to me. Like a spy. Isn''t that what spies do when they infiltrate enemy countries? They suck up as much information as they can." "I''ve already been working here for five years. But I still haven''t even shed my apprentice status. If it were somewhere else, wouldn''t I already be working as a full-fledged mage? The Master of the Reed Tower doesn''t even talk about promotions." "Yeah, you''re right. The Master of the Silence Tower is a bit inflexible. It''s absurd that they''ve kept you as an apprentice for five years." "Isn''t it?" His face brightened when she took his side. Freesia waved her hand and showed a reassuring smile. "Just make sure you do your job well. Once you''ve gathered enough information from the Silence Tower, I''ll make sure you can work as a full-fledged mage in the ck Sky Tower." "As expected of the ck Sky Tower Master! Thank you!" "If you''re grateful, just keep reporting the information regrly. Got it?" "Yes, thank you. Please go in." "Alright, keep up the good work." The moment themunication was cut off, Freesia¡¯s smiling face turned cold. She leaned back in her chair and sneered. "Such a greedy fellow." Chapter 7.2 Freesia knew what kind of person the Master of the Silence Tower was. An insecure person, who, although not having distinct advantagespared to other Tower Masters, had a keen eye for people. Anyone with apetitive edge wouldn¡¯t join the Silence Tower, as they can only enter it as an apprentice. So, Reed not promoting him meant that he was not worth investing in. Even the cold-hearted Freesia believed that his eye for people was reliable, even if she couldn''t acknowledge anything else about him. ''Does he think that being worthless elsewhere will make him useful?'' Did that man truly know? That his value shone only because he was in the Silence Tower. If he were to lose his affiliation with the Silence Tower, he would ultimately be a nobody. The ck Sky Tower is as ruthless as its atmosphere. He would only be mocked as a mere apprentice who couldn''t even shed his status in the Silence Tower. Even if he were toe to the ck Sky Tower, he probably wouldn''t have the skills to ovee its challenges. That''s why it wasn''t a big issue for Freesia to ept him as a full-fledged mage. "Reed Adeleheights suddenly took in a foster daughter¡­" As someone who knew Reed well, Freesia couldn''t understand the meaning behind his actions. "Well, if I don''t know, then what can I do?" She got up and tapped the table. At that moment, she was connected to her secretary, who had been waiting outside.
  • Did you call for me, Tower Master?
"My dear secretary, I''ll be stepping out for a bit!"
  • Stepping out? I''ll prepare the sky carriage right away.
"No, there''s no need for formality. I''m just going out for a light stroll. I''ll be going alone."
  • If it''s a casual asion¡­ Where do you n to go?
The secretary asked anxiously, but Freesia just smiled without giving an answer. The secretary knew the meaning behind her expression. It was the face of a willful child who had discovered a new toy she liked. "I''m going to meet the Master of the Silence Tower." *** Rumors spread. Since he revealed the fact that he took in a foster daughter, Rosaria was allowed to roam freely. ''A close father and daughter¡­'' Not bad. A close father-daughter rtionship could be a charming element, right? A frightening and selfish man, but a caring and loving father to his daughter. ''But I don''t know if this will have a negative or positive effect.'' If it turns out to be a negative effect, the story changespletely. The Tower Master has no intention of managing the tower and has taken in a foster daughter. Is he in his right mind? We don''t need a weak Tower Master! Viva Revolution! [T/N: "Viva Revolution!" is a Spanish phrase meaning "Long live the Revolution!", a slogan for revolutionary movements.] Reed is driven out of the Tower Master''s position, and the Silence Tower falls into chaos. ''¡­It''s scary just to imagine, but it probably won''t happen.'' It would have been unreasonable if he had taken in a daughter without any abilities, but what Reed brought was a monster with potential. Everyone in the tower must have witnessed Rosaria bending a pir into a sphere. She has an outstanding talent with greater expectations than concerns aboutck of ability. ''Still, I have to do whatever I can to cover for myck of ability.'' The most important thing was for Reed to fulfill his duties as a Tower Master, regardless of the circumstances. There were two things needed for that. The power and ability to maintain his position. And there was only one thing that could satisfy both of those. . Reed had been searching the library sincest night to find the books rted to Magic Engineering. He had searched several times, hoping that there might be something from his Academy days, but Reed couldn''t find any books rted to Magic Engineering. That''s why he was sitting quietly in his office now, thinking about ces where he might find what he was looking for. In the middle of his thoughts, Reed noticed another strange point. ''Come to think of it, there were no books about Project: Flower Garden either.'' Where did the documents on Flower Garden, which Phoebe had organized,e from? It''s unlikely that Reed had given her the original documents in their entirety. He must have had his own organized documents as well. ''If Project: Flower Garden wasn''t stored in the library, then it must mean there''s another library¡­'' Where could that library be? If he were the real Reed Adeleheights Roton, who had lived here for almost ten years, he would have found it easily. However, he was only Jung Jinhyuk, who was acting as Reed. "Hmm¡­" He thought about it and casually looked down at the table. Panels that could be operated like smart screens. In the corners of the view, there were panels rted to storage magic, summoning magic, and tower management. "¡­Storage magic?" Reed pressed that panel button. Then, as the screen expanded where there was nothing before, the contents inside began to appear. It seemed like he understood the saying ¡°It''s darkest under themp¡±. "¡­It was all here." -Project: Flower Garden. -Noteworthy Escolleia magic students. Reed was meticulous. So, he had organized everything carefully, so it could be viewed in order of importance, genre, type, and name. The most important was the recently overturned Project: Flower Garden original documents and a list of names. Reed didn''t open those documents but moved on to the genre. There, he saw a pile of Magic Engineering books he hadn''t been able to find until now. ''Why did he store them here instead of in the library?'' Reed was someone who had admired pure magic, so he thought that he would either keep them in the library or have them burned. As he looked further down.
  • Research on steel that changes shape in response to mana sensitivity. Author: Reed Adelheights
  • Research on themercialization of magic using rune shapes. Author: Reed Adelheights
The research that formed the foundation of Magic Engineering, which he had been working on until a month ago, was visible. The reason why Reed instantly knew that this research was the foundation of Magic Engineering was: "All of these are Magic Engineering productsmercialized in , right?" This was because all the auxiliary items that had been created to defeat the disaster were by-products of Reed''s research. The shape-changing steel turned into an item called the Shield Gauntlet, and themercialization of magic using runes became an item called Magic Cards. It wasn''t just those items. A considerable number of products were all based on the research that formed the foundation of . The person who had been crucially helpful in Magic Engineering was Kaitlyn Ramos. ''Why are all of Reed''s research items identical to Kaitlyn''s products?'' It was an iprehensible moment. Did Kaitlyn steal the research data? Or did Reed steal Kaitlyn''s research? Or was it just a romantic fantasy coincidence where they understood each other implicitly? While lost in the maze of thoughts. Knock, knock-. Phoebe entered the office with a light knock. Her usuallynguid expression had changed to a rather troubled one. "What''s the matter?" "Well, the thing is¡­ The Tower Master¡­ hase to visit?" "Tower Master?" Phoebe nodded her head. "Yes, it''s the Tower Master of Wallin¡­" Chapter 8.1 Rumor (2) Silence Tower, 32nd floor. "Pleasee in." Following the guidance of the chief magician, a woman entered. "It''s an honor to meet you, Lord of the Wallin Tower." "..." "I heard that Lord Wallin, the incarnation of the cold and an Archmage, wasing, so I rushed to prepare but..." "You don''t have to make excuses. I didn''te here to exchange pleasantries." "Ah, yes..." "Leave." As the Wallin Tower Master gestured, the man bowed and left the reception room. Her cold expression twisted slightly. ''Reed Adeleheights Roton...'' Thinking of that name, her hands clenched involuntarily. The reason she came here was because she heard a rumor. The rumor that before Project: Flower Garden was destroyed, a child was adopted through ve trading. ''What on earth is he up to?'' Doubt filled her mind. It didn''t sound good that a twisted person suddenly adopted a daughter. That''s why she wanted to see it with her own eyes. Footsteps echoed outside the reception room door. Dolores calmed her heart. As she maintained herposure, the door opened, and a man entered. Ashen hair, tied back into a ponytail unlike the old days, neatly arranged hair that reached down to his eyes, revealing faintly shining golden eyes. Silent lips beneath fierce eyes. Wearing a ck and red uniform, he exuded a sense of weight. ''He didn''t used to be like that...'' Reed was known to live a noble life, showing off his wealth. Thest time she saw Reed, his hair was loose, and he wore gold and red clothes. Now he felt more like a servant than a noble. He had changed. Yes, he had changed. Dolores didn''t know what to say about that gap. This time, Reed observed Dolores. ''This person is the Lord of the Wallin Tower...'' Appearing calm was also a desperate attempt to suppress his nerves. Her blue hair sparkled as if sprinkled with gem powder. Her red lips stood out in contrast. She wore a blue and white uniform, befitting the Wallin Tower. Reed assessed her with his ¡¸Talent Appraisal¡¹. Name: Dolores Jade upation: Lord of Wallin Tower Age: 26 years old Alignment: Lawful Good Health 892/892 Stamina 250/250 Mana: 10,580/10,580 [Traits] ¡¸Archmage¡¹, ¡¸Incarnation of Cold¡¹ ¡¸Lord of Wallin Tower¡¹, ¡¸Escolleia Senior Graduate¡¹ [Stats] , , , , , , , [Unreleased Traits & Abilities] ''Is she really the Lord of Wallin Tower...?'' Reed tilted his head as he looked at her. The person standing before him was different from the information he knew about . ''Wasn''t the Lord of Wallin Tower a man?'' Before Reed''s ambition was revealed in the game, there was a ce in the tower where viins, who would appear as the main viins, plotted to destroy the continent by defeating the Lord of the Wallin Tower. ''He wasn''t as bad as Reed, but still a disgusting character...'' His name was Ludis Grancia Jade. He was a person who would tter and curry favor, only to stab his victims when they let their guard down. As Reed wondered why the Tower Master had changed, Dolores bit her lower lip slightly. Seeing her expression, Reed offered a greeting. "I am Reed Adeleheights Roton, Lord of the Silence Tower." A greeting between Tower Masters. He ced his hand on his chest and bowed as respectfully as possible. Dolores responded with equal politeness. "¡­I am Dolores Jade, Lord of Wallin Tower." Despite her frightening expression, Dolores showed proper manners. After exchanging courtesies, they returned to their original roles. Reed walked to the opposite side of her and sat down. Dolores was the first to speak. "You didn''t attend the Tower Master Conference." There was a hint of annoyance in Dolores'' tone. He immediately replied, as it was something he had anticipated. "I was busy that day." "¡­What did you say?" Dolores made a baffled expression as if she had misheard. It was not the words themselves but the tone that made her feel uneasy. Reed caught on to this immediately. "No, I was busy." He tried to be polite, but sensing that it wouldn''t suit Reed''s personality, he hastily changed his approach. And, as if he had given the right answer, her expression rxed. By rxed, it meant her baffled expression turned back into a guarded face, like a cat that had its territory invaded. "What were you busy with?" "Isn''t it too hasty to ask that? Let''s have some tea first." "I''m not in the mood for tea." "Then I''ll drink it." Reed calmly drank the tea and spoke. "I was wrapping up a project." "The project must be the Flower Garden. Was it so important that it made you skip the Tower Master Conference?" "Yes, it was." "Why?" "Because it was abandoned." Her expression hardened further. It was as if she felt betrayed by the expectations she had. "Then at least you should havee in person and announced it to us, shouldn''t you?" Her voice quivered with anger. Reed made a guess based on her words. ''She must have been someone who had high hopes for the Flower Garden too.'' He was right. Since he had raised their expectations, he should have apologized at the Tower Master Conference for crushing them. But what could he do? They had the abilities of adults, but Reed''s abilities were still like those of a snotty-nosed child. So, he acted petty and childish. "I had a bit of a hard time." "What kind of hardship did you, with your cold-blooded and thick-skinned personality, experience?" "¡­" ''But why does she sound so immature in her speech? She seems more like a child than me. Well, she actually is younger, but...'' Reed suppressed his emotions and answered as politely as possible. "I have my difficulties too." "Everyone does. But they don''t show it outwardly. Especially not you. You would have participated in the Tower Master Conference somehow." "Would I?" "But instead, you changed everything. The Flower Garden, the adoption, and even your attire¡­" Dolores'' eyes didn''t leave his uniform and hairstyle. It was the most noticeable change in appearance. "When I''m working, it''s too distracting." Originally, it was unclear how Reed would have looked, but now, just looking at the gold thread on his arm attracts attention. That''s why he added a heavy ck color and mixed it with a red color that suits the Lord of the Silence Tower. Chapter 8.2 Listening to her talking about his personality, Reed could roughly guess the reason for her visit. She was suspicious. ''She must think that if Reed Adeleheights Roton didn''t participate, there must be an important project that needs to be hidden, right?'' A discovery so significant that he was willing to ept the embarrassment of abandoning the Flower Garden. With Reed¡¯s sinister image and a mind honed through five ythroughs, he could deduce that much. ''How should I respond...'' Reed hesitated and took a sip of his tea. He didn''t particrly like ck tea. The tea time was the only moment he could wet his dry throat and buy some time, so he drank it diligently. "At that time, I was educating a child." Dolores'' expression became puzzled. Reed, who thought he had chosen the best response, hesitated for a moment after seeing her expression. "¡­You mean Rosaria?" "¡­You know about her." "Every Tower Master would know. Around the time Project: Flower Garden was nearing its end, you took in a child through a ve trader." "Then I don''t have to exin it to you." Reed, pretending to be rxed, brought the tea to his lips again. And then he was taken aback. The warm tea had be cold in an instant. This change was rted to Dolores. "Didn''t you say you don''t like children?" Dolores'' hand trembled. Physiological aversion. She felt disgusted by Reed''s actions themselves. "Then¡­ was what you told me a lie?" "¡­" Reed couldn''t answer. He didn''t know what he had said, so an apology would only backfire. "I changed my mind after the Flower Garden project failed." So, he awkwardly moved on. "So, you''re going to pretend to be a good person?" "I''ve never pretended to be a good person." "Right. If you had pretended to be a good person, you would have apologized to me first." ''Apologize?'' "For what?" "The statement of breaking off the engagement that you unterally informed me of." "¡­" Reed nearly spat out the tea in his mouth. Her expression was filled with hatred. Thinking that she was a woman who had been broken off the engagement, everything began to make sense. ''This is crazy... this is moreplicated than I expected.'' "Why... why didn''t you think about how I had to give up Baldschmidt''s name...?" Of course. Reed was meeting this woman for the first time today. He had no idea about the breakup or anything. Her eyes, hidden by her eyelids, were trembling with rage. ''What should I do?'' Although he hadn''t done it himself, it was something he had done. In this contradiction, he felt stuck. But he couldn''t just stay like this. The surrounding air began to freeze. The teacup in front of Dolores was already filled with red ice. A woman''s coldness can bring frost even in the warmest months. It was a situation that reminded him of that saying. Reed carefully put down his teacup and looked into her eyes. Her eyes were clearly filled with hatred for him. It felt as if aser beam could shoot out and burn his face. "¡­Fine. After all, it''s all in the past. I hope you can forgive me for being emotional." "It''s fine." "Flower Garden was a significant project¡­ what do you n to do after that?" It''s unlikely that he would only educate a child. As a Tower Master, she was asking about his role. "I n to study magical engineering." "Magical engineering?" The hateful gaze in her eyes flickered with curiosity for a moment. "Is that so surprising?" "Well, there are no wizards who like magical engineering. I thought you would surely dislike it too." That''s true. Why would someone who loves pure magic more than anyone else stuff magical engineering books into their storage magic? "Since nobody else is touching it, shouldn''t I do it?" "The wizards of the tower will undoubtedly resist." "But they will eventually adapt. Those who resist will be expelled." If their intentions don''t align, he would have to let them go. Reed had decided this when he chose magical engineering. Dolores said nothing and looked at Reed with her blue eyes. Since no Tower Master cared about magical engineering, she couldn''t be certain about what would happen. "If you want, I can show you the projects I''m working on right now." "It''s fine. It''s not like we''re close enough for that¡­" Dolores, who had been relentless, stepped back. The cold atmosphere had somewhat eased. ''It seems that her suspicions have somewhat subsided.'' However, she hadn''tpletely let go of her suspicions. He could be researching new technology under the guise of magical engineering, so for now, she''s just holding her tongue. Reed took another sip of his tea. The icy coldness made his teeth ache. "The tea has gone cold." "¡­Ahem." Dolores coughed, gathering the cold air she had scattered. Her face flushed with embarrassment at her inability to maintain herposure. Knock, knock. Someone knocked from beyond the reception room. "Come in." At Reed''smand, the door opened, "Abracadabra!" Rosaria barges in. Reed turns his head to look at Rosaria, who is standing next to him. "Rosaria, I''m talking with the Tower Master right now, aren''t I? It''s rude to burst in like that." "Noona gave me clothes, and she said I absolutely have to show them off to you! So, I came." The white dress she had been wearing was gone, reced by a ck dress. The dress was voluminous and three-dimensional, adorned with Gothic-style frills and a headband. A ck dress. Seeing it, an ominous rm rang in Reed''s head. "Did Phoebe give it to you?" "No!" He knew it couldn''t be Phoebe. She was a girl who only liked bright clothes in the first ce. "Then who?" "I did." A youthful third-party voice came from outside the reception room. Looking up, a girl wearing simr clothes to Rosaria was standing there. Reed had never seen Dolores before, but he knew this girl very well. A ck dress in the Gothic style, even darker ck hair, and red eyes more intense than blood. The Tower Master of the ck Sky, Freesia Vulcan Darkrider. "Our dignified Tower Master of the Silent Tower, who doesn''t skimp on money for his own dignity, has dressed the child in rags, so I gave her something to wear out of pity. Is there a problem?" Chapter 9.1 Rumor (3) "What do you think this child is, your ything? She''s dressed in trashy clothes that look like they''re only suitable for dolls." "..." Reed had nothing to say in defense. The first outfit Phoebe had worn was actually clothes for her doll, and Phoebe had chosen the clothes based on her own preferences. It wasn''t as shy as he''d thought, and it was calm. Most importantly, Rosaria herself liked it, so he didn''t care. "You should be ashamed, Roton." ''...I feel like I''m the only bad guy here.'' Before he could say anything, Freesia turned her head to look at Dolores. Her face, which had been scolding, was now filled with a yful smile. "Who is this? As always, you say you hate it, but you''re still childhood friends from Escolleia, aren''t you? Your concern for your husband''s safety remains unchanged." "I did note here for that purpose." "Then did you share a meaningful conversation? If it''s a wedding, let me take care of it by mid-June." "..." Dolores closed her mouth and red at Freesia. Unfazed, Freesia met her gaze with a mischievous smile. She clearly knew everything and was focused on teasing Dolores. Click-. ck shoes tapped against the marble floor as she walked towards them. Reed looked up at her and spoke politely. "I didn''t hear that you wereing, but if I had known, I would have weed you properly." Then Freesia waved her hand dismissively. "It''s fine, it''s natural not to know. Actually, I broke the protective enchantment engraved on the main gate and entered on my own." "Why did you break it?" Reed held back from adding ''unnecessarily.'' If the Tower Master of the ck Sky had arrived, they would have opened the gate without question. "Don''t you know my personality? When I see the shoddy protective enchantments that the young ones have made, I want to destroy them. Think about it. These are people who havepleted their castles by stacking wood pieces. What do you think? The first thing I want to do is break them and watch them despair." What a terrible hobby. Isn''t that basically saying she enjoys making others cry? ''She has the same personality as when she appeared in the main story of .'' Interestingly, this woman with such a terrible hobby is an ally. Not Reed''s ally, but the protagonist''s ally. However, her shameless and carefree personality, which even teased the protagonist who considered her an ally, hasn''t changed. ''At least that''s a relief.'' Her unchanging personality meant that Freesia was the same as when she appeared in the main story. He knew how to deal with her. "Let me sit down too." "Please do." Snap! As Freesia, who hadn''t taken a seat of authority, snapped her fingers, a ck shadow began to form behind her, eventually taking shape. A ck chair that hadn''t been in the room before appeared. The chair, crafted with elegance matching her gothic dress, was so imposing that it felt like it belonged to the rightful owner of the room. Three Tower Masters in the reception room. It would be a lie to say there was no tension. She rxed, as if she were at home, and took turns looking at Reed and Dolores. "What brings you here, Tower Master of the ck Sky?" Reed asked the question. "The whole world knows about what you''ve done, kid. I came to see that girl you brought in out of curiosity." Freesia met Rosaria''s gaze, then pped her hands with a bright smile. "Come here, little bloodsucker, to your Noona." Somehow, Rosaria knew that the rough expression referred to her and approached Freesia hesitantly. Freesia affectionately picked her up and looked into her eyes. Reed, for some reason, didn''t find that smile very pleasant. "Do you like the clothes I gave you?" "Yeah!" Her still-childish face broke into a smile. "Do you know there are even prettier things at my ce?" "Really?" "Of course." Freesia smirked. "If you live with me, I can give you everything you want. How does that sound?" "¡­!" Reed''s fist clenched tightly. He had suspected it since sheid her hands on Rosaria, but now she was tantly showing her intentions. ''So that was her goal.'' A normal child would have happily epted the offer. She wanted to tame the child and then drop her off. However, Rosaria tilted her head at those words. "Is Papaing too?" "Huh? Papa?" "If Papaes too, I''ll go!" It was only after Rosaria pointed at Reed with her finger that he understood what she meant by ¡®Papa.'' "Well, your Papa can live with us too. I have the ability to do that much." "We can all live together!" With an innocent expression, Rosaria ran into Reed''s arms. Reed hugged Rosaria and patted her head. "Rosaria, it''s kind of the other Tower Master to offer that, but this is our home. Living in someone else''s house would be a bother." "But there are toys." Rosaria looked up with a hint of disappointment. Given her young age, it was understandable that she would be tempted. "Do you want toys?" "Yes!" Rosaria nodded her head honestly. As the moments of joy and sorrow intersected between Freesia and Reed, the conversation didn''t end there. "But I won''t go without Papa." Rosaria stretched out her arms and wrapped them around Reed''s neck, hugging him affectionately. Reed held her and showed Freesia a confident smile, one that only a winner could wear. "Thank you for your generous offer, Tower Master of the ck Sky, but we must decline." "¡­Hmph." Her twisted expression was quite a sight. Her childish personality was on full disy. Rosaria had done everything she could. Reed helped Rosaria stand up and spoke gently to her. "Alright, Rosaria, I need to talk with thisdy now, so can you go outside? Go ask Phoebe Noona to y with you." "Okay!" Rosaria scampered off. As she walked, her dress swayed like a Welsh corgi''s bottom, making one wonder if she would trip, and forcing them to keep watching her. Her movements disappeared only when the reception room door closed. "You''ve trained her well." Freesia finally spoke, as if she had been waiting for this moment. Reed corrected her. "When raising a child, we use the term ''parenting.''" "Enough with that annoying ¡®Papa¡¯ act. Didn''t you bring that girl here for your own purposes as well?" She mimicked Rosaria''s speech with a roll of her tongue. It was forgivable when Rosaria did it, but when Freesia did it, it was just unpleasant. That''s when Dolores asked Freesia with a question mark above her head. "I didn''t know the Tower Master of the ck Sky was interested in children¡­" It made even less sense that Freesia, a single spinster armed with hysteria, would like children than Reed''s adoption. As expected, Freesia waved her hand dismissively. Chapter 9.2 "I only like adults. Even if theyck talent, I can use them as skeleton soldiers." "Then why are you interested in a child like Rosaria?" "They say she twisted the pir of the tower into a sphere. That frail little girl." "The pir of the tower¡­?" Dolores was left in shock. Freesia raised one eyebrow as she looked at the astonished Dolores. "What? I thought you were also targeting that little girl, but I guess not?" "I... " Dolores couldn''t continue her sentence. She hadn''t kept tabs like the Tower of the ck Sky, so she hadn''t heard the news before arriving. Seeing Dolores like this, Freesia''s face disyed a mischievous smile. "It seems your childhood friend only worries about you." "I came here only to keep an eye on things. It''s purely for the rtionship between the tower masters." "Let''s leave it at that." Freesia didn''t want to continue the wordy. "Child of Silence." "Yes." She showed her open palm. "Five projects." "What...?" "I said I would give you five projects being conducted in the ck Sky." It was an offer filled with more questions than joy. Dolores couldn''t even grasp what Freesia was talking about, but she flicked her fingers. Thud! Five makeshift bound books were ced on the table. "These are top-notch projects. The calctions are 99%plete, and they only need a finishing touch. As long as you''re not an idiot who ruins already cooked rice, you should be able to finish them." As she said, almost everything had been formalized, and the hypotheses had been proven through experiments. It was as if they only needed a period at the end. ''On top of that, they''re important main projects.'' The Tower Master of the ck Sky was also known as the eternal girl of the ck sky, but she had the characteristics of being the strongest among the necromancers called the "Empress of the Undead." As befitting her reputation, the projects she had researched were all enhancement spells to strengthen the power of necromancers. Transferring the authority of these projects meant that Reed, the Tower Master of Silence, would need to grant permission for the use of these spells. That alone could be a negotiation card. ''In the world of mages, information is the most important.'' The tower master''s conference was apulsory gathering created to respond to the official mages, but they also had secrets from each other. Freesia had been hiding these projects until now. And she revealed them to Reed. "What should I offer you in return?" "What do you think?" It seemed like she didn''t need to say it. It was Rosaria. "How about this? To adopt the little monster who folded the tower''s pir, is this enough?" Is it enough? Reed smiled and replied. "Shouldn''t the foundation of a negotiation at least appear to be an equal effort?" "Are you saying I went too far? I wish that was the case." "I believe the wise Freesia will understand well enough." Resting her chin on her hand, Freesia red at Reed through her fingers. She certainly didn''t mean that she had offered too much; rather, she had wagered too little. That raised a question. ''What gives him such confidence?'' The projects Freesia had put forth were ones the Tower of Silence could stake its life on. They were high-quality projects that couldn''t be acquired with just money. As the Tower Master, Reed would have known this. That''s why she couldn''t understand why the bnce was tipped towards the girl rather than the reputation of the tower. "Does that mean the girl is that important? One who is fragile enough to burst if stepped on?" "Yes." Reed answered without hesitation. Freesia hesitated for a moment at that response. There was no smile on her cold,posed face. She raised her hand again and flicked her fingers. Snap! Thud! Two more books were ced on top of the project stack. "Let''s make it seven." Upon hearing this, Dolores was even more surprised. Giving away seven important projects was virtually equivalent topletely eliminating their performance within a quarter. It was a fatal loss for the tower. Not only the Tower Master of the ck Sky but also other tower masters had never done such a thing. On the contrary, Reed responded without batting an eye. "I refuse." Squirm. Her thin ck eyebrows twitched. "How strange. The Tower Master of the Wallin had a reaction, but the Tower Master of Silence remains unmoved." "Why would I be swayed if I never intended to negotiate in the first ce?" "Why is that? Tower Master of Silence, just a month ago, I saw you scrambling to catch a big fish. But today, you seem uncharacteristically hesitant." Freesia''s narrowed eyes began to emit a red glow. Seeing this, Dolores tensed up. In that situation, Reed''s calm demeanour was rather strange. "In that case, let''s not talk further and tire our mouths. I''ll say just one thing." "One thing?" Freesia''s face contorted. The girl wearing a mask¡¯s face had turned into a witch. No, in fact, a sinister mist began to spread behind her. The white marble was instantly stained ck, and everything became sticky like tar. Cold air started to pour out from one side. Dolores was countering the mist. "ck Sky Tower Master, please stop. This is going too far." "Fine, I''ll let you have one more word. Depending on whates out of your mouth, the fate of your tower will be decided today." "ck Sky!" "Stay still. This is between Silence and me. Even if I cause amotion, you won''t be harmed. So..." Don''t interfere. She sent that look and red at Reed again. "You seem to be confused, kid. What we''re doing is not a transaction. What I''m doing is sympathy and favor, and you show the appropriate gratitude for it." The initiative is with me, not you. It was a self-centered, queenly thought. There were none who dared to defy her under the ck Sky. Even though it was said that the tower masters were forbidden from fighting, ck Sky was not bound by such rules. Although she was the youngest in appearance among the tower masters, she was the second oldest at 131 years old. She had no intention of being patient, as she was an experienced elder who could have seen everything the world had to offer. If something was hidden, she would inflict pain to reveal it. If they didn''t listen, she would make them listen even if she had to kill them. The self-centered queen who thought everything in the world belonged to her. That was precisely Freesia Vulcan Darkrider. "Go ahead and talk, kid." "..." Reed stood up from his seat. He walked into the sticky mist of death. There was not a single moment of hesitation in his demeanor. "Re-Reed..." Dolores unconsciously called Reed''s name. Without even acknowledging that he heard her, Reed walked straight with his back straight and his head held high. Golden hues began to swirl in his slightly open eyes. It meant that the mana within Reed was resisting the deadly energy Freesia emitted. He ced one hand on the skull decoration and the other on the handle. He leaned his face toward Freesia, who was looking up at him with red eyes. "As I said earlier, I''ll say just one thing." But his resistance was not a simple defiance. Reed had made up his mind ever since Freesia came for Rosaria. A deep voice rang clearly in both tower masters'' ears. "Even if it costs me my life, I will not hand over that child." Chapter 10.1 Reformation (1) "......" After that single word, the conversation did not continue, and they stared at each other. The one to give up first was Freesia. "Boring." The chair Reed was resting his hand on boiled and melted. Simrly, the seven projects Reed had presented also melted away. Freesia stood up from her seat. "I''ll drop by next time. Tower Master of Silence." "Excuse me?" "If our conversation is over, shall we go together? Let''s take a walk, just the two of us women." "I, um..." Dolores swallowed her words. What else was she going to say? She had even forgotten that. Not wanting to show her pitiful appearance any longer, she stood up from her seat. "See you next time, Reed." Freesia called him by his name, not as the Tower Master of Silence. Leaving those words behind, Freesia and Dolores exited the reception room. "Phew..." Reed leaned back in his chair and pressed his fingers against his eyes. He utilized the cool air remaining from Dolores as a form of coldpress. ''I never thought she would target Rosaria...'' What would Reed have done originally? If he had been carrying out Project: Flower Garden and had suggested exchanging the girl for the seven projects? If they had switched, his garbage-like nature would have been exposed. ''Rosaria is my daughter.'' She is not Codename: Cosmo, nor an intended failure of Project: Flower Garden, but Rosaria Adeleheights Roton. So he had no regrets about this decision. "Tower Master......" With a drawn-out tone, Reed turned his head. He saw Phoebe, who was peeking her head through the door gap. The half-dragon girl, like a frightened puppy, was asking for permission from Reed. "Come in." Upon receiving permission, Phoebe cautiously approached. She squatted down and looked up at Reed. "I heard everything you said about the youngdy." "Did you hear it all?" "It wasn''t like I was trying to eavesdrop..." Phoebe mumbled with a sullen expression. Seeing her worried face, Reed said to her. "Don''t worry. Even though ck Sky came out so forcefully, the tower is still intact." "But my clothes are like a beggar''s rags..." "......" So that''s what she was worried about. He had thought she would be shocked. Butforting her at a time like this would be foolish. "Focus, Phoebe." "Yes......" Phoebe, who had been making a heartbroken expression, lifted her head again. "Starting today, our tower will implement a reformation." "Reformation?" "Yes, there will likely be some resistance this time that we haven''t seen before." Upon hearing that, Phoebe''s gloomy expression instantly disappeared. Resistance meant standing against Tower Master Reed. To Phoebe, the Tower Master''s proxy and secretary, those who would try to take her life were no different from bandits. "What should I do?" "Prepare a summary of the current status of the projects we''re researching and how many people are involved in each." "Understood. What do you n to focus on for the reformation?" "Magic engineering." Upon hearing that, Phoebe hesitated with her mouth slightly open. "Magic engineering... You''ve decided for sure." Her expression was one of satisfaction as if watching a lost child find his way. It seemed she knew why there were books on magic engineering on Reed''s desk. "Yes." "Understood. I will push forward with magic engineering!" Phoebe''s face seemed strangely excited. * * * The Tower of Silence, elevator. Two people, the Tower Master of Wallin and the Tower Master of ck Sky, were on it. Contrary to the tense atmosphere earlier, they didn''t even look at each other. They waited for the elevator to reach the first floor. "It''s so slow." "......" "Jumping down would be faster." "......Of course." As Dolores nced at Freesia with disbelief, she giggled andughed. "What''s the reason for that?" Dolores asked Freesia. "What?" "I''m talking about offering seven projects to Reed, or the Tower Master of Silence. It''s a big deal that could turn the ck Sky Tower upside down." "What if it turns upside down? If they''re only rebelling that much, they don''t deserve to be in the tower. I can''t tolerate those people being under ck Sky Tower." As expected of ck Sky Tower. She was a ruthless person when it came to rebelliousness. Why did Reed leave her alone on such an issue? As Dolores pondered, Freesia opened her mouth again. "About your fianc¨¦..." "I''ve told you many times, he''s not my fianc¨¦." "He''s quite handsome." "......Why did the conversation go there?" Dolores wore a bbergasted expression. She thought she might have misheard Freesia. However, Freesia looked at Dolores seriously and said, "He may have looked like a parasitic worm, but he surprisingly had a manly side. When he secretly approached me, I couldn''t help but watch in a daze, you know?" "......Is that what made you lose your mind?" "I may be old, but I still like handsome men." From their expressions, they seemed to have had a battle of nerves on both sides. ''Ignorance is bliss...'' Dolores clicked her tongue. "Well, if that worthless parasite had done that to me, I would have turned his face into ugly orcs and castrated them. I liked him because he had conviction." "Conviction, as in... not giving up on the child?" "If it were the old Tower Master of Silence, he would have definitely given up on that child. He had an excellent vision for talent, but still, he was a person who valued profit and honor more." "......" Dolores didn''t respond, but she agreed with the opinion. Freesia''s smile did not disappear from her face. Chapter 10.2 "It''s been a long time since I''ve felt something interesting. Kid, how many years have you had the name, Jade?" "The name Jade... It''s been 11 years." That meant she had been in the Tower of Wallin for over 10 years. The wizards of the tower had an additional surname. In the case of Silence, it was Roton, for Wallin it was Jade, and for ck Sky, it was Darkrider. They would insert that surname after their full name to both announce their affiliation and strengthen the bond within the tower. "I have lived for 100 years and 3 months as Freesia Vulcan Darkrider. During those 100 years, I have lived as I pleased as a Tower Master, but I have never experienced any fun." Everything was boring. She had attained everything to the point where there was no reason to be an adult. "But for the first time, I found something I want." "Why are you telling me that?" Freesia turned her head and looked up at Dolores. "Can I take him?" "Uh, I have nothing to do with that man..." "It doesn''t matter. I know. I just wanted to tell you to give up any lingering feelings you might have." "How could I have such feelings?" An age-inappropriate sinister smile. A face that could onlye from a heart full of malice. As they conversed, they somehow arrived at the first floor. "Well, slow isn''t always bad. It''s been a long time since I''ve had such a calm conversation." Freesia saw wizards holding magic books and dyes walking. They must have been the wizards in charge of the tower''s security magic. "Ah, hello!?" "We greet the Tower Master of ck Sky!" They politely greeted her, and in response, Freesia nced at the wizards. "Hi, hiik!" Just making eye contact was enough to make them flustered. Freesia retracted her intimidating aura and smiled. "If you ever make a magic form like this again, I''ll break down the front gate. Got it, kid?" "Ah, understood!" "Good work." She waved her hand briefly and walked away. Freesia stretched her hand into the air and swirled it around. Her shadow deepened like a swamp, and from it, a broomstick and a wide-brimmed witch''s hat emerged. "I''m annoyed that I couldn''t get what I wanted, but I had some fun. Keep an eye on the Tower Master of Silence." "......I will." As Dolores hesitated, Freesia hopped onto the broomstick and flew into the sky. Freesia''s figure turned into a ck dot in an instant. Dolores, who had left the tower, stood there nkly for a while. It was as if she had a fever. "Tower Master?" At the secretary''s words, Dolores jumped in surprise. The driver of the sky carriage, which had its engine running, was looking at her. "You need to depart." "I know." As Dolores boarded the sky carriage, it silently rose into the sky. Usually, she would have opened her nner to check her next appointment, but she just stared nkly out the window. ''Reed...'' A name she usually wouldn''t have cared about. A name she avoided thinking about as it made her emotions fluctuate. For some reason, she couldn''t get his image out of her head today. She should have hated him, should have disliked everything about him... Why weren''t those feelingsing first now? Why? Why? - Even if it costs me my life, I won''t hand over that child. ''Damn it, cursed, despicable man.'' That single sentence wouldn''t leave her mind. Normally, the man would have trembled and retreated, emitting his energy in fear, but now he stood proudly as an equal to Freesia. Only she, the Tower Master of Wallin, looked pathetic. It was a foolish appearance that should have made her angry. So, was this anger directed at herself? No. It was half due to the emotions of seeing Reed again. And the other half was an unknown emotion. As the two emotions mixed, a bizarre anger made her heart race. "Don''t ruin your pretty nails that you just had done." "What?" The witch driving the sky carriage nced up at the rearview mirror and grinned. It was only then that Dolores realized she was biting her left fingernail with her red lips. She hastily withdrew her hand. "It''s unusual. Tower Master, you''re biting your fingers, which must mean you''re troubled. Was it that difficult?" "It wasn''t difficult. I always resign myself when I have to meet such trash." "So you mean something hit a sore spot?" "Just focus on driving." "Yes, I apologize." Yes, she had been hit in a sore spot. She had unconsciously recalled her childhood with that man, even if just for a brief moment. A young girl and an old man with gray hair who gently held her hand. She always looked at his back when they walked, but even that made the girl happy. She utters the name she can never call again. "Brother..." She whispered it softly and returned to her adult self. * * * There are 13 towers on the Cloud Continent, and each tower has its strengths. The ck Sky Tower, led by Freesia, specializes in Necromancer magic. The Beollin Tower, led by Dolores, focuses on ice magic. Magical research and project operations vary across all fields, but the primary direction of development usually depends on the Tower Masters'' magical expertise. Thus, entering a specific tower as a student meant learning that particr field of magic. That was also the reason why people mocked the Tower of Silence as the weakest. Having no notable strengths, the Tower of Silence was inevitably weakerpared to the other towers. With no particr advantage, it was a mediocre existence, and its prospects for magical development were continuously declining. That''s why Reed, the Tower Master, decided to push a concept he couldn''t achieve otherwise. Magical engineering. A field of study that applied magic as electricity to operate machinery. Magicians fundamentally disliked magical engineering. The reason could be summarized in one sentence: - Studying magical engineering is like giving up being a magician and bing a merchant. Magicians believed that expanding the poprity of magic, which only the privileged ss could possess, would degrade its quality. And the magicians in the Tower of Silence were also among those who held such notions. "The Tower Master is focusing on researching magical engineering?" "He''s only researching it himself for now, and we''re told to continue with our research as it is." "Idiot, it''s a reform. Once the project is over, we''ll have to gradually shift our research in that direction." Opinions were divided, but the opposing views were stronger. However, to Tower Master Reed, it was the most optimal choice. What Reed was looking at was the research status and personnel allocation data organized by Phoebe. Phoebe smiled ufortably and said, "It''s a mess, isn''t it?" "It is." One didn''t need to look at the data of other towers to know. Everyone was focused on research with potential results, leaving the trivial ones empty-handed. "Rearrange everything. Make it mandatory for all students and apprentice magicians to study magical engineering, and evenly distribute personnel among the projects I''ve currently presented for those of general rank or higher." "It will cause quite a stir." Action and reaction. Bold initiatives often meet with resistance. In response to her words, Reed said, "Tell them toe see me if they have anyints." Chapter 11.1 Reformation (2) As magic engineering was being promoted, extensive renovations began in Reed''sboratory as a priority. The entire room on the 80th floor was filled with various magicology research tools. Having dabbled in all kinds of magic, there was a wide range of devices he could utilize. However, the only thing that was missing among them were the tools necessary for magic engineering. In order to create a space for magic engineering research tools, he was working on transferring devices and equipment to other research departments that needed them. Although it was called work, Reed simply stamped his approval on documents stating that items were moving between floors. It was a simple task, but it was boring enough to drive one crazy. Knock knock. "Come in." Reed assumed Phoebe had brought more paperwork, but the footsteps entering were heavy and not from just one person. Reed looked up at the men who entered. Long beards and stern middle-aged expressions. Red robes representing the Silence Tower, with a gold emblem in the middle of the chest. It was an emblem possessed by the chief magicians. Reed knew them. When he announced that he would promote the reform, they were the ones with a bitter expressions. "What''s the matter?" "This is the opposing opinion on the reform." The man on the left handed over the document first, followed by the middle-aged man beside him. "And these are the magicians who agreed with this opinion." Reed read their opinions. Although lengthy, it could be summarized like this: ¡°Stop promoting Magic Engineering immediately. If not, we all will resign.¡± They were asserting their opinions through a threatening manner. ''Well, it''s a threat that actually works.'' It wouldn''t matter how many middle-aged or apprentice magicians left. However, losing two of the only five chief magicians would be a significant loss of personnel. ''If it were another tower, maybe.'' "Talent Appraisal." Reed possessed a special ability that allowed him to see not only the other party''s condition but also their potential. As they were old, all their potential had been reached. Even in such a state, they had terribly inferior abilitiespared to Reed, who was merely a figurehead Tower Master. Although they were called chief magicians, they were of poor qualitypared to other tower''s chief magicians. They were the kind who just barely maintained appearances. These two, in particr. Yet, they arrogantly stepped forward with the feeling of being a ''chief.'' "We believe that changing the direction of development to magic engineering alone, after overturning this project, is a unteral action." ¡°Didn''t I get enough agreement at thest tower meeting?¡± "Weren''t those words said with the meaning of risking everything?" ¡°Nobody would have really thought that you, the Tower Master, would change the direction to magic engineering.¡± If it were a few days ago, Reed would have thought the same. However, while reading the meeting minutes, he identally found out why there were magic engineering books on his desk. While vaguely announcing the n for Project Flower Garden, It was recorded that if the project failed, they should at least try magic engineering. Of course, it is possible to interpret that Flower Garden was a crucial project that had high stakes, but then it wouldn''t make sense to have magic engineering books ced there. He was a man who was willing topromise with reality if the Flower Garden failed. But the Flower Garden seeded, and because of that, his sense of inferiority was vented in a twisted form. ¡°How many people agreed with this opinion?¡± ¡°Five middle-ranked magicians, twelve apprentice magicians, and thirty-three disciples, making a total of fifty people.¡± Fifty-two people made up a quarter of the tower''s poption. Seeing this, Reed put down the paper. ¡°I understand your intentions well.¡± ¡°Then, following our wishes, we should return to magicology...¡± ¡°I said I understand, but I never said I would follow your opinions, so listen until the end.¡± The chief magicians'' expressions became distorted. Reed looked up at them, rolling his golden eyes. ¡°Being the chief magicians of this tower, are you incapable of reading the situation?¡± ¡°We know.¡± ¡°We also know that our research and projects are yielding pathetic results.¡± ¡°Then what''s the reason for being against this reform itself?¡± ¡°Isn''t it the future?¡± The future. There was nothing more to think about. It was a reference to Rosaria. ¡°We hope that if we educate her more, we can restore the tower''s status through the youngdy.¡± ¡°Isn''t it unnecessary topromise with magic engineering...¡± The chief magician couldn''t continue his words. Golden eyes were staring at him. It was a silent pressure not to say anything more. When the man closed his mouth, Reed opened his. ¡°Rosaria is my adopted daughter. I didn''t adopt her to be your ything. What would you do if she wanted to go somewhere other than the Silence Tower?¡± ¡°Th-that''s...!¡± ¡°How could she betray the Tower Master who took her in as his adopted daughter?¡± Yes, they could educate her to the point where she could never betray them. However, in the end, that was only control created through the education of fear. ¡®A byproduct of pure selfishness.¡¯ Reed did not want to push Rosaria that far and hold on to her. ¡®Disgusting.¡¯ Reed was displeased with their thoughts. Despite being called chief magicians, they had produced only mediocre results, and now they were salivating at the sight of Rosaria''s ability as an adopted daughter. Isn''t that admitting their own ipetence? ¡°Would you all oppose me if I continue to push for magic engineering?¡± Reed threw a question at them like a final verdict. And the two, who might not even know a knife is at their throat, answered like this. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°So, please reconsider one more time.¡± The two chief magicians bowed their heads. Reed, without further thought, looked down at the documents and spoke to them. ¡°Then, I''ll take a good look.¡± ¡°You''ve made a wise... Huh?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± The chief magicians had a stunned expressions. It was the expression Reed most desired. "You opposed my opinion, and you brought me the written documents in person. So, regardless of the decision I make with magic engineering, you''re not going to change your negative stance, right? I don''t need such a groundless opposition. Even looking at the future, it''ll only give us headaches. I have no choice but to let you go your own way." In other words, it meant to leave the tower. The chief magicians were startled by Reed''s judgment and asked. ¡°Does that mean... you will continue to push for magic engineering?¡± ¡°What else could it be?¡± ¡°We thought the Tower Master was a magician who longed for pure magic.¡± ¡°Yes, I undoubtedly was.¡± Undoubtedly, he had been. A girl, and even the entire continent, had been plunged into disaster, so he must have longed for it more than anyone else. ¡°But what has that pure magicology left for us?¡± ¡°Well...¡± ¡°What did I gain through that pursuit? What have you all done?¡± They couldn''t answer easily. No, they reluctantly answered. ¡°Haven''t we gained pride as magicians?¡± ¡°The pride of a failure is nothing but a pathetic sight. Outside, they''reughing at us as the tower of destion and the silent magicians.¡± Silence was the most fatal and shameful nickname for a magician. It was a nickname that should have made their eyes flip, yet the chief magicians calmly epted it. It was a ridiculous situation. ¡°You can''t judge everything by external evaluations, especially for the magicians of the tower.¡± ¡°But those external evaluations are a factor that determines our tower''s existence. Face reality.¡± ¡°If we bow to every whim, it only shows our ipetence.¡± Ipetence. As the word came out, a chilling silence flowed. The one who uttered the word regretted it, but the words already spoken could not be taken back. Therefore, they had no choice but to hold their heads up shamelessly and insist on their will. ¡°Yes, I am ipetent.¡± Reed admitted to that fact. The chief magicians were rather taken aback. ¡°How ipetent must I be to have had such narrow-minded and incapable people as chief magicians?¡± ¡°¡­!!¡± ¡°If you think your research failed because the Tower Master was worthless, then it''s my mistake. I am ashamed of having the likes of you under me.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Goodness, it''s a clear mistake to have left you, who toppled over and were picked up from other towers, to threaten me with your heads held high like this.¡± As Reed stood up from his seat, the chief magicians hesitated. ¡°So I will correct it right now.¡± They were on guard, thinking he might cast some kind of magic, but Reed had no intention of doing so. He personally opened the door and spoke to them. ¡°I''ll give you 3 hours. Leave the tower with the underlings listed in that document. That''s myst act of mercy.¡± Chapter 11.2 The two chief magicians came outside. With a helpless face, they both nkly waited for the elevator toe up. Only one thought remained in their minds, like the wailing of a dying curse. ¡®We''re screwed¡­.¡¯ Both of them sighed in regret. "I never thought things would turn out like this¡­" ¡°I knew he was a stubborn person, but I never thought he would do this to us¡­¡± ¡°I thought he would have pinned his hopes on magicology once more since he took in the adopted daughter¡­¡± As he mentioned that, the other chief magician cast a sidelong nce and admonished him. ¡°You shouldn''t have said that.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Think about it. Isn''t it because you suggested using the adopted daughter that things turned out like this?¡± ¡°Ha! You''re the one who drove the nail in by calling the Tower Master ipetent, and now you''re saying that!¡± ¡°You...!¡± Just as the two were about to break into a fight. ¡°Oh, what''s going on?¡± Phoebe Asteria Roton, the Tower Master''s deputy and secretary, intervened. With her flowing wavy blonde hair and distinct facial features. A gentle image as if looking at arge dog. A pair of horns adorning her head and golden pupils, as if to leave evidence of being a dragon. She was dressed casually in a white shirt and uniform pants, having been tidying up the 80th-floorboratory. ¡°Why do you both look so unhappy... Did something go wrong this morning?¡± Phoebe, with her gentle eyes, worried about them. The two stopped arguing and looked at each other. ¡®Could she possibly help us?¡¯ ''Even though we''ve known her for a long time...'' The chief magicians exchanged opinions and nodded at Pibi. ¡°Oh dear, Deputy Tower Master!¡± ¡°Who''s this! Isn''t it our proud Deputy Tower Master~?¡± "Oh, why are you praising me all of a sudden? It''s embarrassing." Phoebeughed awkwardly. ¡°The thing is, we desperately need Deputy Tower Master''s help right now.¡± ¡°Can you help us?¡± ¡°Of course! We''re all family in the tower, so we should help each other, right?¡± Phoebe nodded with an enthusiastic face. At that, the two spilled the beans about what had happened in the office. ¡°Oh my... So that''s what happened.¡± ¡°Yes, that''s right, Deputy Tower Master. So, we were wondering...¡± ¡°Have a safe trip~.¡± Phoebe, waving both hands, distancing herself from them. Her steps were cold, contrary to her tender attitude. So, the chief magicians hesitated and then approached Phoebe again to finish their unfinished words. ¡°Um, excuse me...¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Phoebe tilted her head. ¡°We might have been too radical and impulsive, but... Could you possibly persuade the Tower Master?¡± ¡°After working at a ce for nearly 20 years, leaving like this is just...¡± "If someone like you, Deputy Tower Master could intervene, he might listen. Please." The two prayed with their hands sped and pleaded with pitiful faces. Phoebe tilted her head with a troubled expression. ¡°Hmm... But if the Tower Master has decided, I can''t change his mind." ¡°Why?¡± At that question, Phoebe smiled brightly. ¡°Because I''m on the Tower Master''s side.¡± It was truly a loyal dog-like appearance. ¡°So, I don''t want to get involved in such matters, okay?¡± "I-I see." ¡°Alright, excuse us.¡± Theirst hope was gone. Just as they were about to wait for the elevator again. ¡°Oh, by the way...¡± Phoebe stopped them in their tracks. An ufortable atmosphere began to flow through the area. The chief magicians, who looked back, faced a suffocating horror. Her expression, which was smiling just a few seconds ago, had hardened. Her beautiful wavy blonde hair floated in the air like a witch, and her pupils seemed to shine. But not in gold ¨C in red! The atmosphere of the innocent rice cake girl had instantly turned into that of a dragon whose territory had been invaded. ¡°Which one of you said that our Tower Master is ipetent?¡± Although she was a loyal dog, she was still the Tower Master''s loyal dog. She was a fierce beast to the Tower Master''s enemies. The two, no longer part of the tower''s family, were strangers. And for a stranger to badmouth the Tower Master was an act that clearly revealed hostility. Phoebe was a woman who showed no mercy to that hostility. ¡®I had forgotten about that side of her.¡¯ ¡®The Silent Guardian...¡¯ Having spent over 20 years there, they had becent in the longsting peace. How could they have forgotten that before bing the secretary of Reed, she was called the Silent Guardian, neither the deputy Tower Master nor secretary? She had inherited the blood of a dragon, possessing a temperament of a battle maniac that could turn the surroundings into ruins once her eyes flipped. The chief magicians desperately smiled and stammered. ¡°Ha, haha!! Who said that?¡± ¡°It¡¯s, it''s nothing! It''s just a slip of the tongue. A slip of the tongue~. How could our Tower Master be ipetent? Right?¡± The two magiciansughed and fumbled. If they were really strangers, even their bones wouldn¡¯t have been left. The fact that she was holding back was an act of mercy for the two. She withdrew her intense killing intent and smiled again with a loyal dog-like face. ¡°Right?¡± ¡°Yes, that''s right! So, we should hurry and prepare!¡± ¡°We, we''ll see youter, Deputy Tower Master!¡± As if fearing Phoebe would follow them, the magicians quickly closed the elevator door. There was one thing they were grateful for after talking to her. Their disgusting desire to stay in the tower. Thanks to her, they felt that it waspletely gone. Phoebe touched her floating hair, watching them leave. "Ah, I came to deliver some good news in such a good mood..." Phoebe cheerfully smiled as she pressed her head and entered the office. Grey hair and sharp eyes. He was looking at documents with his right hand, d in ck gloves, biting his lips. His figure caught Phoebe''s eye. His focused demeanour was truly elegant. Pheobe felt that her mood hadpletely cleared up from just moments ago. "Master~" "Leave the documents and go." "It''s not a document, but a gift that has arrived!" It was then that Reed finally looked up. "A gift?" Chapter 12.1 Wildflowers Phoebe''s words took Reed down to the 80th floor, and he couldn''t help but be astonished. A mana furnace that uses mana to smelt ores. An engraving te that produces the equivalent of a machine''s mainboard. And even a zero-gravity storage device is required to preserve engineering products. ''All the equipment needed for magical engineering is here.'' These were items that were hard to get when Reed tried to obtain them because they were not being produced. There were few ces that handled magical engineering items, and the number of devices was limited. ''Whoever gathered all this and sent it...'' Who on earth could it be? Even though he had not aplished much while in the Silent Tower, someone was willing to offer such machines. "Ah!" Phoebe suddenly eximed, startling Reed. "By the way, there''s a letter that I assume was sent along with the items from the person who sent them." "Why didn''t you show me that earlier?" "Ehehe, sorry." Phoebe handed over the letter, pressing down her hair. -I will support your endless glory and development. -Brosa- Since the major reform was announced, other towers would also know that magical engineering was being studied. However, the tower masters were not aristocratic enough to send greetings. "It''s from someone named Brosa. Do you happen to know them?" "Brosa¡­" A name that even Phoebe, who manages all schedules, does not know. He asked with the thought that it might be an acquaintance from the past. This was not an acquaintance from the past. Rather, it was closer to an acquaintance in the future. A future acquaintance only Reed knows. "Phoebe." "Yes?" "How much would all these devices and equipment cost?" "Ye-yes? Well, I''ll find out!" Phoebe hastily checked each item one by one. After 30 minutes of verification, she was able to estimate the cost. "It''s 130,502,000 UP." "I see." Reed took out his chequebook. He wrote numbers on the mana-coated paper, which couldn''t be counterfeited, with a fountain pen. He wrote a message to be sent on the back along with his signature below. "Put this in an envelope and send it to the ck Sky Tower Master." "Why send it to the ck Sky Tower Master?" "Isn''t it necessary to show gratitude?" "Ah, yes." Phoebe received the check without objection, tilting her head. The person who sent the magical engineering devices was Brosa. If you put a dot on that ce, it would be B.rosa. And if you expand B, it bes ck Rosa. ck Rose. There was only one person who used that alias. ''Freesia Vulcan Darkrider.'' Reed had discovered this while looking into Freesia''s desk when she was an ally. The signature Brosa is asionally seen in ces signed with Freesia''s name. ''I knew she liked it, but I didn''t expect her to make a gift like this.'' It was unexpected. He could have epted these gifts while pretending not to know the character Brosa. It would have been economically beneficial anyway. However, that would have been no different from submitting to Freesia''s ''taming.'' Freesia was a swamp-like woman. She would seduce prey with deviant innocence, and the moment they step into the swamp, she would devour them. ''I won''t be the one tamed.'' That''s why Reed didn''t hesitate to send her money. *** The ck Sky Tower is shrouded in perpetual dark clouds. "How boring." The ck Sky Tower Master muttered with a sulky face. It was difficult for the ck Sky Tower and the secretary, known as the Ma-gun, when the Tower Master, who could be considered the head of the tower, was so indifferent. "Master, I don''t ask for much, do I? Just stamp your approval." "Just let them handle it themselves. They do fine on their own, don''t they?" "And if something goes wrong, you''ll just blow up everything, so why don''t you even bother checking?" "That''s because they messed it up. The Tower Master has no fault at all." Not a single grain of responsibility! It was natural for the Ma-gun to be upset, but all they could do was sigh with resignation. While the secretary and the Tower Master were arguing, someone entered her office. "There''s a letter for you." "Where is it from? Isn''t it polite to say where it''s from first?" "I, it''s from the Silence Tower!" Upon hearing those words, Freesia''s sulky expression turned into that of a curious child. "From that Reed fellow?" "Reed?" "Let me see it." "Master, did you just say Reed?" It was more surprising that Freesia had called someone by their name than the fact that the person was Reed. Hey. You. Kid. Over there. She would even call people by the first letter of their names, followed by ''-kun'', but she was now calling someone by their proper name, which was more surprising than the discovery of magic. Ignoring her secretary''s words, Freesia looked at the contents of the letter. "Kyahaha!" And then she burst intoughter!? The secretary was bewildered, her eyes wide open. "Master?" "Hey, Magic Army! Check this out." She infused magic into the paper and flicked it toward the Magic Army. The Magic Army looked at the paper she had seen. 120,035,020 UP Reed Adelheights Loton- Rather thanughter, confusion dominated their reaction to the sudden appearance of the huge sum of money. That would probably be the reaction of most people. "Why would the Silence Tower Master give us such arge sum of money?" "You know, the things I said I''d sendst time?" "Oh, those magic engineering devices?" The ck Sky Tower focused on necromancer-rted research but studied all fields. Magic engineering was one of those fields, but there was no one to take charge, so the magic engineering devices were always left to gather dust. "I gave those to the Silence Tower." "What? You gave them to another tower?" "I asked the other chief guys. ''Hey! Are you using those magic engineering products? Are you throwing them away?'' And they said, ''Oh, yes~ yes~ please throw them away. You''re the most beautiful princess in the world~.'' So it''s the fault of the guy who agreed to throw them away." "Hold on. Throwing them away and giving them to another tower arepletely different. And you didn''t exin to me where they went!" The Magic Army was dumbfounded but didn''t argue further. The amounts matched the prices of the magic engineering products they had almost exactly. No, it was even more. By 20 million UP. Chapter 12.2 "We sent magic engineering products worth about 100 million, but why did they send an extra 20 million?" "When you ask a merchant to buy a specific product, how much extra do they charge?" "20%. You don''t mean..." "Right, He treated us like merchants." It was a contemptuous remark towards the Tower of ck Sky¡¯s goodwill. The Magic Army''s expression twisted, and they raised their voice. "How dare they! I''ll demand an apology from the Silence Tower Master right now." "Don''t bother, justugh it off. There''s no fun in starting an argument." Freesia waved her hand to calm Ma-gun. Ironically, the one who hated being underestimated the most was Freesia. The person who should be most upset seemed strangely calm. Having observed the series of actions, Ma-gun finally realized. "Could it be that you actually like this man?" "I do like him. He saw through even my alias and showed a strong will not to be tamed." "Taming... How can one think of it as a taming attempt, when you didn''t even use your real name and showed such kindness?" "That''s what taming is." Freesia lowered her legs from the desk and straightened her posture. "I''ll stamp the seal for you, so you can go now." "What? You''re giving up even though it''s been less than 30 minutes?" "Our cute Ma-gun, it''s better not to bother your teacher when she''s in a good mood, right?" "Ah, yes..." Ma-gun ced the check on the desk and quietly withdrew. Freesia looked again at the check that he had left behind. She was looking at the back, not the front. This is what was written on the back: -Wildflower. A wildflower that blooms to live on its own without being tamed by anyone. Knowing the alias Brosa meant he knew Freesia very well. So the intention of writing "wildflower" must have been clear. -I am not yours alone. And, like a wildflower, I will not be tamed. Freesia was not the one to be discouraged by not being able to possess him. She would definitely possess him. If she couldn''t, she would destroy him. Reed was destined to be destroyed by her twisted emotions, but... She didn''t want to destroy Reed. So she was even more drawn to him. *** Reed faced resistance as he changed the main research focus of the tower and restructured it. Two chief mages and fifty signed members left, leaving 153 members. It was natural to have a manpower problem since a quarter of the personnel had suddenly left. The question of what to do with the research projects and how to proceed was the biggest problem. In the end, they chose to scrap the most uncertain projects and reduce the number of people. There could have beenints, but they had alreadyid off arge number of fifty people, so they had no choice but to keep quiet. It clearly showed who was in charge here. During that time, Rosaria was educated by Phoebe and other female mages to survive in the tower. Her outgoing personality allowed her to quickly be friends, calling them "Noona" and following them around like a little puppy. Though one might think a child would get bored, she diligently followed etiquette and basic education sses, as well as magic. Of course, the best part she followed was magic. -Her talent is amazing. She can''t understand the theory even if we give her all day, but when we show her how to use magic, she picks it up in no time! For several days, she wanted to show off her progress and wanted to enter his office, but they thought it was a sensitive time, so other mages calmed her down, and Rosaria understood and endured. "They could have just sent her in..." Although he had changed a lot from before, it seemed they still thought that some of his old personality remained. There was no doubt that they were worried that if Reed threw a tantrum, it would hurt her young heart. After beingpletely freed from the headache, Reed decided to have a meal with Rosaria first. The dining room on the 81st floor. The walls were decorated with luxurious ornaments fitting for high-ranking nobles, and there was a long table. But unlike the table, only Reed and Rosaria, who was sitting right next to him, were seated. Reed first checked Rosaria''s condition with his ¡¸Talent Appraisal¡¹. Name: Rosaria Adelheits Roton upation: Tower Master''s Daughter Age: 7 Alignment: Neutral Health: 100/100 Stamina: 80/80 Mana: 54,560/54,560 [Traits] ¡¸Eternal Hole¡¹ [Abilities] , , , , [Unreleased Traits & Abilities] ¡¸Magic Ruler¡¹, ¡¸Master of Adaptation¡¹ , ... ''Impressive progress.'' In just a few days, the levels of and had reached 2. It meant she could use most low-level attack spells. If this had happened at a noble''s mansion rather than the tower, the entire Cloud Continent would have been turned upside down. "Here is a steak with truffle sauce." The chef personally delivered the hot, freshly cooked meat. Despite her age, when he thought Rosaria would like meat, she saw the well-cooked steak with a bored expression. It was hard to believe that the little girl in front of him, who was eating so well, was actually a picky eater. "Don''t you like steak?" At Reed''s question, Rosaria nodded her head. "It''splicated. You have to use specific knives and forks. If you don''t use the right ones, you get scolded!" "I see." Was it because it wasplicated? Reed was fundamentally a noble, and Rosaria was also a noble, albeit due to being adopted. So it seemed they were teaching her manners. Even Reed, an adult, had to review his etiquette for acting, and he needed to study hard. Which fork to use for picking up meat, which fork for picking up sd, which ss to drink water from... Although there were no major problems as she had mastered the basics of walking and such, it was difficult for her to adapt to the sudden etiquette, as she was a girl who couldn''t even speak. "What''s your favourite food, Rosaria?" "Sandwiches." "Why?" "You just eat them." How simple are sandwiches? You just grab the bottom with both hands and take a big bite. Reed chuckled and pulled her steak te towards himself. "Let me cut it for you." He cut her steak into bite-sized pieces and handed it back to her. Rosaria happily started to eat with her fork. "And I also like sandwiches." "Really?" "Yes, let''s eat them together next time." Her face brightened up even more. Are sandwiches really that great? "You''re not busy now, right?" "Yes." "Then, can I show you the magic I learned!?" Hearing that, he realized he had thought wrong. How much did she want to show off after learning magic? Reed stroked her head and said, "Alright, let''s see that magic today." "Yay!" Rosaria, who was delighted, raised both hands. After the meal was over, Reed watched her magic in her room. Clumsy elemental magic was being controlled by the dominant flow of mana and scattered in the sky. It sparkled and spun like a mobile. Her magic show didn''t end until she fell asleep from exhaustion. As she had been holding back for days, there was much she wanted to show, so Reed quietly watched. Although it was a repetitive and potentially boring performance, Reed smiled. It was the proud smile of a father watching his daughter''s growth. Chapter 13.1 Gift Dolores Jade threw herself from the broomstick and stood on the meadow. Unlike when she came by pulling a sky carriage, this time she came for private business using a personal transportation broomstick. What she was looking up at was the Silence Tower. From the typical tower shape stacked in a circle, a slightly reddish light flickered. That was the Tower of Silence. Dolores put away her broomstick and walked towards the gate of the Silence Tower. As she approached, a huge stone door opened as if a giant was sealed inside, and a man came running hurriedly with his face soaked in sweat. "I''m here, pant, pant, to meet the Tower Master of Wallin, pant." "Why are you in such a hurry if you''re running away?" "I apologize. These days, there are so few people that there is no one to stand by at the front..." Was it because of the massive reform? Since she had heard about the situation at the Silence Tower, she could understand. "So, what brings you here this time?" "I came to see the Tower Master. I just stopped by, so please let them know I''m moving to the personal office." "Yes? Then, it would be difficult for us..." "First, just tell them." The magician connected to the office by phone through a magic spell. After a moment, he replied. "Yes, if the Tower Master thinks it''s better that way, they said toe up to the 82nd floor." "Don''t talk back next time. Got it?" "I apologize, Tower Master." The magician bowed his head in apology, and Dolores moved her steps towards the elevator. Dolores Jade was a genius magician who had be a Tower Master at a young age. The Tower Master of Wallin recognized her talent early on, and after graduating from the academy, took her in as an apprentice and raised her. As a result of the fusion of knowledge umted over a long period, she became an "Archmage," the highest title that any magician could not help but acknowledge, and gained the ability to be recognized as the next Tower Master. However, she also had her own troubles. ¡®A gift as an apology for suspicion... A gift for the development of magical engineering... Which one is better?¡¯ She was quite weak in casual conversations. Though she could talk smoothly about various things in business conversations, she could not figure out how to continue the conversation when it came to everyday matters. While contemting in the elevator going up to the 82nd floor, she moved without even being able toe to a conclusion on such a trivial issue. Dolores knocked on the door of the Tower Master''s office in the Silence Tower. "Come in." A low voice came from inside. As she opened the door, she saw a man with ash-colored hair and golden eyes working on the other side. As Dolores tried to approach and speak, "Wait a moment." He stopped her. It wasn''t intentional. It was just a matter of bad timing. Dolores stood still in her ce and looked down at him. ''He really has changed.'' Not just a little, but quite a lot. That''s why Dolores felt more unfamiliar than familiar with him. She remembered the way he had dealt with Friezia and felt tense alone. How pathetic. ''Don''t be nervous, Dolores.'' She was one who never backed down in countless nerve battles. The Tower Master of the Silence Tower was nothing in the first ce. She stared at Reed, putting strength in her eyes. "Master of Wallin''s Tower, I heard you wereing up..." Reed¡¯s words were cut off, and his movements stopped. Dolores was taken aback as well. "...Why are you doing that?" "I was just wondering if I did something wrong to you." Maybe it was because she had strained her eyes too much, but Dolores'' behavior felt like she was angry at him. She left a bad first impression. Dolores coughed awkwardly to gloss over the situation. "Cough, cough... The Tower has be quieter." "Of course, I fired 50 people." "Disciples and magicians who were fired from the Silence Tower are all applying at other towers. You must have heard about that, right?" "I have ears to hear, too." Magicians who were driven out usually had no prospects. If they were in the middle of a project and had some achievements, other towers would hire them, but there was no way the magicians of the Silence Tower had anything like that. They only ended up in a miserable situation after being ipetent and just being stubborn. "Deal with them more surely. Those guys will definitely crawl back up again. The project''s confidential... " "They''re ipetent anyway. They have nothing but the ambition to establish themselves in remote viges and act as masters." "Right. I was worried for nothing." "It''s advice from a Tower Master. I appreciate it." "Well... After all, we should help each other as Tower Masters. Nowadays, official mages are getting too out of control." There waspetition among the towers, but the greatest enemy were still the official magicians. "So... Is magic engineering going well?" "Did youe to ask that?" "Is there any other reason for me toe here?" Dolores regretted her words as soon as she said them. In fact, she wanted to say that she hade to give a gift. ''How silly of me.'' At her words, Reed stood up from his seat and walked over. His golden eyes got closer and closer. Her blue eyshes fluttered rapidly like a startled butterfly. "Um, what?" "Follow me." "Yes?" "If you''re curious, why don''t you see for yourself?" Reed took her to the research wing on the 80th floor. The once cluttered equipment was now gone, and magic engineering devices were efficiently arranged. "You haven''t started the research yet?" "Since the ordered goods haven''t arrived, getting familiar with the equipment and devices is the top priority." "It must have been hard to get these devices... I wonder when the Tower Master of Silence expanded his reach like this." "I got them from the ck Sky Tower." "...ck Sky?" Dolores''s chatter stopped. Reed looked back at her, who suddenly stopped in her tracks. Her face had a devastated expression. However, it was just a momentarypse. Reid calmly exined to her. "Don''t worry. ck Sky gave me such arge amount of goods, so I paid her an equallyrge sum. I have no intention of falling for ck Sky''s scheme." "...Who said I was worried?" Nevertheless, Dolores felt a little relieved inside. Muttering that this was simply for the rtionship between the Tower Masters, she followed him. Dolores and Reed inspected all the magic engineering devices in the research wing. As Reed came outside and pressed the elevator button, he said, "That''s the end. If there''s nothing else, I''ll escort you to the gate." Since she came to see how magic engineering was going, her business was up to that point. Given Dolores''s pride, she would undoubtedly take the elevator down. And the gift she intended to give would remain tucked away in her storage magic warehouse. But she was a bit different today. Freesia Vulcan Darkrider, the Tower Master of ck Sky. She remembered the cheeky kid''s words. -May I take him? A surge of emotion welled up, opening her mouth to speak. "Um, well..." As Reid waited for the elevator, he turned his head. "What is it?" "I... I also brought a gift." "A gift?" Chapter 13.2 Dolores reached out her hand into the air. Then the air shook gently as if creating ripples on the surface of water, and her hand was swallowed up. Momentster, she took out an item. It was an unbelievable gift to be given by a Tower Master. "It''s a... doll." It was a teddy bear. A small-sized teddy bear with white stripes on a brown background. Reed received the bear. "To be precise, it''s not a gift for the Tower Master, but for the child named Rosaria." Dolores''s voice was not as confident as when she was chatting. She was like a timid little kitten. She was like a shy kitten crying softly from a distance. Reed silently looked at the gift Dolores had given, turning it over in his hands. As he did so, thousands of thoughts began to flood her mind. Her gift seemed too small. ''Is heparing it to ck Sky? He easily handed over devices worth millions of UP, while I''m giving a doll worth just a few hundred UP.'' Reed would be left wanting more. In the worst case, she even imagined him dropping the teddy bear andughing wickedly. After examining the bear for a while, Reid handed it back to Dolores. ''I knew it. It wasn''t needed.'' But that wasn''t his intention for returning it. "Give it to her directly." "...What?" Dolores raised her head. "If it''s a gift for Rosaria, it''s right for you to give it." "...You should give it." "Wouldn''t it be frustrating for both the giver and the receiver if I were to give it on your behalf?" "Ha!." "Let''s go to Rosaria''s room." Dolores''s face turned red. If Reed had known what she was thinking, she would have been too embarrassed to lift her face. They took the elevator to the 81st floor and entered Rosaria''s room. As expected from a child''s room, it had cozy colors and soft, fluffy furniture. Rosaria, who was sitting at her desk reading a book, jumped up at the sound of the door opening and greeted Reed. "Papa!" "Rosaria, I told you not to run, you''ll get hurt." "Papa!!!" Rosaria charged straight towards him and hugged him. Reed could only smile as he brushed her white hair back. "There''s a guest here. You should greet her, shouldn''t you?" "Ah!" Only then did she let go and look up at Dolores. "Hello! My name is Rosaria Adelhei... Tzuuuuuu..." "Ahem, Roton." "Roton!" The child''s awkward greeting. In response, Dolores politely greeted Rosaria as well. "I''m Dolores Jade..., the Tower Master of the Wallin Tower." "Dolores... it''s a pretty name." Her bright red eyes looked up at Dolores, almost blindingly beautiful. Reed squatted down and spoke to her. "Today, the Tower Master has prepared a gift for Rosaria." "A gift?" At that, Dolores handed over the teddy bear she was holding. "Here..." "It''s a bear!" Rosaria, raising her hands in excitement, hugged the teddy bear tightly. The bear was about the same size as her little head. "I got a teddy bear! A bear! A teddy bear!" As she twirled around and danced, something urred to Rosaria, and she ran back to Dolores. Her innocent eyes looked up at Dolores as she asked, "Dolores Noona!" "Uh, Noona?" Dolores was taken aback by the long-forgotten term of endearment. "Can I give a name to the teddy bear?" "A, a name?" "Yeah. Lucy! I want to call her Lucy! Is that okay?" How could she refuse? Dolores nodded her head. "Y-yes, Lucy is good. It''s a lovely name." "Thanks for giving me Lucy, Dolores Noona." Dolores couldn''t say any more. The innocence seemed to cruelly choke her. Dolores had no choice but to turn her head and hide her blushing face. Reed sent Rosaria back to her desk and stepped outside. As they quietly waited for the elevator, "She was a bit rude, wasn''t she?" "..." "Are you angry?" "Would I get mad at a child? That would be foolish..." If she said she blushed out of embarrassment, it would make her look even more pathetic. Dolores touched her cold cheeks with her hands. "I''ll go to the gate alone." "Are you sure?" "I''m not a child. And next time..." As she stepped into the elevator, she stared at Reed. Her clear,ke-like eyes met his, despite her bright red face. "I''ll prepare a gift for you as well." At first, she thought he was a bad guy, but she saw him differently now. It was cute. She was as cute as an injured cat cautiously letting down its guard and approaching. Reed smiled faintly at her words. "I''ll look forward to it." The elevator descended. She had not even been there for an hour, yet she felt strangely refreshed. *** "I''ve brought the items you asked for, hehehe." The treacherousughter of the one-eyed rat, Leto, echoed in the reception room. Three weeks after the reform of the Tower of Silence, the materials for the first project finally arrived. Leto, who looked like a rat-human, handed over a stone on a te from the other side. The item Reed had ordered through Leto was called Magnesium. Magnesium Type: Material item It is a byproduct produced when a smander consumes iron. Purity: 99.8% People refer to this ore in the following ways: Lizard''s poop. Or trash. The material itself is softer than brass and is sometimes mixed in small amounts with iron for mass production at a low cost. ''The perception is like that now.'' As a byproduct of the fire spirit Smander''s consumption, it reacts to mana. Depending on the amount of mana, it could be as strong as the so-called ck Iron, the hardest material. The discovery of this ore dates back to about three years ago. The discovery was announced through academia, but no one showed interest in Magnesium. Although it could be stronger than ck Iron, the moment mana runs out, its functionality would bepletely lost. The prevailing belief in the magical academic world was that it would be better to study other magic rather than research such an imperfect ore. However, Reed''s thoughts were different. ''It''s the most valuable treasure in the world.'' It was such a treasure that if not acquired now, it would be impossible to obtain when desired. Chapter 14.1 Magnesium "Even though it''s quite valuable in another sense, I had a hard time finding it, hehe. But what do you intend to use such trash for?" "That''s not for you to know." "Ah, yes, of course. I overstepped my bounds." He was a guy who fed on information, so questions came out as naturally as breathing. "I will give you the agreed-upon payment in advance." Reed handed him a heavy silver coin box that had been prepared beforehand. A total of 20,000 UPs. He had contracted to purchase 4,000 kg of magnesium at 50 UP per 1kg, which cost 42 UP. Now only 1,500 kg had arrived, but they had written an agreement that the remaining items would be shipped within three months, so there would be no significant problems. "I hope you can provide everything within the next three months." "Yes, yes! Of course! What kind of business would I be in if I didn''t trust you? Oh, by the way¡­" "What is it?" "This is a small gift I have prepared for you, Tower Master!" "A gift?" Leto ced a box he had pushed to the side on the desk. "Ha-ha, don''t worry, Tower Master. Even though I''m Leto, I can''tpete with your discerning eye, but I still thought hard about what I could find that might be able to catch up with you." Reed opened the neatly wrapped box and looked at its contents. It was a thick book. - Isaac''s 108 Fairy Tales. It was a collection of fairy tales. "I thought the atmosphere here would be quite dull, kekeke. I brought something fun for the kids to enjoy, for the ve... I mean, Miss Rosaria." "¡­¡­" "What do you think?" How was it? To be honest? Reed looked at Leto a bit differently. Of course, it was not just the gift itself that moved him. ''He thinks I don''t abuse my adopted daughter behind her back, which means that his information-gathering ability is definitely excellent.'' This kind of gift would have been impossible without urately spotting the recent status of Rosaria, who was adopted as a ve. If there had been any image of Reed disliking Rosaria, he would have given her something she needed instead. ''Even while he brought me something hard to obtain¡­.'' Reed found it impressive that Leto had such a good sense despite his rat-like face. ''Well, that''s what these kinds of guys live on.'' Although he was grateful for the gift and wanted him to give it to her in person¡­ - It''s a gift, Miss. Kekeke. - Thank you, Leto Oppa! ''¡­I have to stop it. I''ve simted it over 100 times in my brain, and all I can see are dangerous images.'' Reed calmly thanked him. "I just needed it. Thank you." "Kekeke, I''m d." Leto smiled awkwardly. ''But don''t be too happy. There''s still more toe.'' Reed put that gift on the seat next to him and asked him. "By the way." "Yes, yes." "You brought a gift for my daughter, but nothing for me?" "¡­Yes?" Leto''s face, which had been satisfied, turned rigid. A brief silence. "Yes?" Raising the remaining eyebrow, he asked again. "I''m asking if you brought a gift for my daughter and none for the Tower Master." "Ah, well, that''s¡­" Leto stammered. It looked so pitiful that it was almostughable. "Actually, I thought I wouldn''t be able to catch up with Tower Master''s sense, so I didn''t prepare anything in the form of an item." "Then what is it?" "That¡­ I''ll give you one piece of information you want for free." Receiving information that normally costs more than 1,000 YP for free seemed to be a gift in itself. ''Is this why people abuse their power? It''s so much fun.'' "I won''t ask for too much since it''s a gift from your sincerity." "Yes, yes¡­" "I have a question about myself. What was the reaction of the magicians to the fact that I was studying Magic Engineering?" Leto lived in the capital of Garcia, the most influential empire on the Cloud Continent. Since everything goes through Garcia, his sources of information are the widest. So, his information should also include the opinions of the artisans and mages of the empire. "Oh, well, that''s the thing. Opinions are divided on whether you are bing a pioneer in Magic Engineering, kekeke¡­" It was a lie. Leto''sughter changed subtly when he lied. "I don''t need ttery. Tell me the truth." "Ah, yes, understood. As you expected, Tower Master, most of the opinions are negative." The mages of the workshops thought that the Silence Tower had hit rock bottom and the magicians of the tower itself looked down upon Reed for allowing such a perception. However, neither the tower nor the workshops couldpletely ignore the changes Reed had made. "It''s because of Rosaria." "That''s right. Miss Rosaria is getting a lot of attention." Though only Dolores and Freesia had actuallye to see her, the other tower masters were likely keeping an eye on Rosaria as well. ''The next Tower Master meeting will definitely bring this up.'' Reed''s ultimate reason for asking about himself was because of the Tower Master meeting. The transition to Magic Engineering, massyoffs, and the emergence of a super rookie. It''s hard to believe that so many things happened at the Silence Tower in just a month. With so many stories piling up, there''s no way the Tower Master meeting wouldn''t be itching to discuss it all. ''Should I expand the board?'' For Rosaria''s future and for the image of the Silence Tower trapped in the gutter, it might be worth trying some bold strategies. Reed nced down at Leto. As Leto nced back up at him, he bowed his head and stood at attention. "Alright, you rat. You''ve given me good information, so I''ll give you a piece of information too." He would give information. To put it bluntly, it meant to spread this information. "What kind of information do you mean?" "Rosaria is currently learning magic. However¡­" "However?" "She''s hopelessly dull." "Yes, yes??" "She''s slow to understand, her pronunciation is of course, and she can''t even get the basic breathing right, even after several teachings. She''s just a girl with a lot of mana." The nuance was the problem, but it was true. Rosaria was indeed a genius in magic, but her genius only extended to magic itself. As a group of senior magicians tried to teach her, they showed her various theories, but question marks still lingered in her mind. She was a child who excelled more at direct observation and manifestation than learning from the theories of others. If one were to cut away that portion, her state would not be strange if she were simply considered as a fool. Leto squinted his eyes and frowned. "Ah, ah... I see. Then, you must be very heartbroken." "Why would I be heartbroken? I love Rosaria just the way she is." "Ah, I''ve overstepped my bounds again... I understand." "Do make sure to spread this rumor." With that, Leto, who had been lost in thought, looked up at Reed and spoke. "This is just a rumor that I heard." "Make sure it is." In other words, don''t spread it directly as a rumor, but indirectly. ''No one will believe this rumor anyway.'' There have been rare cases where some people can sense mana but cannot use magic itself. However, "rare" is the keyword. The chances of such an individual, who cannot use magic, coincidentally bing the adopted daughter of the Tower Master is almost zero. So, they would be even more curious about Rosaria''s existence. The more they build up a fantasy, the more people have expectations. Although that fantasy might turn into a scam, Reed already knew. That she is an existence beyond what the Tower Masters can imagine with their rigid minds. Chapter 14.2 The 80th floor of the Tower Master''s research building. In the Magic Engineeringboratory, Reed gazed at the magnesium piled up in boxes. At first nce, it looked like a metal between brass and iron. Reed grabbed a piece of magnesium with his hand. The magnesium, which had the shape of a stone, left a mark as if it was crushed like soft y. It would break apart if used as armor, so using it as a piece of equipment would be a bad idea. Reed''s research using magnesium involved this. Magnesium alloy reinforcement and maintenance using magic stones. Type: Research Project Author: Reed Adeleheights Roton Whether magnesium, whose material and hardness change depending on the presence and concentration of mana, can be adjusted and maintained using magic stones, and whether it can be used for metal products or substitutes. Hypothesis formtion status: O Research progress: - It can be used for metal items (100%). A new research project will be unlocked (20%). This research aimed to not only switch to Magic Engineering as a field of study but also to maintain Reed''s dignity as a Tower Master at the uing Tower Master meeting. Carrying Rosaria on his back and showing off as a boss would be the most humiliating image for him. ''The Tower Master meeting is in five days.'' Will something worth showinge out within that time? The unknowns were still there. Reed chose this particr research project. Having a clearly established hypothesis meant that the research would definitely be sessful if conducted. ''Sess means you can use magnesium, and a new project will be unlocked at a 20% chance...'' This was simr to the research system in the game ''Disaster 7''. You can retry even if you fail. All you lose is probably money, time, and some conditions. In the case of this research, there was a condition of unlocking a new project at a 20% chance upon the first sess. ''The chances of sess are only 20%, though...'' It was a situation where luck yed a huge role, but Reed did not neglect that. He would catch both rabbits for sure. He would participate in the experiment with that determination. "How do I start the research?" Usually, when you enter the research system, other NPCs do it all, and the protagonist only hunts and gathers materials. Getting involved in the actual research would just add tedious elements to the RPG game. As soon as he asked, a message appeared in front of Reed. It was the first step of the experiment as written in the research project. [1. Put magnesium in the mana furnace and heat it to ??? degrees for ??? minutes, then pour it into a casting mold to cool it down.] The first hurdle had been reached. Reed didn''t know at what temperature to melt the magnesium and for how long he had to heat it. "Let''s see¡­" The information on magnesium was useless and scarce. So, all he could do was try it out one by one. Reed had already mastered the operation of the mana furnace before starting the experiment, so it wasn''t difficult. Reed put two lumps of magnesium into the furnace''s top-loading hole. Then, he ced his hand on the iron handle and radiated mana. Kuguguguk... When a little magic power was injected, the unstable vibration inside was felt. The initial uneasiness gradually stabilized, and the vibrations became less noticeable. Reed disyed temperature and operation time in front of him, controlling it by the amount of mana input. Since it was the first attempt, he heated it at 1,500 degrees for 10 minutes, which is the melting point of iron. After a while, the melted magnesium flowed down the hole into the ingot mold. Ten minutester, he took out the cooled ingot. Magnesium Ingot Type: Material Item A ingot made from processing Magnesium, a byproduct of smanders consuming iron. : Too high a temperature and too long a heating time resulted in the loss of some of the material''s original properties. : The magnesium mana reactivity has decreased by 30%. "Wow." Below the normal material item, additional descriptions were added. As they say, knowledge is power - Reed''s ability had and levels that matched the added information. dealt with the properties of the material as magic, while dealt with the loss of the processed material''s properties. '' would have shown the appropriate temperature if it reached level 4, like ...'' Being a diligent magician rather than a mechanic, Reed must have abandoned refining the manufacturing skill. He threw the magnesium ingot, which had lost some of its properties, into a discard box at the back. ''About two lumps of magnesium make up one ingot, so it''s about 1 kg.'' This means that he can try 1,500 times in total. With plenty of ammunition, Reed bravely adjusted his technique and produced magnesium ingots. : Too low a temperature and too short a heating time resulted in the loss of some of the material''s original properties. : The magnesium mana reactivity has decreased by 60%. : A low temperature and a long heating time resulted in the alteration of some of the material''s original properties. : The magnesium mana reactivity has decreased by 70%. He set the range and adjusted it as finely as possible within that range. By doing so, he would eventually arrive at the appropriate temperature. For about three hours, Reed focused only on making magnesium. "Phew¡­ that was tough." Working with mana demanded a high level of concentration. Being close to the scorching heat left him drenched in sweat. "I should make a work uniform." The shirt and jacket of the uniform didn''t help at all. Reed threw off his soaked clothes and tried to focus again. At that moment. "Ugh!" An intense headache rushed in, followed by a wave of exhaustion. Reed''s strength drained from his lower body, and he barely managed to lean on the table. Hot nosebleed flowed from his nose like a faucet. "What''s going on?" There was clearly something wrong with his body. Reed opened his status window. What appeared before him was hispletely depleted mana pool. - Mana: 0/4,982 It is called mana exhaustion in the world. ''He was so absorbed that he didn''t even notice his mana running out.'' When a person''s stamina ispletely depleted, they die, and when their mana is depleted, they can also die as a magician. In the martial arts world, this would bepared to losing one''s inner energy. There were those who became disabled magicians that could not use magic and experienced pain like being pierced by a thousand needles whenever they tried to use magic. At least 10% of mana should have been left, but Reed was not careful enough. ''But I''m fine.'' What could have potentially turned him into a cripple was easily avoided thanks to Reed''s ¡¸Tower Master of Silence Tower¡¹ trait. ¡¸Tower Master of Silence Tower¡¹ Type: Passive Only applicable within the Silence Tower. You can ess all scriptures. You can use all functions. Mana recovery speed is greatly elerated. You can absorb the tower''s mana and recover your own mana using the Tower Master''s authority. Even when not focusing on mana recovery, it slowly rises and aids Reed''s recovery. Tiny bits of mana reacted and increased like dew at dawn. Now that there was just enough energy to meditate, Reed closed his eyes and focused on breathing in and out. The mana that had been gradually umting increased exponentially as it piled up. Within a minute, the mana that hadn''t recovered even 10% was able to recover up to 90% in just five minutes. Reed opened his eyes and got up. The throbbing headache waspletely gone, and he felt refreshed. He covered the nosebleed stains with a nearby rag. Looking at the ingots he had made, Reed counted the numbers. There were a total of 50 magnesium ingots. ''It takes around 50 kg before I reach a state of exhaustion.'' He carefully recorded the narrowed error range he had meticulously determined. ''So it won''t happen again,'' Reed promised himself as he checked the progress of his research. [Research progress: 3%] He was actually failing, but this progress was not bad. ''Now I have only three days left...'' Would there be something worth showing within that time? The unknown still remained. Chapter 15.1 Tower Master Conference (1) The next day, Phoebe''s behavior became strange. She greeted with a lively face as before, but she was lingering around Reed like an anxious puppy. ncing up and asionally pursing her lips, she made Reed have no choice but to open his mouth first. "What''s the matter?" "Oh? Ah, well... How''s your research going?" She asked with an uneasy voice and awkward greeting. Reed pretended not to notice her condition and nodded. "Good." "Isn''t it too hard for you to do it alone?" It was hard. It was unavoidable. Even though he took breaks while constantly replenishing his Mana, after about 8 hours, he felt drained and lost all his desires. "It''s bearable." "Should I help you?" "You focus on the tower work. That''s helping me." "I''ll assign some assistant mages to you. It''s going to be a dangerous experiment..." "No, it''s not that dangerous right now." "Then at least let me..." The conversation went back to the starting point. What should this situation be called? It felt like arge dog sneaking up into bed and sticking to him all of a sudden. The fact that she was worried made him feel good, but she was so tenacious that it was extremely annoying. ''She must have seen the blood and sweat.'' He couldn''t help but understand why she was worrying like this. She must have seen the blood and sweat-streaked clothes in theb, and though she didn''t think it was Mana exhaustion, she might have thought it was fatigue. So, she wanted to lend a hand, and her concern for him was as tall as a chimney. How adorable was this subordinate? He even thought it was a bit excessive, but this was enough to make himugh. "Don''t worry. There will definitely be times when I''ll need your helpter, so do it then. And..." "Yes, tell me." "Since I''ll be sweating a lot in the future, order a few sportswear made of durable materials." "I understand. Is there anything else you want me to do?" Her face seemed to say ''Please let me do anything.'' It seemed like saying there was no need for anything else would sound like a cruel breakup. Reed thought carefully. "Close your eyes for a moment." Phoebe obediently closed her eyes. For some reason, her lips were pouting out. Reed wasn''t interested in the cherry-like lips. He brought both gloved hands to her cheeks. Then, with his thumb and index finger, he stretched them out. "Ugh..." ''It doesn''t stretch as much as I thought.'' It looked like a bean powder-covered rice cake, so he thought it would stretch a lot. "What''s the meaning of this?" Phoebe asked with a muffled tone if there was any effect. ''There is a slight healing effect, though.'' "It''s just a personal question." Reed let go of the stretched cheek. Phoebe held her pinched cheeks and asked him. "Has the problem been solved?" "It''s solved. Thank you." Phoebe smiled, her eyes glistening. She didn''t know what the problem was, but she was happy to know that she had helped. Reed began to immerse himself in his research again today. * * * Two dayster, in the morning. As Phoebe tidied up the clothes, she said, "How''s the status of the ley line Mana?" "The concentration is below 10%, and there are areas that have exceeded 12% from the 12th day, but it was just an intermittent crustal movement that urred during the dispatch." "What about the monster''s movement?" "Recently, a group of goblins tried to attack the residential area, but they were promptly reported to the kingdom and sent an army. They seeded in early suppression." "As expected, our Tower Master! You''re perfect." This was the situation where they were practising the conversations to be exchanged in the Tower Master''s conference in advance. It wasn''t a usual thing, but maybe Phoebe suggested it first because she thought the other Tower Masters would act sensitively after missing a Tower Master''s conference once. "Shouldn''t we start moving soon?" "Wait a minute!" "It''s not necessary to worry about such minor things as clothing..." "Is it not!? It''s definitely going to stretch! Like a cheese made out of goat milk!" Isn¡¯t it Phoebe, not the Tower Masters, who is more sensitive? Since Reed had seen how Phoebe was tormented by the Tower Masters, he couldn''t tell her to stop. "It''s enough to say ''No problem'' in the documents. They probably won''t like it since I missed without permission." "Don''t worry about it." Having said that, Reed spent 30 minutes checking with Phoebe before she let him go. "Tower Master, fighting!" With both hands raised in cheers, Reed climbed into the sky carriage. "Let''s get started." "Yes." The sky carriage started and began to lift into the air. Although the carriage looked like a sled without a horse and seemed to rock smoothly while riding the air currents, it didn''t feel like anything once actually riding it. "It''s not a big deal." While riding in a luxurious carriage, he smoothly travelled through the air without any shaking. He looked down for a few moments before he got a little bored, and Reed took out an object stored in his storage magic. The object was a Magnesium Ingot. Type: Material Item An ingot made from the byproduct of a Smander eating iron. : The Magnesium properties are intact. : The Magnesium properties are intact. The ingot was the result of 428 trials and errors, which led to the creation of a perfect Magnesium Ingot. Reed''s work over the past three days had been merely to create this ingot. ''It''s a bit vague to call it an achievement...'' However, just by creating one ingot, the progress of his research had significantly increased. [Research Progress: 20%] It had been three days, and it had reached 20%. That was enough to say that it was proceeding in some way. ''No one would be interested in that, though.'' Since Magic Engineering was despised, the oue or prospects themselves would not be of interest. The main focus of this Tower Masters'' Conference would undoubtedly be Rosaria. ''I told Leto to spread the rumor that I adopted a dumb child.'' There wasn''t a single person who believed that rumor. What was even better was that the disbelief left room for uncertainty. In the world of magicians, uncertainty is something that causes a sort of mental disorder. So, they would question Reed to make sure they found the truth before this mental disorder killed them. ''I''m looking forward to it. Already...'' Although Reed wanted to be noticed, the main purpose was still for Rosaria. Nothing had changed in that respect. Chapter 15.2 Shortly after, a small jolt alerted Reed, who then opened his eyes. The sky carriage hadnded. They had arrived at their destination. Reed got off the sky carriage. ''This is the ce for the conference.'' The location of the 13 Tower Masters. In the center of a vast in, the ce felt like a club for the top 0.1% of the upper ss seen in movies. ''I''ve been here a few times.'' Most of the times, it was in a broken state. This was the first time he saw it intact. As Reed approached the entrance, a magician who had been waiting there greeted him politely. "Wee, Tower Master." "Will you guide me to the conference room?" "I''m afraid it''s rather shabby since it''s still being prepared." "That''s fine." The magician had a troubled expression but soon led Reed to the conference room. The conference room had a well-decorated ambiance, just as its appearance indicated. In the middle, there was arge round table with an engraving of the Cloud Continent and 13 chairs. And there was a man, a giant, wiping the table with a dry cloth. "You came early, Tower Master of Silence." The man said, seeing Reed. A 2m tall figure with broad shoulders. Trimmed short ck hair, disheveled beard, and traces of white time that were visible from the messy beard. At a nce, he looked like a bouncer working at a bar. If Reed hadn''t known he was a magician, it wouldn''t have been strange for him to think that way. He was the chairman of the Tower Masters'' Conference and the Tower Master of Sky Chamber. Helios Glin Zelonia. He was the number one among the Tower Masters, surpassing even Freesia, and was the oldest current Tower Master. Reed respectfully greeted him. "Tower Master of Silence, Reed Adeleheights Roton." "Sky Chamber''s Tower Master, Helios Glin Zelonia. Why did youe so early instead of waiting in the reception room?" The reason foring early was simple. He wanted to figure out his position in the conference room in advance and see who woulde into his sight first. He was trying to collect preliminary information to act as the original Reed. "I thought it would be boring to spend time in the reception room." "I heard that it''s a behavior only subordinates do by waiting earlier than the appointed time, but it seems you''ve be a subordinate by admitting that." A smile appeared as if Helios had scored a point. ''Did Reed say something like that? After all, Reed is like an arrogant noble magician.'' Reed asked him, who was wiping the round table. "Can I help you?" "You''re a noble who can even say that he''ll help. It''s fine. This is my chronic illness. I have to do it myself because I know about it." Helios was famous for being obsessed with cleanliness, almost to the point of a germaphobe. He never entrusted his room or library, etc., to others, cleaning them himself instead. He was cleaning the conference room alone due to such a personality. "Then, I''ll take my seat first." "Go ahead." As Reed sat in the chair with "Silence Tower" written on it, he went over the report he had practiced with Phoebe once more. Time passed quickly, and the second visitor entered. "The sun must have risen in the west for you toe early." At the very moment he was about to see who it was, the person said, "Who would want toe early? That secretary keeps crawling over and sweet-talking me, so I got annoyed and broke the door to fly here alone." A childish tone and way of speaking. It was undoubtedly the Tower Master of ck Sky, Freesia. There was no need to turn his head. She must be wearing a Gosu-Rori dress. "Unusually for your personality, you seem to be tightly controlled by your secretary." "I''m not controlled at all. I just let her be because I didn''t want to be bothered, and she kept crawling up." "Why not just make her a corpse as usual?" "If I turn that brat into an undead, she''ll be even more useless. Once I find a recement, I''ll just throw her from the top of the ck Sky Tower." The ruthless conversation continued, and then the Tower Master of ck Sky went to her seat. Freesia''s seat was on the opposite side of Reed''s. It wasn''t exactly the opposite, but the distance was long. ''Fortunately.'' He had recently sent a refusal to her gift, so there was a slight ufortable feeling between them. As Reed lowered his gaze, he inadvertently met eyes with Freesia. As their eyes met, Freesia quickly folded her umbre and walked towards Reed with a swagger. She looked like a lion walking towards her trapped prey. "I am the Tower Master of Silence, Reed Adeleheights Roton." "......" Freesia didn''t ept Reed''s polite greeting, just looking down at him like a cat. ''What is it? What do you want to say?'' As they stared at each other for a while, Freesia sneakily looked at the seat next to her. It was the seat of the Tower Master of Greenwood. She quietly stared at the name, then pulled out a pen from her storage magic. Scribbling sounds. What she was doing was surprising. She added the word ''ck Sky'' over the seat marked ''Greenwood.'' Then, she nodded her head in satisfaction and said, "Wow, when did my seat change?" She shamelessly pretended it was her seat, cing her legs on the table. Her voluminous Gosu-Rori dress slid down due to gravity, exposing her ck stockings. ''Is she nning to bother me at the Tower Masters'' conference?'' Feeling annoyed that he had paid 20% more than the price for the gift, treating her as a merchant, he thought she could have been offended. People''s hearts are unpredictable. So, this behavior bothered him. Reed nced at Helios. Helios seemed to have noticed as he nced at Freesia''s seat and furrowed his brow. "ck Sky, clean up the seat you dirtied before you go." ...It seemed he didn''t mind the change in seats. As the chairman agreed, what power did Reed have to stop this tyranny and high-handedness? "Hello?" Freesia smirked and greeted him friendly. Goosebumps rose first from the awkward feeling. "......Hello?" "Is your daughter doing well?" "She''s doing well." "Are you not dressing her in rags again? If you want, I''ll send you a few more sets of my clothes." The clothes Freesia had given Rosaria were Gosu-Rori dresses. There was a time when he asked Rosaria how she felt about Gosu-Rori dresses. With a sullen face, she replied, - I''m sick of them. That one sentence, echoing gently in his heart. Being stabbed like a dagger in Freesia''s chest. "I''ve received too many gifts recently, so if I ept the tower master''s gift, it will spoil her manners. I will just ept your kind intentions for now." "Wow, a strict father. If your parenting philosophy is like that, what can we do~" She smiled innocently and finished talking, not initiating any further conversation. Shortly after, it was almost time for the conference, and the once-empty conference hall filled up with Tower Masters. All the Tower Masters naturally found their seats and sat down. Even the Tower Master of Greenwood, whose seat had been switched, was initially confused but took the ck Sky seat after Freesia gestured for her to step down. There was no real bully here. Reed scanned each person seated in the conference room. ''As expected, they all appear in the game.'' All of their faces were shown in , except for one - the Tower Master of Wallin. She was seated across from Reed, far enough away that she would have to cross two legs to reach him. All the participants had gathered, and Helios, the chairman of the Tower Masters'' Conference, began the meeting. "I would like to thank all the Tower Masters for participating in the 872nd regr Tower Masters'' Conference." Chapter 16 T/N Note: Bonus chapter thanks to @james subscribing for Chief Magician Tier Tower Master Conference (2) "Today... as usual, all 13 of us are gathered." Reed pretended to be unconcerned and shed a slight smile. "Anyway, let''s start with our usual periodic reports." Starting with the Tower Master of Thought Tower, the presentation went clockwise. The main tasks involved monitoring monster movements and checking magical energy areas, as maintaining the stability of the continent''s security was also one of their purposes with the magic research. The settlement proceeded as nned, thanks to the prior practice with Phoebe. Despite it being his first time, he recited everything smoothly. The Tower Master Meeting was going well. "I see there''s no report on any particr trends, so I guess everyone''s peaceful. Lord Jade Tower, how''s the recent project direction?" "Although it''s embarrassing for being a report, there hasn''t been much progress." "What''s the matter?" "Well..." The man from Jade Tower exined the difficulties he encountered during the project, as Helios listened with a serious expression. Being the chairman and the most senior among them, he fulfilled his duties as the most reliable advisor. However, the other Tower Masters seemed somewhat distracted, since they were either trying to help, scolding the man for his ipetence or ignoring him altogether. Everyone knew the main theme of this Tower Master Meeting wasn''t supposed to discuss the project and its difficulties. Reed was feeling the anticipation of the gathered Tower Masters. "Anyway, it seems that everyone has difficulty concentrating at this meeting." Knowing why the atmosphere became dull, Chairman Helios decided to ignore the other Tower Masters and directly address Reed. "Lord Silence Tower." "Yes." Reed politely answered, as if he had been waiting for that moment. "How is the situation in the Silence Tower?" Helios hinted at discussing Rosaria. "Recently, we''ve been researching the use of magnesium." "You mean the byproduct of those lizards?" "Yes, that''s the one. We''re studying how to change its hardness and material using magic stones and fixing it in ce." "Hmm." Although not what he wanted, Helios didn''t pursue the matter further. It was the freedom of the Tower Masters to talk about their projects. Just because the others were expecting it, Reed couldn''t just speak about Rosaria. "Magic Engineering...adopting a bold approach that most wizards wouldn''t even think of." "We took a daring choice for the sake of a better future." "I hope your choice ends up being sessful. Are there any difficulties?" "There haven''t been any difficulties so far." Just as Reed was about to wrap up the conversation, a smug voice cut through the calm atmosphere. "Then let''s just move on to the main topic without talking about what you''ve made from lizard feces." Reed and the other Tower Masters turned their heads to the owner of that voice. ''Nichs Rottenstein, the Lord of Monolith Tower.'' With messy ck hair and a red long coat that was too casual to be called a uniform, Nichs Rottenstein was not someone to be underestimated. He wore snake leather gloves and a chain ne, and had small eyes with slim facial features, making him the perfect face of a viin. ''Strangely weak around the strong and cruelly strong against the weak, simr to Reed in some ways.'' The main difference between Reed and Nichs was that while Reed studied all types of magic, Nichs focused solely on fire magic, earning him the title of "Fire Master." "Master of Silence Tower, do you think we''re interested in such trivial things? Don''t you know what we''re waiting for right now?" "Master of Monolith Tower, that''s quite rude." Nichs sneered as other Tower Masters agreed with him. "Just for argument''s sake, is anyone here interested in magic engineering products? Tell me." Nobody responded. ''I thought it would be pathetic, but experiencing it is quite depressing.'' Nichs, with a smug look on his face, shouted arrogantly. "Look, everyone is waiting for a different story! Even now, do you still want to brag about lizard feces?" Dolores Jade, the Tower Master of Wallin, rebuked Nichs. "Master of Monolith Tower, isn''t it impolite to interrupt others? Master of Silence Tower is also a Tower Master. Show some respect." "Oh, wow. The one who always belittles Lord Silence Tower is now on his side. Did you have a change of heart?" "Would you like to know why wizards shouldn''t talk recklessly?" "My apologies, I didn''t know. From now, I''ll be more careful." Their exchange made the other Tower Masters frown at the unpleasant situation. Then, a single syble broke the tense atmosphere. "Hey." Sharp and intense, it was thrown by Freesia, who had been twirling her long hair with her finger. Seeing Freesia intervene, Nichs reacted with disbelief. "What?" "Do you see the mess you made? Do you want to drop more dead horses with your mouth?" Nichs avoided her gaze by rubbing his nose with his index finger. "Fine, I won''t talk about it." Freesia, the Tower Master of ck Sky, sessfully took control of the situation. Regaining the focus of the meeting, Reed spoke up once more. "I know you all have no interest in it, just as Lord Monolith Tower said. And I know exactly what you''re thinking right now." Reed was prepared to address their curiosity about his daughter. "If you have any questions about my daughter, I will answer everything I know." As soon as he said that, all the Tower Masters raised their hands. Reed pointed at the master of Greenwood Tower, who was the furthest away. "Please, speak." "I heard that Lord Silence Tower''s daughter can use elemental magic. Do you happen to know which element she uses?" In the world of the Cloud Continent, there were six elements: water, fire, lightning, earth, light, and darkness. Having the ability to wield even one of the elements granted the wielder the ability of , with increasing levels granting stronger effects and damage. "I haven''t seen it myself, but I hope she uses fire." "Personally, I would prefer water." "In any case, earth attributes are the best. They''re great for both offense and defense." Each of the Tower Masters shared their personal preferences. Reed watched their reactions and smiled. "Luckily, I can satisfy some of your wishes." "What do you mean?" "Rosaria doesn''t use just a single element." Upon hearing that, every Tower Master''s eyes widened in disbelief. "Do you mean she''s a Dual Mage?" "Isn''t she just seven years old? And she can handle two elements?" It wasn''t impossible, but there was a significant difference in the effects between the first and second elements. In most cases, the second element wasn''t as effective, as it hadn''t fully developed. "She has used four different elements so far." The Tower Masters gasped in shock. "Four elements, you say?!" "A seven-year-old handling four elements?!" Handling a single element made one a Mage. Wielding two dubbed them a Dual Mage. If someone could wield three elements, they could attain the title of "Archmage," representing the pinnacle of elemental magic. Dolores Jade, who had attained Archmage status herself, could control three elements, although the third remained quite weak. Her currently controlled elements included light, water, fire, and lightning. Nichs seemed unconvinced. "Are you kidding? Four elements are just too many, aren''t they?" Although they didn''t say it, some of the Tower Masters agreed with Nichs'' skepticism. Reed responded confidently. "I stake the Tower Master''s name on it." Staking the name of the Tower Master was equivalent to staking their lives. Even the Master of ck Sky would never do it as a joke. Despite that, the other Tower Masters still showed doubt on their faces. "Fortunately." Reed heaved a sigh of relief inwardly. If he had mentioned that Rosaria could use all six elements, they would have undoubtedly dismissed it as nonsense. Nichs continued doubting. "So you didn''t see it yourself, hiding such a serious matter until now? Are you really that thick-skinned, Reed?" Freesia, who had been quietly sitting, suddenly raised her hand. "Yeah, I saw." "Did you see it?" "I did." "Was it amazing?" "The kid that he called Rosaria or Rosarin, was incredible." Freesia was never modest and acknowledging others like this was quite unusual. It meant that Rosaria was even more extraordinary than she had thought. "When I first saw her, she had a sinister aura despite her innocent face. I wondered how such a monstrous thing could be contained in such a small body, so I inspected her carefully and what I found was interesting." "What was it?" "On her back, there is the symbol of the ¡¸Eternal Hole¡¹." Upon hearing that, all of the Tower Masters shot up from their seats. "¡¸Eternal Hole¡¹!" "Isn''t that the transcendent realm of magic rumored only in legends?" The ¡¸Eternal Hole¡¹ was a trait that everyone was aware of but never actually witnessed. Just possessing it allowed one to absorb a nearly infinite amount of mana and control it freely. Having the ¡¸Eternal Hole¡¹ made the seem trivial inparison. "If it''s a kid with the ''Eternal Hole,'' handling four elements wouldn''t be impossible," someone said. Hearing that, the Tower Masters who were initially skeptical swallowed their words. Freesia chimed in as they discussed the matter. "Considering that, Reed, you have been quite shameless." Smirking at Reed, she passed the burden onto him. "How could you hide such a significant matter?" "You should''ve informed us immediately!" "All of Cloud Continent would flip if they heard about the ¡¸Eternal Hole¡¹!" The Tower Masters'' scolding rained down on Reed, but they were also eager to hear his exnation. "Why haven''t you revealed it until now...?" Reed couldn''t say it out loud, but he answered their question silently in his mind. ''I wanted to make all of you acknowledge Silence Tower.'' ittle Hero (3)
  • Chapter 21 Little Hero (4)
    • Happy reading! ---------------------------- Chapter 17 Tower Master Meeting (3) In the world of wizards, the hierarchy is built on the logic of power. The strong wizards are the seniors and the masters. The weak wizards are the juniors and their disciples. This clear distinction is simr to the structure of noble society, but it boils down to the food chain in the wild. That''s why, during the Tower Master Conference, Freesia acted as an autocrat, and no one could say anything. It was also the reason why Helios was able to take the chairman''s seat at the Tower Master Conference. The more you have, the more your rights extend; the less you have, the more they shrink. All Reed had was money. Money? That''s not important to the wizards of the tower. They can make it somehow. It''s not even a challenge to ckmail royalties or nobles to extract money using the knowledge and information gained from the tower. Money is, after all, simply a small stone. In other words, the Silence Tower, which has nothing but money, practically has nothing. So back to the main question. Why haven''t you revealed it so far? "It''s for my daughter." "For your daughter?" "Since the tower masters here are making such a fuss, how could I possibly say that she possesses the ¡¸Eternal Hole¡¹?" The ''Eternal Hole,'' which is called the legend of all wizards. The moment it manifests, regardless of race, the world is turned upside down. Being noticed may seem like a good thing, but there are too many responsibilities to bear as much as attention. "I don''t have the strength to protect her yet. I couldn''t give up either, so I had to hide it." The tower masters were convinced by that fact. The conviction led to another question. "Why did you insist on reforming with Magic Engineering if you knew your daughter possessed the ¡¸Eternal Hole¡¹?" "I''m curious too. Rosaria must be a promising talent who will be a great wizard, so why did you choose Magic Engineering?" If she had outstanding potential, it would be obvious that she would be a great wizard, so why would they need to reform the tower? "It''s because Rosaria is Rosaria, and I am myself. This is not a decision made as Rosaria''s father but as the Tower Master of the Silence Tower." Wizards look towards the future, while tower masters must look down upon the tower. Rosaria was a charming child with great talent, but from the tower master''s point of view, she was an unproductive, wasted resource. Rather, she was like an aggro pile that would make enemies more persistent. As an example, it was enough to consider the first encounter with the tower master of the ck Sky. In the case of the ck Sky, it came on strong but had no lingering at the end. Someone will definitely aim for Rosaria, more persistently and in dirty ways. If that happens, the tower will sway, and Rosaria will also be unhappy. If she insisted on pure magic, it would be just as self-destructive. That''s why he didn''t make the decision until the flower of her talent bloomed. "Seriously¡­ making such a talented child fall into Magic Engineering¡­" "What a waste of talent¡­" The tower master of Jade Tower shook her head with a regretful expression. "What are you talking about? I don''t n on forcing Magic Engineering on her." "What do you mean?" "If she is interested in magic or academia, I''ll let her learn it." At this remark, some of the tower masters were genuinely surprised. "Are you nning on leaving her education to her own inclinations?" "Isn''t it better to learn magic that suits her talents?" "Why are the other tower masters surprised by this?" Some tower masters couldn''t understand why others were surprised. Reed realized that the difference in reactions stemmed from the difference in their upbringing between the nobility andmoners. The ones surprised were from the noble background, while the ones who didn''t understand were from themoner background. Commoner-born wizards usually let their talents develop through education suited to their abilities or leave them to learn on their own. On the other hand, noble-born wizards prioritize bloodlines. That''s why they must learn magic suitable for their bloodline, and if theyck talent in that area, they are forced to learn it anyway. Reed was a descendant of the Adeleheights, a noble family. In Reed''s case, he must have undoubtedly been forced to receive an education in magic suitable for his family, as it was ingrained in him. To abandon such noble ideals was surprising for the nobles. "Are you going to be okay, Tower Master of Silence Tower?" Dolores, the one who had been with him the longest, asked the question. Reed nodded his head. "If I had intended to do as I please, I wouldn''t have adopted her in the first ce." The other tower masters remained quiet. All eyes wandered elsewhere as they became lost in their thoughts. "Since there don''t seem to be any more questions, let''s take our seats." Reed sat back down. Helios, the chairman, continued the conference, but in reality, it virtually ended with Reed''s speech. * * * After the Tower Master Conference ended, Reed looked at his reflection in the bathroom mirror. A grey-haired man with a corner of his mouth curled, as if it was about to touch his cheekbone, was revealed. It wasn''t a muscle spasm. It was just the expression of happiness that was trying to reveal itself on his face. "Sessful." He had obtained everything he had aimed for during the conference. As proof of that, as soon as the conference ended, he immediately received greetings from the other tower masters. -Goodbye, Tower Master of Silence Tower. -I hope Magic Engineering goes well, Silence. The greetings themselves may not hold much meaning, but wizards, with their bull-like pride, would never initiate conversation or offer greetings to their inferiors. Approaching first means recognizing Reed as someone they need. In other words, it indicates that their intentions were sessfully perceived. -If I had intended to do as I pleased, I wouldn''t have adopted her in the first ce. What would the Tower Lords think upon hearing the words of a devoted father who lives for the happiness of his daughter? For ordinary people, it would have been a light-hearted situation where they could be touched or tease him for being a dad-obsessed person. However, mages, especially Tower Lords, are different. Rather than emotions, they prioritize reason, and their thoughts are driven by benefits based on that reason. Educating in magic depends on the interest of the person concerned. And not imposing one''s will and leaving them alone. When they spin their minds to interpret those two sentences in a way that benefits them, it is interpreted as such: -We can bring that monster into our towers as well. Each tower had specialized magic, and entering the tower as an apprentice meant having an interest in that field of magic. For example, if Rosaria is interested in water or ice magic, she will go to the Wallin Tower, which specializes in ice magic, to make the most of her talent. And if she wants to learn dark magic, she will go to the Tower of ck Sky. Simply having that possibility was good news. In order to build a favourable impression in advance, Reed was their top priority as the father of the daughter. Parents are mirrors for their children, and parents'' emotions unknowingly influence their children. The Tower Lords offered their greetings to Reed immediately after the meeting to nt a good impression now. And ¡®sincerely¡¯ wishing for the unlimited development of magic engineering. ¡®It''s a bit disappointing that I can''t get everyone on my side...¡¯ Tower Lords like Nix from Stony Tower and Nichs Rottenstein still didn''t like Reed. It must be an eyesore that they were utilizing their daughters to gain favor from other tower lords. ''Better to have certain enemies than ambiguous allies.'' Reed decided to draw lines with the Tower Lords hostile to him. Perhaps it was because he was thinking about those enemies that his twitching lips finally regained stability, and Reed left the restroom. He nced at the parked carriages through the window. He could infer which Tower Lords were left just by the color of the carriages. ¡®Is it the Tower Lord of Wallin?¡¯ A sky carriage painted deep blue, like the sea. It was parked about two spaces away from his own carriage. ¡®The Tower Lord of Wallin is still here.¡¯ He thought so, and then, as he was turning his head, he stopped suddenly. Dolores was standing in front of him on the way. "Are you leaving now?" He answered her question with a calm face. "I had some business to attend to. And you?" "I had some business as well. Just." They didn''t ask each other about their business. They just walked naturally towards the exit together. "You won''t make a good father." Dolores muttered, covering the hot sun with her hand. "What do you mean?" "I only said what was obvious. You pretended to care for your daughter but you only wanted to do what was best for yourself." "Everybody can guess that much." They all must have felt the nuance that they should be kind to me. It was an unbelievably arrogant behavior, but no one opposed it. It''s attractive and fatal. Nobody said anything now because the card called Rosaria he had was such an existence. "What would she think if she knew that you used her like that?" "She will resent me if all I said was a lie." Reed looked down at Dolores with his golden eyes. "However, I didn''t lie. Everything is for my daughter." Making the Silence Tower a force to be reckoned with, and having all the tower masters keep an eye on Rosaria, were both for her sake. She had an overwhelming talent that, try as she might hide it, but will still stand out. In order to stand against those who envied her, Reed brought the tower masters over to his side. "Don''t hurt her too much. She seems like a really nice girl." Dolores didn''t seem keen on holding Reed''s actions against him any longer and closed her mouth. As they continued their conversation, the carriages were finally in sight. "Careful on your way, Tower Master of Silence." "Take care, Tower Master of Wallin." "And, about Magnesium." "Hm?" "I''m looking forward to it. The idea of manipting the material using magic stones is quite interesting. I hope you achieve good results." "¡­" Reed was taken aback by herment. Because, among those who said goodbye, not a single person mentioned Magnesium. Reed stared nkly, unable to speak, and Dolores'' face reddened. "When this happens, you just say ''thank you''." "I''m sorry. I couldn''t imagine anyone hearing about that. I thought there would be no interest." "I studied Magic Engineering a little in the past. Just out of curiosity¡­" Dolores began to say something but stopped herself, rolling her eyes and then making eye contact with Reed. He was silent, recalling an unknown memory that only Dolores knew. She swallowed back her words and politely bowed her head. "Be, be careful on your way back." She quickly turned her body and walked away, almost as if escaping. Reed stared at Dolores quietly. ''This guy, what did he not like about her that he hurt such a nice girl?'' Reed of the past became even more hateful. Chapter 18.1 Bonus Chapter 2/2 sponsored by @james Little Hero (1) Tower Master¡¯s Research Room in Silence Tower Reed picked up a transparent magic stone. Transparent Magic Stone Type: Material/Consumable Item A magic stone that is as transparent as ss. It can store and hold magic power. Durability: 10/10 Grade: Lower : Mana storage capacity: 100 An ordinary magic stone with stored magic power. Magicians often embed these in wands or staves to enhance their mana topensate for the immense power that they cannot generate by themselves. Furthermore, they would melt fully charged magic stones into a liquid form to create mana potions, making them versatile items in the magic world. Reed picked up the magic stone with his gloved hand and ced it on a te made from a magnesium ingot. He inserted the stone into a frame made just to fit the processed magic stone. He very carefully injected a tiny amount of mana. Without more or less, he put in exactly 1, to create a so-called supersaturated state of 101 mana. When this happens, the mana in the magic stone will overflow, and it will not stop until it ispletely empty, like a ss with a broken bottom. Woong-. The magic stone reacted, and the mana inside began to flow out. The overflowing mana cautiously seeped into the magnesium. The hardness of the magnesium varied depending on the amount of mana. The area near the magic stone hardened instantly. "Hmm..." Reed fiddled with the edge. It bent easily like a ball-jointed doll. This meant that the mana had not spread to the end. ''It still hasn''t spread evenly.'' The overflowed mana was concentrated in the center of the magic stone. The judgment made with the ability would undoubtedly say the same thing. [: Mana has not been fully dispersed.] Reed muttered, clicking his tongue. "I''ve failed." Refocusing on the project on the third day, this was the fifteenth failure. The processed magnesium te, along with the magic stone, were discarded. It was necessary to start all over again from making the magnesium ingot. ''At least there''s progress in the research.'' Making the te ounted for 30% Creating a ce to put the processed magic stone ounted for 40% And through these trials and errors, 70% waspleted. ''It depends on what you learn from trial and error.'' When in a deadlock, it wouldn''t rise even by 1%, but once the problem was caught, it easily rose by 5%. The key was how focused Reed was and whether he could identify the problem. "I''ve run out of magnesium tes, so I need to make new ones." At his words, the expressions of the magicians behind him darkened. They were assistants and researchers responsible for processing magnesium ingots and making tes. Although it wasn''t as mentally exhausting as controlling a mana furnace, it was a meticulous job that required control, making it the most mentally demanding work for them. ''I understand since I''ve been there too.'' As much as he wanted to handle everything himself, he couldn''t be distracted by trivial matters. So, he entrusted the tasks that could be done manually to two apprentice magicians. As Reed looked at them, the assistant magicians btedly noticed his gaze and stood stiff with tense faces. "I know it''s difficult." "No, no, it''s not!" "If you order anything! If it''s the Tower Master''smand, we''ll find out what''s at the edge of hell!" Even though it was just encouragement, they bowed their heads as if they had heard harsh words. It was as if they were looking at a surprise visit from a brigademander. "Make three more of the same tes and call it a day." "No, no!" "Just say the word, and we''ll make five or even seven more." Although they said that, Reed had no intention of making them do so. From Reed''s¡¸Talent Appraisal¡¹, observation, both of their mana and stamina were below 40%. It meant that the concentration of the two was at its lowest. Knowing what would happen if mana exhaustion urred, Reed didn''t push them to their limits. "It''s better to stop there for today. Make three tes and leave right away. Take a break until I call you back. Understood?" "Yes, we understand." The assistant magicians were secretly delighted by Reed''s unexpectedly lenient demeanor, even though they were surprised. ''I also need to rest while the tes are being made.'' Reed left his research room and went up to his office. As soon as he opened the door, he was greeted by a pile of books reaching up to his thighs and Phoebe, who was sorting them out. "It seems that there are more books now thanst time." "Ah, itu... it''s because the Tower Master of the Imperial Tower sent some more books." "Didn''t he also send somest time?" "Last time, he sent basic materials, and this time, he said that he has sent more advanced materials after sorting them out ..." Reed clicked his tongue, recalling the presents sent by the Imperial Tower Master. ''What a troublesome guy.'' Reed clicked his tongue as he checked the gift. -Introduction to Elementology: Understanding and Advanced Study of Earth A basic book that records the part dealing with the earth among the elements. It was undoubtedly a gift from the Imperial Tower. It wasn''t just the Imperial Tower. Reed was confident that he could urately predict which tower the pile of books came from. ¡®They only sent magic books of their specialty fields.'' Reed himself is in charge of education. However, at the Tower Master''s meeting, he mentioned that he would follow his daughter''s interests in education. Therefore, they would do their best to create a ''possibility'' to connect with them. These gifts are like promotions, showing how great the magic they are researching is. ''Well, from a father''s perspective, these are perfect gifts...'' Crystal orbs recordings with magical tutoring scenes, books filled with notes and memos. These were items containing the history that the Tower Masters had carefully collected since their rookie days. From the teacher''s standpoint, there are many useful things to refer to, and some know-hows that look good to skip. ''But it''s the worst gift for my daughter.'' How would a child of her age, who would enjoy reading fairy tales and developing a taste for reading, react to being given college textbooks? He thought she might develop textophobia and start trembling at the sight of textter on. These gifts were more for the father, Reed than for Rosaria. Phoebe was checking the books they sent one by one, making sure there were no problems. Although it was a rare case, if there was magic cast on the book or if someone had done something absurd, Rosaria could be in danger, so Phoebe was carefully going through each one. Of course, considering that there had been no issues so far, it seemed that there was no need to worry. "Ah, this book." Phoebe eximed as she picked up a book. It was a book called . "It really brings back memories." Phoebe flipped through the pages with a faint smile. "Did you learn magic from that?" "Yes, my master was the head of the Asteria family, and the head taught me strictly from a young age." "Strictly?" Reed thought about whether a whip was involved. Phoebe shivered as she spoke. "No, if I couldn''t understand something after hearing it several times, my master would make me copy down that part. I think I did more than ten volumes? My master got angry a lot, saying I had talent but couldn''t focus." "I see." Considering the thickness of the book, what did it mean that she had written more than ten volumes due to herck of concentration? Phoebe asked Reed with twinkling eyes. "Did you also learn from this book, Tower Master?" "..." Chapter 18.2 He couldn''t answer. Well, did I learn from that? There was undoubtedly a copy in the library when I checked, but... It was uncertain either way, so it was difficult to give an answer. Phoebe looked up at him like a puppy, waiting for his answer. There was no doubt she was expecting a connection more than having a deep discussion about the content. So, the choice Reed made was, "It''s gettingte because you''re absorbed in admiration." "Eh..." He decided to y the viin properly. Phoebe''s smiling face instantly stiffened. Her expression looked as if she had been caught red-handed, subtly avoiding his gaze. The sly girl stuttered, trying toe up with an excuse. "Um, well..." "It''s no wonder you had to transcribe the content of ten books, given your inability to focus on a single task." "..." "Finish it all by tonight." "What? What? All of this by tonight?! That''s impossible!" "If you can''t do it, I''ll make you transcribe the same amount." Phoebe had a devastated expression, and Reed coldly dismissed her and left the office. ''Sorry, Phoebe. It''s your fault for asking that question.'' *** Reed left his office and walked to Rosaria''s room. She was sitting at her desk, reading a book. Judging by the stacked books, she was undoubtedly reading the books given by the other Tower Masters. And she seemed to have grown tired of some, leaving them half-read. As Reed approached, unsurprisingly, the usually cheerful Rosaria had turned into a pufferfish. Her lips were pouting, and her cheeks were puffed up ¨C it felt more like she was being yful than showing actual dislike. "Daughter, what are you doing?" "Huh? Papa!" Upon being called, she finally noticed Reed''s arrival and smiled bashfully. "Are you studying?" "Daisy told me I need to study hard." "Study hard?" "Yeah, she said I have to help Daddy!" Reed pulled up a chair next to Rosaria and sat down. "Why were you making such a sullen face then?" "Studying is boring. I don''t like it." "Even though these are all gifts from the Tower Masters?" "Ugh..." She looked at the stacked books with a sulky face. Her honest expression of emotions was so amusing. "Do you dislike it that much?" "But there''s nothing but boring stuff." It couldn''t be helped. Regardless of her talent in magic, Rosaria disliked theories. ''Awakening of the ¡¸Master of Adaptation¡¹ would be better.'' A terrifying trait that doubles the acquisition effect of everything. It''s famous for being granted only to versatile jack-of-all-trades rather than people with outstanding abilities in a specific field. "Shouldn''t you at least try to enjoy reading these as a gesture of gratitude?" "But I''m not grateful. They said lying makes me a bad child." Reed couldn''t argue with the straightforward facts she presented. ''Yes, it''s natural for her not to like these bribes made for adult reasons.'' Reed decided to change the subject. "Then, among the gifts you''ve received so far, which one is your favorite?" Rosaria answered immediately. "I like the one Dolores Unni gave me the most. Lucy!" [T/N: Small correction - Rosaria being a girl should refer to Dolores as "Unni" instead of "Noona". It seems I mixed up the trantion with my male perspective.] Rosaria picked up the teddy bear that had been ced next to her desk and showed it to him. Ever since receiving the teddy bear from Dolores, Rosaria never let it out of her sight. Among all the Tower Masters she had met so far, she probably only looked straight at Dolores. "And the books Daddy gave me too!" "¡­" A collection of fairy tales. Reed couldn''t bring himself to tell Rosaria that it was actually a gift given to him by Leto. After all, the book was given to Reed, not to Rosaria. That''s what he thought. If the purpose of this gift was to win Rosaria''s favor, he would seriously consider killing the giver halfway. "It''s good that you enjoy fairy tales. Which story do you like the most?" "I like the Little Hero. I''ve read it three times!" The Little Hero. It was a story about a little boy born in a remote countryside who, without any recognition, embarked on an adventure with a short sword. He was born with a small stature and a short dagger, but he had some mediocre martial arts skills. However, he was cunning and had good dexterity. The Little Hero used his wits to outsmart the monsters and evil gangs attacking his vige. Since his actions seemed more cowardly than brave, no one recognized the Little Hero, and he was constantly ignored no matter what good deeds he did. But the Little Hero who fought the Demon King alone seeded in killing him with his small sword and ultimately gained recognition from everyone. "Do you want to defeat the Demon King, Rosaria?" "Yeah! I want to defeat the evil Demon King who''s tormenting people with my all-purpose tool ¨C whoosh!" A cunning and dexterous Little Hero. In a way, he was quite different from Rosaria herself. She had many talents and the potential to be brave. If she became a warrior, she would be a warrior praised by all. "But right now, I probably can''t defeat the Demon King." "Why do you think that?" "The Little Hero became stronger while adventuring! But Rosaria can''t go on adventures¡­" Rosaria mumbled with a disappointed face. Hearing her words, Reed felt a sudden sh of inspiration, as if a ray of light had pierced his temples. Maybe now is the time. The right time to let her experience the world outside the Tower. "Rosaria." "Huh?" "How about going on an adventure with Daddy?" Rosaria''s eyes sparkled. i>
  • Chapter 23 Adonis (2)
    • Happy reading! ---------------------------- Chapter 19.1 Little Hero (2) Snow-white hair like a sack of flour turned upside down, with red pupils. Whenever curiosity arose, she always has a bright and innocent color that''s charming. "I want to!" Rosaria raises both hands and shouts once more. "I want to go on an adventure!" "Then shall we prepare to go together?" "Yes!" "Go to Phoebe and tell her that we need to go out, and ask her to help you get dressed." "Okay, got it!" Excited for the adventure, Rosaria goes out of the room, forgetting about Lucy. While Rosaria is preparing, Reed decides to prepare for her adventure as well. * * * Outside the Tower of Silence, Reed kneels down and adjusts Rosaria''s clothes one more time. The clothes Rosaria and Reed are wearing are traveler''s robes. They are ordinary gray robes without the emblem or color that indicates their affiliation with the Silence Tower. It was the attire to hide the fact that he was the tower master. ''Being a noble only gets in the way.'' As he always felt while ying the game, revealing one''s noble status was akin to bragging about walking around with a lump of gold. That''s why he got involved with some issues in one way or another. ''If there''s a situation where revealing my status would be helpful, I can just use my namete.'' He checks the namete in the right chest pocket once more and asks Rosaria. "Are you ufortable?" He worried that the dull color might not suit her taste. But she vigorously shook her head, as if such concerns were pointless. Her eyes sparkled like a child on a pic day. "It makes me feel more like a warrior!" [T/N: Here warrior refers to hero.] "Really?" "Yes!" He was relieved that she liked it. Reed stands up from his seat and reaches out to Rosaria. "Come on, let''s hold hands and go." Rosaria ces her small hand in Reed''s hand. That''s how their adventure began. So what was this adventure that Reed began? It was nothing special. They just walked straight along the path where they were. Before setting off, Reed had scouted out ces around the Silence Tower that would be safe for a child to visit. Although Reed, the tower master, was apanying her, he thought it would be better than going to a dangerous ce and facing a crisis for no reason. "Still, it feels a bit empty without anything." They could only see a few squirrels, rabbits, and small animals disappearing in the bushes. The asional sound of grass insects and birdsong calmed their minds. It was peaceful. Unintentionally, Rosaria''s adventure became a refreshing break for Reed. Walking along the quiet trail was enjoyable, but he began to worry if it might be boring for Rosaria. "Papa!" "What''s the matter?" "There''s a monster!" "Monster?" Surprised, Reed looked where Rosaria was pointing. What was there was a small rock. ''Phew...'' Reed, who thought a real monster had jumped out, brushed his chest. Looking down at Rosaria, wondering if she was already enjoying a prank by lying, she was staring at the rock with a serious face. Then he finally understood the situation. ''She''s immersed in her role.'' Reedughed, feeling foolish for taking it at face value. Rosaria picked up a small branch nearby and shouted. "Rosaria the warrior will not tolerate injustice! Yaaah!" She ran with her short legs and vigorously struck the rock with the branch. After striking it several times, she turned around with a triumphant look and shouted. "I defeated it!" "That''s amazing." Reed pped his hands and congratted her on that glorious moment. Rosaria, who received the congrattions, approached with a lively walk and held Reed''s hand again. "Are you having fun?" "Yes! It''s fun!" Contrary to Reed''s concerns, Rosaria nodded with an energetic expression. Being a girl of an age where everything was fascinating, the forest itself was an unknownnd for her. Her innocence reminded Reed of his own childhood. He remembered the times when he hopped around trying to step only on the white tiles, imagining the red tiles asva, and imagining what kind of monsters lived in the dark alleys where light didn''t reach. Just as everyone creates adventures with their imagination during their childhood, Rosaria was creating her own adventure. In her imagination, all of this was an adventure, a dangerous forest teeming with monsters. As they went on, Rosaria swung the branch she had picked up, undoubtedly defeating a few demon kings in the process. Eventually, they reached the first stop of their adventure. "It''s a vige!" Mud houses and well-maintained farnd could be seen through the trees that obstructed their view. Not far from the Silent Tower was the vige called the Fallen Star Vige. It got its name because there was a crater-like depression in the center of the vige. It was a very familiar ce for Reed. ''I''ve been here a lot.'' Not in reality, but in the game. Since there was a beginner hunting ground nearby and the overall atmosphere was quiet and peaceful, he would do quests and live here when he wanted to experience a healing fantasy. "Our first adventure is over." "It''s a victory for the Rosaria Warrior Brigade!" "Right, it seems like we don''t need the branch anymore, so let''s throw it away." "Okay!" As the role-y was over, she threw away her holy sword(?) without any hesitation. Reed pondered for a moment about what to do in this vige. However, the answer came quickly. Gurgle-. It was Rosaria''s stomach clock ringing loudly. "Shall we eat something?" "I want to eat." Since it was a nned trip, they had brought enough money, and they had plenty of money to dine out. As he had often been here, he could find the restaurant with his eyes closed. Chapter 19.2 The Fallen Star Inn in the Fallen Star Vige. It was a ce used as a resting ce for travelers. As they entered, a middle-aged man with a mustache weed them. "Wee! I haven''t seen your faces in the vige before. Where did youe from?" "We just came out from the west for a walk and stopped by." "The west? Did youe from Cohen?" Reed just smiled without answering, and the mustached middle-aged man nodded as if he understood. "Anyway, seeing that you brought a young girl here, it seems like you must be hungry." "Can we have a meal?" "We have gosh and a piece of bread, but if you pay more, we can make something else for you. What do you think?" Gosh and a piece of bread. They had only eaten food prepared by delicate chefs until now, so they were curious about the taste of rusticmoner food. "I''ll have that. Rosaria, is there anything else you want to eat?" "I want to eat a sandwich." Her choice was always the same. "Could you make a sandwich for her? We''ll pay extra if needed." "Of course, I''ll make a delicious sandwich for the littledy." The restaurant owner smiled at Rosaria and went into the kitchen. A momentter, the food they ordered was served. For Reed, there was a steaming gosh and a hard piece of bread like hardtack, and for Rosaria, a rtively soft sandwich with lettuce and ham between the slices of bread. "Let''s enjoy our meal." "Let''s enjoy!" Reed dipped the hard bread into the gosh and took a bite. ''The seasoning is a bit weak, and there are overcooked vegetables. The bread is hard, too.'' Perhaps because he had only been eating high-end cuisine recently, Reed could clearly feel the shorings of the gosh and bread. However, he wasn''t disappointed. ''It''s not bad.'' It felt as familiar as eating a meal at a local diner. Reed nced at Rosaria. She grabbed the bottom of the bread and took a big bite. The crunchy sound swirled in her mouth, and soon, she wore a happy expression. "Is it good?" "It''s delicious." "You can talk after you finish eating." "Okay!" She continued to munch on her sandwich, not wanting to talk anymore. As Reed watched her with a pleased smile, the middle-aged man approached him and asked. "Traveler, if you came from Cohen, do you know any news from there?" "What kind of news are you looking for?" "Recent political situation or how the wise king is implementing his policies, things like that." Recent political situation... Due to the nature of his job as a tower master, he knew everything around the tower, whether he wanted to or not. Therefore, he knew all about the recent events in Cohen, which was close to the Silent Tower. "The wise king is still doing a great job managing the people." The wise king, Morgan Hupper. With decent city security, low taxes, and policies aimed at providing equal opportunities for themon people, he had earned the nickname of the wise king. "Is that so?" The middle-aged man let out a sigh with a displeased expression. "Is there something wrong?" "I don''t know if I should say this, but it seems that the wise king over there has been doing some strange things to the small vigestely." "What do you mean by strange things?" "They''re trying to rip us off, who have nothing. A few months ago, someone high-ranking from there came to buy our carrots. They wouldn''t even pay the price of a pile of hay?!" It meant they tried to buy it at an absurdly low price. "So what did you do?" "We did receive a promise that the unpaid amount would bepensated with wheat stored in the royal warehouse. But..." The middle-aged man took a deep breath and calmed his anger. "We haven''t seen any of it yet." "That''s terrible..." "It seems like we might not have enough food stored in the vige warehouse for the winter, and they won''t provide any proper solutions, just keeping their mouths shut... I don''t know what makes them good or wise kings. No one cares about what happens in small viges like ours, so it''s quite frustrating." The middle-aged man sighed deeply. Reed wanted to help, but the unfortunate reality was that he couldn''t. ''Tower masters should not interfere in matters within the kingdom.'' Respecting their autonomy was part of being a tower master. He could only watch with a sympathetic face when Rosaria, who was eating her meal, pulled on the middle-aged man''s sleeve and said, "Sir, cheer up!" Rosaria tried to encourage him with a determined look on her face. The middle-aged man looked at her with a bewildered expression for a moment, then burst outughing. "Haha! The littledy knows how to lift one''s spirits!" He lightly patted Rosaria''s shoulder and looked down at her with an adoring expression. Rosaria started eating her sandwich again with a proud face. "You''ve got a lovely daughter." Reed also smiled and replied, "She is a good daughter." "I have two sons myself. They never listened to me, so I had to discipline them to make them human." "If it''s not rude to ask, where are your children now?" "One of them became an adventurer, and the other married the daughter of a brewer in the next vige and took over the family business." In other words, they were not here. "It must be lonely." "Lonely? Ha! What do you mean? It''s such a relief! I couldn''t rx a single day because of those troublemakers. Now I can stretch out and sleep in peace!" Although he spoke roughly, the paternal love that seeped through his tone was undeniable. ''Adventuring and getting married...'' It may not be relevant now, but eventually, Rosaria will be an adult. What would she be doing as an adult? No, even if she''s not an adult, what kind of person would she be 10 yearster, precisely on the day she encounters the final boss of ? "Uncle." Rosaria''s voice interrupted such thoughts. "Yes?" "I''m done eating." Rosaria, who had been picking up the remaining crumbs on her te, showed him the empty te. "Alright, shall we get up now? How much is it?" "35 UP, please." "35 UP..." ''Why is it so cheap?'' Reed thought, then recalled the prices when he used to y the game. ''Come to think of it, this is normal.'' Living as a tower master with thousands of Yufis as his basic ie, his sense of money had deteriorated. Reed took out four 10-UP coins from his pocket and handed them to the owner. "You can keep the change." "Are you sure?" "Thank you for talking with us. Please consider the extra 5 UP as a token of gratitude." "Ah, I should be the one paying you for having a conversation... If you ever have any more questions, feel free toe back. I''ll make another sandwich that your daughter loves." "Haha, thank you." Could life as an adventurer be like this? He thought that if he could meet good people and spend time with them, it wouldn''t be so bad. ''I never thought I would end up admiring adventurers too.'' The path led by innocence suddenly felt terrifying. Reed took Rosaria''s hand and headed back towards the tower along the path they had taken. At that moment. "Isn''t the price lower thanst time?!" A man''s resentful voice pierced Reed''s ears. )
  • Chapter 24 Hobby (1)
    • Happy reading! ---------------------------- Chapter 20.1 Bonus chapter thanks to @Logan Kerr subscribing for Chief Magician Tier Little Hero (3) Reed looked towards the source of the noise. There were people dressed in in uniforms ofmoners, and soldiers donned in armor, facing each other over a pile of carrots. Two people, standing as representatives of each group, faced each other, with a knight wearing te armor among the soldiers. "Due to tax reduction, the financial situation is not good. To bnce the budget, we must reduce expenses, so we ask for your cooperation." "What will we eat if we agree to this? If you take away even the necessary food supplies for winter at such low prices, we''ll starve to death. We barely survivedst year, and now with this, we''ll have nothing left to live on!" "We''ll issue promissory notes. We''ll add the promised millet feed before winter, so sell everything." Despite the knight''s words, the peasants seemed distrustful. "How can the king, who cares for his people, treat themon people outside the castle wall so cruelly!? This is tyranny!" Upon hearing this, the knight''s eyebrows twitched. As the knight took a step forward, the man took a step back. It wouldn''t be surprising if violence erupted. The difference in power was clear between a farmer who had only cultivated fields and a knight who had received professional military training. "We only came here on the king''s orders, and we have no choice but to carry them out." There was nopromise between the two. A sh between those who said they would starve to death, and those who said they only came to do their job. ''Wise King, Morgan Huper...'' Reed had felt it until the very end of , but he always gave an uneasy feeling. Just before his evil deeds became known, he died suddenly, and eventually, his young son Morgan II seeded to the throne. Now was the time when the wise king was still alive. And Reed could clearly see what kind of person Morgan Huper was. ''For someone to be happy, someone else must be unhappy.'' To be a wise king, one must be a tyrant to someone. Morgan Huper chose to trample on the very small, unseen people and stand on top of them. And he left his name and achievements behind through death. Ignoring the crying old people and women, the knight spoke to the man. "We don''t know, we just came to execute the order. Aren''t there many resources in the forest? Whether hunting or gathering, do something." "That is not as easy as you say!" "Well, you''ll manage somehow. Load the carrots onto the cart." The knight no longer argued and ordered the soldiers. "What on earth is going on!?" The moment the soldiers who followed were about to load the pile of carrots onto the cart. Someone approached the cart withrge strides. Rosaria recognized the man and eximed "Ah, Sandwich Uncle!" He was the owner of the inn. He looked around with a puzzled expression on his kind face. "Mark, what''s going on?" "That is..." The frightened man confessed everything that had happened. Upon hearing this, the inn owner''s face contorted with anger. "Promissory notes again! Do you think we''re banks!?" "It''s issued by the Huper Kingdom. The kingdom''s honor guarantees that it will be given." "We''re just simple peasants who worry about our daily meals! It''s not even that expensive, so why doesn''t the kingdom pay for everything!?" The middle-aged man crossed his arms and spoke to them. "Leave now! And tell them that we cannot pass at this price to His Majesty." "Does a meremoner dare negotiate with His Majesty!?" The knight yelled. However, the middle-aged man did not back off. Instead, he stood in front and spoke to them. "I may not be able to read and write like you guys, but I am a person who at least knows what''s unfair! Tell them that we can''t stand our noses being shaved while our eyes are open!" Upon hearing this, a fierce aura spread from the knight''s face. Swoosh! A clear sound as a sword was unsheathed. At the same time, the knight''s sword was already aimed at the middle-aged man''s throat. The speed of a knight of a country was so fast that it could not be caught by the eyes of an ordinary civilian. A one-eyed rat-like individual who had been watching them three steps away, stepped back with a trembling heart. "Know your ce and shut up! Do you think a meremoner has a position to speak to His Majesty!?" But the middle-aged man did not retreat. "His Majesty is said to be a person who looks after his people, but if he does not listen to the people''s words, then he is not a wise king, is he?" "You dare to speak recklessly with your loose lips!" "Instead, kill me. Even if I have to lose my life, it is my mission to protect this vige!" The middle-aged man confidently spoke. Anyone could see that it was a noble soul burning with passion. However, that me only signaled the fate of a short-lived fire. The knight could not bear it any longer. "This is something you started." Raising his sword, the knight aimed to strike the middle-aged man''s head. Squeak! "Aaah!" The middle-aged man closed his eyes tightly as the farmers screamed in panic. At a moment when everyone had no doubt about the middle-aged man''s death. Bam! A distinct explosive sound echoed. The well-trained soldiers drew their swords and guarded their surroundings. As they looked around for the source of the explosion, everyone couldn''t help but be taken aback. The sound came from the sword that the knight was holding. "It, It can''t be." "A sword made by the Imperial Workshop..." The dream of every knight was a sword made by the Imperial Workshop. Its hardness wasparable to the toughest metal, ck Iron, and it was said to cleanly cut through even the thick skin of ogres. It was an impossible urrence for such a sword to break like sugar candy. Reed knew why the sword broke. ''Rosaria...'' It was her doing. She had unintentionally let out a desperate emotion that broke the sword. ''I didn''t think she learned any magic to break things like that...'' The genius that emerged from pure desire and aspirations. She couldn''t bear to see the middle-aged man''s death and ended up doing such a thing. It was a terrifying talent, to say the least. "Who is it? Which one of you dared to break the sword bestowed by His Majesty!" The knight''s anger erupts, and Rosaria''s hand gripping Reed''s hand tightens. Rosaria is scared by the knight''s voice. "Papa..." Rosaria looked up at Reed with a confused face, not knowing what she had done. Reed tightly held Rosaria''s hand and smiled. That gentle smile reassured her that she had nothing to worry about. "Rosaria." "Papa..." "Just stay behind me. Don''t say anything. Got it?" "Yes..." "It''ll be over soon." Rosaria nodded and walked behind Reed, taking deep breaths. Their gaze darted around, catching the chaotic atmosphere. "Stop." They focused their attention on themselves. Chapter 20.2 The voice that caught the audience''s attention was usually high-pitched. No matter how noisy it was, a high-pitched voice didn''t blend in and distinctly stood out. Therefore, speaking in a low-pitched voice, most people couldn''t hear and get buried. However, the voice they heard was of a different dimension. It felt like the presence of a charging heavy bull. Nobody could help but look back at such a voice. Despite wearing a gray robe, he couldn''t hide his elegance. Ashen hair. Sharp eyes. Golden irises invigorating within them. "Traveler, sir..." The middle-aged man, who had spoken to Reed once before, doubted if the person was the same. Even sitting in the restaurant eating, he felt that there was an elegance to him, but it seemedpletely different now. Both soldiers and peasants instinctively felt that Reed was a dangerous person. Golden light spread from Reed''s irises as the soldiers stared. ''It''s a magician!'' ''It''s definitely a magician!'' No one said a word, but the knight didn''t falter and asked Reed. "Who dares to interfere with this sacred duty? Reveal your identity!" Instead of answering, Reed took out a hidden object from his chest and threw it to the knight. It was a gold-ted namete. From a distance, the soldiers knew that the symbol represented a noble, and those closer could tell what the emblem was. "The, the Tower Master of Silence?" "What''s the Tower Master of Magic doing in a ce like this..." Nobody expected the Tower Master of Silence to be in such a small vige on the outskirts of the kingdom. Reed retrieved the namete that the knight respectfully returned. "May I ask, what brings the Tower Master of Silence to such a small vige?" "I came to show the world to my child. And in the process, I came across this scene." "Was the magic earlier also the work of the Tower Master?" The knight''s eyes were sharp. At that moment, Rosaria''s hand, which was holding Reed''s leg, tightened. "Yes." Reed confirmed. For a brief moment, the knight bit his lower lip. "Breaking that sword is like challenging the authority of the royal family." "The sword broke because it had forgotten its purpose." "What do you mean?" The knight looked up at him with wide eyes. "What is the difference between a sword that should protect its people but aims at their own and a mad dog?" "..." "That''s why I broke it." It was a fact that could not be denied. Since the knight had witnessed everything, he couldn''t lie thoughtlessly either. Therefore, the knight spoke to Reed. "I will pretend I didn''t see you breaking the sword. So please let me finish my sacred duty." "I don''t want to." Reed tly refused him. The knight had a puzzled look on his face. Tower Masters shouldn''t be involved in incidents within a kingdom. So, the knight only thought that Reed might have been annoyed by this matter. "Are you intervening in the kingdom''s affairs now?" "I''m not sure. I don''t know if these farmers belong to your kingdom." "This vige is under the protection of the Huper Kingdom. It''s an event that happened strictly within the territory of the Huper Kingdom." "That''s interesting." Reed said with a sarcasticugh. "Then does that mean I can spread the rumors that the Huper King is exploiting his farmers by buying their crops at low prices?" The knight''s eyes narrowed. In contrast, Reed raised his eyebrows. "Are you frowning?" "..." "Are the knights called the face of the royal family, dare to be rude in front of a Tower Master?" As acknowledged by the golden namete, Reed had aristocratic status. Between a foreign aristocrat and a knight, Reed held a higher rank. ''Besides being a mage...'' He was the Tower Master of the Silence Tower. Even if they say he is the weakest Tower Master, his capabilities as a mage far surpassed their royal court mage. All the people present here had witnessed Reed''s abilities. If he could turn a sword into scrap metal in an instant, turning it into dust wouldn''t be a big deal. Having finished their calctions, the knight ced one hand on his chest and got down on one knee. "... ¡­Please forgive my rudeness." Then, he slightly lifted his head and pleaded with Reed. "However, this is a contracted item. As such, I must take the crops." The knight clung stubbornly. At this point, he should have gotten the hint and left... However, Reed had no intention of backing down, even if the knight behaved annoyingly. As Reed looked down at the kneeling knight, he lifted his gaze. "You there." "Yes, yes!" Before the middle-aged man appeared, he had argued with the knight, so he asked the young man. "How much are these carrots worth?" "W-well..." "Answer quickly. I don''t like wasting time." "That... a thousand... a thousand! It all adds up to 1,000 UP!" "1,000, huh? Take it." As soon as Reed heard the answer, he pulled out a money pouch and threw it. Inside it was exactly 1,000 UP. Then Reed looked up at the knight and said. "I forcibly ''bought'' all these carrots. So now, there are no carrots for you to take." "...Doing this will make us enemies." The knight spoke in a serious tone. "I don''t care." Reed sent a look that seemed to find even the threats amusing. "If your so-called benevolent king is a hypocrite who exploits my people..." Reed''s golden eyes shone even brighter. "I will dly be evil." er 25 Hobby (2) Happy reading! ---------------------------- Chapter 21.1 Little Hero (4) The knight clenched his teeth. He wanted to tear down this man, who almost seemed to be making fun of the king. But the opponent was a mage. A mage who had risen to the position of a Tower Master, not an ordinary mage. They were beings full of secrets, and it wouldn''t be strange for them to burst bodies apart with just a flick of their finger. So, the knight sheathed his sword. "We''re retreating." He led the soldiers and returned to Cohen with the empty carriage. ''At least for now, this conflict is over.'' Since Reed had intervened and forcibly bought the carrots, they wouldn''t bother the farmhouse anymore. The middle-aged man knelt down, bowed his head, and opened his mouth. "I apologize, Tower Master!" "What are you apologizing for?" "I was rude because I didn''t know you were a noble. Please forgive my rudeness." That rudeness was undoubtedly the conversation they had while eating. He looked so polite, it was hard to believe he was the same man who had confronted the knight just before. Reed was flustered but looked down at him calmly and said, "Raise your head. I didn''t reveal my identity, so wouldn''t you also not know that I am a noble?" "I was prepared to give up my life... but I never thought a noble would step in to save this fly-like life." Reed looked down at him expressionlessly and praised him. "Not bending your beliefs even at the risk of your life, that''s the true spirit of a knight. We, the nobles, must also uphold that spirit." "You are too kind. I was just a rebel who opposed the royal decree." "The one who saved your life is saying so. You can be honest with yourself." "Th-thank you!" Looking at Reed, the middle-aged man was filled with overwhelming emotions. Not only the middle-aged man but also the residents who had been oppressed by the royal tyranny expressed their gratitude to Reed. "Thank you for saving our vige, Tower Master!" "Thank you, mage!" Reed did not react to their gratitude and nced at the pile of carrots. There were a lot of carrots worth 1,000 UPs. As he was considering how to deal with them, he told the farmers, "I will take all the carrots soon. Keep them well for now." "Yes, understood." Reed did not say anymore and flipped up his hood. He left the vige with Rosaria and returned to the tower. * * * "Did you hear the news?" "Yeah, I heard the Tower Master interfered with the soldiers trying to collect taxes from a small vige." The news spread quickly. In just a day, everyone in the Silence Tower knew what Reed, the Tower Master, had done. "If it''s the Huper Kingdom, it''s a small kingdom, but still, if they were provoked, they won''t avoid creating trouble." "They''re already busy praising the wise king, would they leave our tower alone?" "It''s still quiet, but it''s worrying... What if the empire is also keeping an eye on this incident?" Reed''s actions could turn into a disaster. "Let''s not think about the worst-case scenario. Are we not trusting the Tower Master, and what are we supposed to do?" "Still... How can we not worry? Haven''t you ever thought that the trouble might affect you too?" "What can we do? Can the tower family not trust the Tower Master?" "Right, nothing has been properly revealed yet, and we''ll only look worse if we get flustered." While there were those who showed absolute trust, the majority still seemed to be skeptical about Reed. He had the bold drive to change to magical engineering and fire over 50 people, but it was still difficult to judge whether he actually had the ability. So, everything depended on the oue. The situation has be such that the Tower Master''s support will be determined by how the results turn out. * * * "A letter has arrived from the Huper Kingdom!" Phoebe entered, making a fuss. In her hand was a rectangr piece of paper. ''Has it arrived?'' Reed stopped his work and took the letter from her. Reed took the politely offered letter, tore the seal, and opened it. The letter read: - I will visit you soon. It was hard to believe that this was a letter sent by the royal family, as it contained only one sentence. Normally, a scribe would have written a lengthy introduction. Reed wondered if it was a prank someone was risking their life for, but seeing the signature and seal at the bottom dispelled that suspicion. "Let''s think about it differently." Reed broadened his perspective and re-read the content of the letter sent by Morgan Huper. "Not using a scribe means they couldn''t use one. That means there must be a reason why they had to write it themselves." It meant that he wrote it himself to minimize the number of ears that heard it. It was no different from a desperate plea not to make a big deal out of this matter. "It may not be friendly, but it probably means they don''t want to be hostile either." Although the information was uncertain,bining it led to one conclusion. "Morgan Huper is trying not to tarnish his reputation despite my outrageous behavior." Even if it meant breaking the rule of non-interference between the kingdom and the magic tower, he was trying not to leave a stain on himself. Reed put the letter down and looked out the window. "How despicable." Is this the world of the nobles? Reed couldn''t understand why they would focus on such things when everything would be meaningless once they died. It would be less trouble to remain an ordinary king rather than wearing such a mask. "Abusing power over a small vige just to save a few hundred UPs..." Of course, it wouldn''t just be that one vige. There would be dozens of medium and small-sized viges spread across the Huper Kingdom, and they would have issued promissory notes to buy food and materials just the same. But how much of a percentage of the national treasury would they save by doing that? "What''s the situation in the Huper Kingdom?" "It seems they''re confused by the Tower Master''s actions, sir. It seems like they''re trying to keep things hushed up?" "Are they trying to pretend that this interference never happened?" "Yes." There must be more to it. Something more than just trying to save money. However, Reed felt frustrated because he couldn''t know what that something was. ''But just knowing that is a huge piece of information.'' He would be able to thoroughly investigate what the Huper King was trying to do before he died. "Um, Tower Master, how should we respond to the letter?" "Thank them for sending the letter and tell them I got the message. Please pass it on." "Yes." Phoebe politely greeted and stepped back. ''If we meet in person, I might be able to learn a little more.'' Chapter 21.2 Reed''s bedroom. Having finished showering and changing into his pajamas, he was preparing to go to bed. Just as he was about to lie down, Reed received an unexpected visitor. Knock, knock-. "Come in." He spoke with a sleepy, annoyed voice. He thought it might be Phoebe and considered scolding her if it was a trivial matter. However, the one who opened the door and came in was a little girl with white hair. "Rosaria?" Seeing her, Reed got up from his seat and approached her. In Rosaria''s hand were a fairytale book and Lucy. "My dear, what brings you here? Why aren''t you sleeping at this time of night?" "Papa..." His sleepiness instantly vanished. A deep sadness came through in Rosaria''s voice. He didn''t know what the matter was, but he knew for sure that he had to listen seriously. "Yeah, daddy''s here." "Daddy, did you be the enemy of the kingdom?" "......" It seemed like the story was going to be a long one. Reed picked her up and sat her down on his chair. "What story did Rosaria hear?" "The sisters were talking about Daddy." "What did they say?" "That you became the enemy of the kingdom." "......" Although there were ears everywhere and rumors would inevitably spread, he didn''t expect them to be unable to hold their tongues even in front of a child. Reed sighed. "Are you scared because Daddy became an enemy?" "But they talk about you as if you''re a bad person¡­ Daddy is not a bad person, but if everyone says it''s daddy''s fault for the bad things Rosaria did, then¡­" "Rosaria." Reed cut off her words. He felt that if he let her continue, she would cry, so he held her hand and asked. "Was what Rosaria did a bad thing?" "I don''t know." Rosaria shook her head with a confused expression. "Then why did you break that sword?" "I did it because he was trying to hurt the Sandwich Uncle." "Who was he? A good person? A bad person?" "He was a good person." She could answer that without hesitation. "And that knight was a bad person." "That''s right, he was trying to hurt a good person, so he was a bad person. So, Rosaria used her power to save that good person, right?" "......Yes." "Then is that a bad action?" Her previously confused face seemed to regain some vitality. "Rosaria did a good thing, and Daddy just supported her. When you get older like Daddy, sometimes you can''t act even when you want to help someone good." "Why?" "Adults can be really cowardly." Calcting everything, seeing injustice, and still tolerating it. Reed had actually tried to do the same. Reed, like Rosaria, felt it was unfair. But he didn''t step forward. If he got involved as a Tower Master, there was a high chance that unfavorable things would happen. But Rosaria opposed that injustice by breaking the knight''s sword. That''s why Reed, as a father and not as a Tower Lord, decided to represent her feelings. When Reed adopted her, he vowed to raise her as a woman who could live by her own beliefs, not as a sacrificialmb of Project: Flower Garden. That was the biggest part of Reed''s grand n as the greatest viin. "So, Rosaria didn''t do anything wrong." "But......" Still, it seemed there was something she couldn''t ept. Looking at her face, he could see the moisture in her red eyes. "Everyone says Daddy is a bad person." Hearing that, Reed held her hand and asked. "Do you hate the idea that daddy is a bad person, Rosaria?" "I don''t like it." "Why?" "Because Daddy is not a bad person." Rosaria, swallowing her tears. She tightly held the two hands Reed had given her for reassurance. "If you were a bad person, I wouldn''t hold your hand like this." Upon hearing those words, Reed felt a surge of emotion. She is an innocent and kind child. He was sure his actions were right. If he had ignored Rosaria''s actions or even scolded her for breaking the sword, he would undoubtedly have been unable to forgive himself. Reed hugged her. As he stroked her white hair, he whispered in her ear. "Rosaria, do you remember the little hero?" Rosaria, embraced in his arms, nodded her head. Although he was ridiculed as weak, in the end, he defeats the great evil and bes a revered hero. "What was it like for the little hero who saved many people so far?" "......They said he did cowardly things like the viins. To the hero." "Right? He wasn''t brave, and he fought in a different way from others. But in the end, the little hero was recognized as a hero. Why do you think that is?" "I don''t know." "Because he won in the end. He was recognized as a hero because he had the power to defeat the Demon King. So even if people think Daddy is a bad person now, eventually Daddy will be recognized too. Like the story of that little hero." "......Is that so?" Rosaria, who had been embraced in his arms, raised her head. Her confused expression seemed to clear up as she began to understand. "Then, in the end, Daddy can be a hero like the little hero?" "Of course. If Rosaria believes Daddy is not a bad person, then there''s no doubt he can be a hero." Hearing that, Rosaria''s face began to rx. Wiping away her tears with her sleeve, she looked up again. "I''ll believe." She smiled brightly enough to make her teary eyes seem colorless. Reed patted her bottom and said. "Well, shall we go back to the room?" "......" "Why is that?" "Well... you know..." Rosaria asked with an angelic face. "Can we sleep together tonight?" It was a request from the girl who had never asked to sleep together before. Reed smiled at Rosaria''s appearance and replied. "Just for tonight." Rosaria, whoy down in bed, fell asleep as if she was a machine with its power turned off. Seeing her snoring with her eyes swollen red, Reedy down beside her. Reed reassured himself as he looked at her face. The emotion that she needed him. Just that alone made Reed immensely happy. * * * "It''s great that the youngdy is so motivated these days." Phoebe reported in a drawn-out voice, smiling gently. Reed looked up at her with a puzzled expression and asked again. "Motivated?" "She''s studying magic diligently. She says that if the tower lord wants to be a hero, Rosaria must help and she wants to study hard~ I don''t know how adorable that is." Phoebe held her face with a happy expression. ''It seems she was inspired by what she heard.'' Recalling Rosaria, who called magic books boring and puffed up like a blowfish, it was clear that she had changed. ''It feels like everything is going as I intended.'' Reed always believed that the best thing for young children was to y well, eat well, and sleep well. He thought it was good to do what they wanted, even if they quickly lost interest, and find their own way. So there was no reason to discourage studying they willingly started. "Still, if it seems like she''s overdoing it, take her outside for a walk, and y with her. It''s not good to keep her young energy confined inside the tower." "Yes~. Leave it to me!" Chapter 22.1 Adonis (1) It had been two weeks since Reed began researching magnesium. Finally, Reed had achieved the results of his research. "It''s done." He overcame the problem of mana not being distributed evenly in overloaded magic stones by creating mana channels simr to waterways. However, there was a significant drawback: the magic stones had to be used in pairs, and because of the ws created when mana channels were created, they could not be used in weapons or armor yet. ''Well, that''s a problem we''ll have to improve on.'' For now, Reed was able to control the distribution of mana and finish his research. [Research progress has reached 100%.] [The research, , has been sessfullypleted.] [ is given.] - You can use magnesium as a metal substitute. After acquiring this knowledge with a 100% probability, another message appeared before Reed. - A new research project is unlocked. This new research could be obtained with a 20% probability, and there was no better feeling than gaining a reward with such low odds. Reed checked what he had received and said in disbelief, "This is insane..." [You''ve acquired the research project .] Magical Power Absorption Using Magnesium Type: Research Project Author: Reed Adeleheights Roton Using magnesium, a metal that absorbs magic, this project aims to verify if it''s possible to absorb or neutralize the mana of magical projectiles or objects shaped by mana. Hypothesis established: X Research progress: -% - You can add ''Magic Absorption Glove'' functionality to products made using magnesium. (15%) - Unknown. Reed had thought about magnesium-rted research resulting from his basic research on magnesium. ''It should be one of the top-rated research projects for magnesium...'' It was like getting an SSR instead of just an R from the gacha. A fortune had fallen into hisp. ''Once this ispleted, there will be no need to be afraid when facing magicians.'' It meant he could create an item that would allow Reed, who had , to reach or even possibly Lv. 6 which allowed control of surrounding mana. ''But it''s hard to bepletely happy.'' Although it was excellent news, it was still just a pipe dream for now. Since there was no established hypothesis, there was still a chance of failure even if the research progress reached 100%. Formercialization, further research would be required. The top-rated research projects in magnesium derivative research required skilled individuals to proceed. Reed''s level of was 4, and while he had a high level of understanding, this project could not bepleted with just his abilities alone. ''It''s just a waste of time and resources.'' Although he had enough money, time was not unlimited. If Reed continued to invest solely in that magic reaction glove, there would be problems in the overall flow. ''I need an expert for this research.'' At the same time, one name shed through his mind. ''Kaitlyn Ramos.'' A master of who had appeared in . She believed that only magic engineering could provide the power to oppose these catastrophes, and she was indeed the pioneer of magic engineering, which had sessfully thwarted the disasters. ''I need her.'' It just so happened that Reed had something to ask her regarding how these projects ovepped, and if it was an idea everyone could easily think of. Reed went to the top floor and approached Phoebe, his half-dragon assistant, and secretary. "Phoebe." "Yes!" "Do you know Kaitlyn Ramos?" "Kaitlyn... Ramos?" Phoebe tilted her head, puzzled. "You don''t know who that is?" "No..." Phoebe looked deted as she shook her head. "Tell Leto to find information about Kaitlyn Ramos." "Yes, I understand." "And what about the news from the Huper Kingdom?" There had been no news since the message that they would meet soon. Reed was starting to get curious about when exactly they would meet. Phoebe, too, seemed not to know and apologized with a sad face. "They haven''t informed us yet... Should I contact them today?" "Do that. We can''t just wait indefinitely." "Yes." Reed said and entered his office. Drinking a cup of tea that followed him automatically through magic, Reed looked out the window, which was made of full-length ss. Just as he was savoring the moment and enjoying his tea, he noticed something unusual. "Huh?" Reed doubted his eyes. In the 1-kilometer radius cleared around the Silence Tower to monitor iing visitors, a portion of it was covered with an array of soldiers, like an army of ants, approaching the tower. The number was around 300 people. It was the size of an army dispatched to defeat arge monster, but now they were approaching the Silence Tower. Without a doubt, these soldiers must be from the Huper Kingdom, who had promised to meet soon. "Master, I''ve tried contacting them, and the princess ising on behalf of the king, it seems." Phoebe chimed inte. "Isn''t this like they''re preparing for war?" "War?" Reed pointed downward, and Phoebe, seeing the soldiers walking in a rectangr formation while approaching the tower, gasped. "I don''t think they''re preparing for war. They must be on high alert." "Alert?" "Well, you know¡­" Phoebe grinned sheepishly. Reed understood, just a little, what she meant: the soldiers were all on guard for Phoebe. "Anyway... doesn''t it look like they''re here for war?" "Don''t you like it? Should I sweep them away?" "You?" "Yes! If it''s the Master''smand, I''ll do it." Her long, fluffy hair and innocent eyes. Lately, since Rosaria kept saying she was acting strange, Phoebe was hiding her innocent eyes and showing only her real eyes, which looked like an excited rice cake. ''Even that appearance hides a vicious side.'' She was submissive and allowed her master to pull her hair when she was an ally, but it was different with enemies. Reed, who had seen Phoebe from the enemy''s perspective, knew her well. ''I even wondered if she was human.'' As a half-dragon, she had abat trait called "Dragonization" among her abilities. When she used Dragonization, the dragon instincts dormant in Phoebe''s blood awakened, turning her into a battle maniac. In an instant, a Gold Retriever sticking out its tongue and baring its belly turned into a fierce fighting dog, drooling and charging. "Hmm..." Reed stared intently at Phoebe without saying anything. As he kept looking at her, Phoebe blushed with embarrassment. Alright, the decision was made. "Very well, go ahead." "Really? Should I go and do it?" "No, don''t wipe them out. Go and escort their representative into the tower." "Me? But won''t they be rmed?" Phoebe was taken aback. "It''s a tactic. It shows who''s dominant." "I see! Understood!" Phoebe left Reed''s office, excited about fulfilling her task. Reed couldn''t help but admit it. "I''m curious about how they''ll react when Phoebe is out there." Chapter 22.2 For any army, amander who is strict and demands high discipline is as essential as a kind-heartedmander popr among the troops. Commander Doner Russelos was one such poprmander. He was a seemingly indifferent person,cking a military mindset. But today, his demeanor was different. "Attention! Don''t ck on your guard! Those who disy weakness today will be punished! Do you understand!?" Faced with an unusual situation, the soldiers were disoriented, but had no choice but to be alert, as two of their peers had already been disciplined earlier. ''I heard today was just a simple escort mission to the Tower of Silence...'' ''Did wee here as if we were on a subjugation mission?'' Although it wasn''t a war, the soldiers had received orders to be prepared as if it was. They were standing in a defensive posture at the entrance to the Silence Tower. Their protectee, Adonis Huper, was the princess of the Huper Kingdom and held the position of the third Knight Divisionmander. Princess Adonis Huper had inherited the Huper bloodline with tinum-colored hair and light green eyes. She had short, bobbed hair, like a proper knight. At first nce, it was difficult to determine if she was male or female due to her androgynous appearance. "So, why did theye like this? We are the representatives of the king, aren''t we?" The strict discipline enforced by Commander Doner puzzled even Adonis. As themander, Doner maintained a stern expression as he asked Adonis, "How long has it been since you became a knight, Miss Adonis?" "It''s been 7 years and 3 months since this year." "Then, I suppose you don''t know about the incident that happened ten years ago." "Ten years ago?" "The extermination of the Asteria family." Asteria. Adonis only knew about it in fragments. "If you''re talking about the Asteria family, they were the rebels who experimented with mixing dragon blood for the revival of magic. Does that have something to do with the Silence Tower?" "The incident itself doesn''t have much to do with it, but a person involved in that incident is in the Silence Tower." "Who is that?" Donner unconsciously brought his right hand to the scar on his cheek. The memories of that time came back to life, stinging the wound and reviving dormant fear. "Mad Dragon, Phoebe Asteria... She probably also bears the name Roton by now." "Mad Dragon..." "A literal mad dragon who threatens enemies loudly and torments opponents with her ws. She was also skilled in magic, making her one of the most difficult enemy at the time." Donner turned his gaze to the Silence Tower and spoke. "And that Mad Dragon is in there. The former Tower Master Jude Roton took her under his wing, and she has been known as the Guardian of Silence¡¯ ever since." "I see... but it still hasn''t been exined why you brought an army." "No matter how much she''s been tamed, her nature doesn''t just disappear. So, isn''t it natural to be prepared for any possible situations?" Adonis began to wonder what kind of creature would make even Donner, who was reasonably cautious, more vignt with such excessive caution. Adonis looked up at the Silence Tower. The magical tower surrounded by a red curtain. Hearing Donner''s serious words, Adonis became more tense. She couldn''t grasp the idea that a dragon lived in such a ce like a bridge to the sky. Creak-. A momentter, the door of the Silence Tower opened and someone came out. Commander Donner examined the figure that emerged. As the person approached, Adonis and Donner saw a woman walking out. "She must be the tower''s mage. Probably here to guide us-." "Everyone, get into a defensive formation!" Commander Donner shouted loudly. Soldiers who had been waiting lined up their shields on the ground and formed a defensive formation in a swift and orderly manner. "Commander Donner?" "That''s the Mad Dragon." "What?" "The monster that wiped out all the knights dispatched to strike the Asterias is that woman." Adonis doubted his eyes. When she heard the term Mad Dragon, she had no doubt that they would be facing a fierce demon with an angry aura enveloping its entire body. But now, the person walking out in front of her was a mage, no matter how she looked at it. Seeing the soldiers standing guard at Commander Donner''s order, the woman showed a restless and impatient appearance. "Is she really that monster?" "Yes. Don''t be fooled by that innocent face! Why on earth did the Tower Master of Silence Tower send out that Mad Dragon!?" As Donner kept a serious gaze in his vignce, Adonis was alternating between nces at the two, unsure of who to believe. The flustered woman eventually raised her voice in that spot. "Ah, helloooo!" "¡­" "¡­" The woman greeted them in a dragged-out voice. The soldiers, who had been holding shields and extending spears outwards, looked at one another with bewildered expressions. "Excuse mee, but... please don''t be on guard. I''vee to guide the representatives hereee!" "¡­" Seeing the woman''s distressed face as she smiled and spoke, Adonis looked at Donner with an unspoken question in her eyes. Adonis had no choice but to get off his white horse and approach Phoebe. "The Third Knight Commander of the Huper Kingdom, I am Adonis Huper. And you are?" "Ah! I am Phoebe Asteria Roton. I am the secretary of the Tower Master and the deputy Tower Master, and... right now, acting as your guide like this." Hearing her introduction, Adonis realized that Donner hadn''t misjudged the person. ''Is she the Mad Dragon?'' However, her appearance was far from what he had described. Her infected speech and smiling face. The only threatening element was a pair of horns on her head, which made her feel nothing but warmth that didn''t elicit a sense of vignce at all. "I apologize for mymander''s excessive caution. Please forgive this rudeness." "Ah, you were one of the people affected back then..." Phoebe looked at Donner over her shoulder with a regretful expression. "Do you recognize who that person is?" "Well... When I lose my senses, I rampage without knowing anything, so... I''ve heard that there are a few people who tremble when they hear my name. I can''t remember, and I don''t want to... I''m sorry!" "No, it''s fine. I shouldn''t have brought up the past." "Ah, um, then let me guide you." Phoebe awkwardly but energetically smiled and guided Adonis. Commander Donner didn''t let his guard down until Phoebe disappeared. * * * Adonis entered the Silence Tower and found everything around her fascinating. ''This is the Magic Tower.'' In the Huper Kingdom, there are groups of mages who reside in workshops instead of towers. The mages in the workshops didn''t build towers; they conducted magic research by extending underground and drawing mana flowing through ley lines. Therefore, it was the first time she had seen the elevators and the appearance of the towers. "You can go in here." Guided by Phoebe, they arrived in front of the reception room door. As she slowly walked there, the door seemed to react to her presence and opened slowly. Inside the well-decorated reception room, a man was standing and weing her. Reed Adeleheights Roton. A man who, as a second-seat graduate of Escolleia, conquered all magic by extending his range into various fields. However, observant people wouldn''t view Reed as a versatile person. - He doesn''t have a distinct talent. - He has fallen out of the Adeleheights family''s teachings. All the high-ranking mages would often disregard Reed, and even the royal family did not consider him an important figure. ''Despite such notoriety...'' But the fact was, Adonis, felt overwhelmed when she first saw Reed. Tower Master. His dignified appearance exudes elegance, like a noble knight, a great mage, and a grand duke. Tower Master Reed was the first to greet them politely. "I am the Tower Master of Silence Tower, Reed Adeleheights Roton." Chapter 23.1 Adonis (2) Adonis responded to Reed''s greeting. "I am Adonis Huper, the captain of the 3rd Knight Order of Huper Kingdom, and I greet you, Tower Master." "I heard you''re the eldest princess of the Huper royal family." "Yes, I am. However, you don''t need to treat me like other princesses." Adonis ced her hand on the Huper Kingdom emblem engraved on her te armor and stood at attention. "I am a sword that protects a nation, and before it, there is only justice, not gender. So please, feel free to speak casually." "Understood. The spirit of an excellent knight." In other words, she meant she was a troublesome woman. However, Reed politely offered Adonis a seat. Adonis sat opposite Reed. ''It''s like my first encounter with Dolores.'' Although the atmosphere wasn''t as cold as back then, it was even more stiff. She had short tinum blonde hair and green eyes. As long as she didn''t speak, she looked like a handsome man with her tall and slim figure. ''Wasn''t she said to resemble Morgan the 2nd like a twin?'' Adonis Huper was 26 years old. Morgan the 2nd was 9 years old, and their appearances were so simr that they could be mistaken as sisters, not siblings. [T/N: By siblings, they mean brother and sister.] Of course, as Morgan the 2nd grew older, he would be more masculine, but at present, it was said they looked alike. Reed examined her with his¡¸Talent Appraisal¡¹trait. Name: Adonis Huper upation: Captain of the 3rd Knight Order Age: 26 years old Alignment: Order-Neutral Health: 1,215/1,215 Stamina: 840/1,040 Mana: 261/261 [Traits] ¡¸Bloodline of Huper¡¹, ¡¸Chivalry¡¹, ¡¸Giant yer¡¹, ¡¸Sword Expert¡¹ [Abilities] , , , , [Unreleased Traits & Abilities] ¡¸Sura''s Sword¡¹, ¡¸Magic Swordsman¡¹, ¡¸Sword Master¡¹ , , In a word, Adonis was this kind of being. ''A knight of immense strength.'' The trait¡¸Giant yer¡¹is given only to those with immense strength, able to contend with giants. At first nce, she appeared like a dedicated knight with a slender face, but her strength was much greater than that of any other knight. "Why do you ask, Tower Master?" "¡­Nothing." ''Let''s not think about it. Let''s just look at what''s in her abilities.'' She had all the skills a knight should possess. Aside from , she had the perfect abilities for aplete knight character. ''She also had the qualities of a mage.'' She wouldn''t be an Archmage, but she chose to grow as a knight instead of pursuing the path of a mage. "First, I would like to apologize for our knights not recognizing you, Tower Master." Adonis politely apologized. Rather than simply epting her apology, Reed considered it an apology for his own actions as well. "I haven''t done anything admirable either. I did break your knights'' swords." "When the Imperial Workshop investigated the matter, they found that the sword was a defective product from their workshop. If the knight had battled you with that defective weapon, we would have undoubtedly lost a great knight to Alte''s arms. It is our side that should be grateful." Defective product¡­ Considering it was the Imperial Workshop that only handled the best products, they would have deemed it a defective item the moment they heard a single mage had broken the sword like a candy. In the end, the sword would be remade by the Imperial Workshop, and no one would have lost anything. "Also," Adonis stared at Reed with her green eyes. "We will purchase all the goods you''ve intercepted at their contractual prices." "Did you bring the money?" "Of course." Adonis showed a chest and said, "I have calcted the total value of the carrots you acquired, which is 1,000 UP." "1,500 UP." Reed cut her off. "Our tower can store them in the best condition. We even separate the ones eaten by bugs and keep them well, so I think that should be worth an additional 500 YUPI." That was a 1.5 times markup. Adonis stared at Reed and then quietly nodded. "¡­Understood." Originally, there was not only 1,000 YUPI in the chest. She took out a total of 1,500 YUPI and piled it in front of Reed. "Moreover," "Do you have anything else left?" "I would like you to deliver all the grain that was promised to Starfall Vige by tomorrow." [T/N: Fallen Star Vige -> Starfall Vige, makes more sense] Reed had not raised the issue out of charity. He simply wanted to see how far the King''s representative could amodate. "It''s unexpected that you, Tower Master, would show concern for such a small vige." "I saw the spirit of a knight there, willing to risk their life to protect their vige. Isn''t that a level of resilience different from those who retreat as soon as their sword breaks?" This remark carried a sharp edge. Her face should have scowled, but it remained as rigid as a doll''s. "I cannot handle that matter at my discretion. I shall report it to His Majesty." Reed didn''t reply and just looked at her. Adonis, who had been waiting for a response, raised her head and looked at Reed. "It''s strange." "What do you mean?" "You don''t feel it? You are buying the carrots for 500 YUPI more than agreed, but you say that delivering the grain immediately is impossible." It could have been justifiable if she wanted to avoid rubbing the Tower Master the wrong way. However, Reed didn''t see it in that simple light. "Why is the Huper Kingdom issuing promissory notes tomoners?" "I cannot answer that. The knights do not interfere with administration or politics, so even if I wanted to, I couldn''t tell you." "So that''s how the Huper Kingdom''s politics work." "All policies are wisely led by His Majesty and the ministers. That is why, until now, there have been no doubts." "No doubts, huh..." Reed drew out his words. He wanted to amplify the impact of the imminent bombshell. "Does the Captain of the 3rd Knight Order also feel that way?" Boom! The ss she held shattered. Chapter 23.2 She had barely put any strength into her grip, yet the ss shattered. Questioning a knight''s faith was something to do only if prepared for death. "I''ll pretend I didn''t hear that. I apologize for breaking the ss." "That''s fine. It''s just a cheap ssware anyway. Clean your hand." "Thank you." Adonis wiped her hand with a handkerchief from her pocket and looked back at Reed. "As for your question," The atmosphere had subtly changed. Her cold expression now contained an icy sharpness. As if standing up against Reed''s authority. Adonis sighed softly and said, "I also trust His Majesty. I sincerely request that you refrain from further questions." "Alright." Adonis then faithfully performed the mission on behalf of King Morgan Huper. Two things were confirmed: First, treat the Starfall Vige incident as if it had never happened. Second, buy the carrots for 1,500 YUPI. Lastly, Reed will no longer cause any incidents within the Huper Kingdom territory. It went smoothly. From the outset, Reed hadn''t aimed to fan the mes, so there was no further conflict. "Then, I will report the meeting results to His Majesty." With that, Adonis stood up and left the reception room. "Adonis Huper." Just as she was about to leave the room, Reed spoke up again. Adonis halted in ce. "Yes, what is it?" "Would you, as a knight, be able to remain one forever?" "¡­" At that question, Adonis turned her head to look at Reed. What was his intention in asking such a question? She stared at him silently for a moment before finally uttering her answer. "I am a knight who has set foot in the martial arts. Being able to serve beside His Majesty as a sword is something I am always grateful for." "I wanted to see that knightly spirit, so I asked. Thank you for giving such a clear answer." "Thank you." Adonis then bowed and left the reception room. Reed quietly sipped the remaining tea and muttered, "She doesn''t even blink." Her face, like a blooming ice flower on a snowy field, showed no movement. It seemed she could have been a high-level poker yer, given her consistent expression as she left the room. However, that didn''t mean he couldn''t see through her lies. - I trust His Majesty. - I am always grateful to serve by His Majesty''s side. Adonis Huper was lying. * * * The eldest princess of the Huper family, Adonis Huper. Captain of the 3rd Knight Order, Adonis Huper. But a few yearster, she would be called by a different name. The Third Disaster, Adonis. Codename: Adonis. She would be known as the most malicious magic swordsman. Just with her swordsmanship, she reached the level of ¡¸Sword Expert¡¹, and in a few years, she would acquire the title of ¡¸Sword Master¡¹. With the swordsmanship imbued with mana, body reinforcement magic, and even the creation of projectiles using mana, it was not strange for her to be ranked third among the Seven Disasters. ''She is really a desirable woman.'' Possessing martial arts skills and showing respect for discipline, she was notcking as a wise king''s sessor. She also had expectations, and she strictly dealt with her own behavior to maintain the honor of the royal family. However, Adonis would never be a queen. During a banquet, she identally killed a noble who tried to rudely assault her. Even if she were not a princess, a person who has be a knightmander should have been able to easily subdue a noble. As the issue surfaced, the incident involving the princess unfolded unfavorably. In the end, the wise king dismissed her from the position of the knightmander and decisively designated Morgan the 2nd as the next king, putting an end to this situation. She waspletely buried in society. Adonis, who had been dismissed, met Reed and participated in the . She fell into corruption. She began to hate her father who had given birth to her. She envied her younger brother. She broke her own beliefs. ''I had decided to think about Rosaria first for a while, but¡­'' Was this something called fate? He never thought he would see Adonis as a representative of the king. ''Adonis Huper¡­'' Reed, who saw her untainted self, felt a surge of emotion in his heart. He began to be attracted to her, who was destined to be a viin. * * * In the capital city of Huper Kingdom, Cohen. As the night deepened, darkness descended. While everyone was waiting for dawn to break, the king''s office was still lit by candlelight. The wise king, Morgan Huper. Born with a long beard and droopy eyes, he was an elderly man with a kind expression suited to the reputation of a wise king. Due to his recent onset of presbyopia, tears fell when he worked under candlelight, but he never stopped wielding his pen. [T/N: Presbyopia is amon condition that urs when the eyes lose their ability to focus on nearby objects.] Knock knock. "Come in." As the door opened, a minister entered. "Your Majesty, the princess has returned after meeting with the Tower Master of Silence Tower." "What was the oue?" "It seems it ended without any issue." "Hmm¡­ I see. You may rest for today. I''ll continue working." Although the minister said, "How can I rest when Your Majesty is not sleeping?", Morgan smiled at his loyalty and allowed him to leave early for the day. "Thank you, Your Majesty." The minister bowed politely and left the room. Morgan lowered his head and resumed his work. Although he was spellbound, his work didn''t stop even when tears fell. Knock knock. It was at that moment. Something knocked on Morgan''s window. The minister had entered and yet Morgan''s pen didn''t stop. But now, it stopped. A dim figure appeared before Morgan''s eyes, covering the moonlit night. "Who''s there?" Morgan asked, but no answer came from beyond the door. Deciding that there was no one there, Morgan stood up and opened the window. It was a crow. No, it was a corpse made to look like a crow. One side of its head was intact, but on the other side, the skull was exposed, giving it a bizarre appearance. Morgan knew the mage who possessed such a repulsive taste. The Tower Master of ck Sky, Freesia Vulcan Darkrider. Morgan opened the letter that the crow had in its mouth. - I''ve found what you''ve been looking for. Let''s meet again soon to talk about it. P.S. Are you truly a wise king? I''ve never seen anyone as cold-blooded as you. Chapter 24.1 Hobby (1) "Finally¡­finally¡­" Morgan clutched the letter, overwhelmed with emotion. Caw-! caw-! The crow, which had been screeching, watched his reaction and then flew back into the sky. Morgan calmed his excitement and sat down. He felt his heart was bing so weak that it wouldn''t be strange if it stopped at any moment. Hence, excitement was taboo for him now. He leaned back on the chair and murmured. "This¡­is for the Hupper Kingdom." That¡¯s why he had no regrets. This was the thought of the wise King Morgan Hupper. *** On the Cloud Continent, there exists a young Tower Master. Dolores Jade. She had graduated from the prestigious magical academy, Escolleia, and received the title "Archmage", a being at the pinnacle of elemental magic, whose abilities were acknowledged as the youngest Tower Master of Wallin Tower. Due to her young age, there were initially many objections when she first became the Tower Master. However, she proved her abilities by skillfully handling her duties as a Tower Master, so no one questioned her anymore. In fact, doubting her was no different from admitting one''s foolishness. Dolores was a genius who stood out from a young age. She knew very well how to satisfy others. Born as a noble''s child and a genius, they always wanted one thing. To always be able to boast about her to others as their amazing daughter. Thus, Dolores hadn''t had a proper hobby since she was nine years old, and instead, did her best to be a good daughter. She devoted herself to her studies and entered the academy at the age of 13. She always made an effort to be recognized among the highly talented students. For the image of a genius girl who always tries hard, Dolores never cared about anything other than her studies. In short, she never had a hobby or made friends since her childhood. ''Friends...'' For Dolores, they were like an imaginary animal, like a giraffe. Of course, she had many contacts. Once a noble, and now an excellent magic student, her connections were enviable. However, those rtionships were all made for business purposes. It was a thoroughly calcted rtionship based on mutual understanding. Sharing one''s thoughts or weaknesses meant imminent death. She thought that as her position rose, things might get a little better, but that was a huge misconception. The higher she climbed, the more she had to be on guard around her, so she had even less time, and she couldn''t make friends, let alone have a hobby. The moment she showed weakness, an arrow would fly in and bring her down. That''s why she became a ''workaholic'', only immersing herself in work. ''This is my life.'' Dolores has adapted to this kind of life. Living as a workaholic wasn''t so bad. The sense of aplishment from the sess of a project also gave her considerable strength. She looked at her schedule withoutining. ''About 10 minutes of rest, then rounds starting at 1 o''clock, and checking improvements and prioritizing...'' A tightly packed schedule. It was a murderous schedule that would knock down an ordinary person in a day, let alone a week. ''I created them anyway because I had nothing to do.'', was Dolores¡¯s thought. If there''s no work, she creates it herself. epting it calmly, she put down her schedule. Knock, knock. "Come in." The person who entered Dolores'' office was her secretary. "Tower Master, a letter has arrived." "From whom?" "From the Tower Master of the Silence Tower." "The Silence Tower Master?" She received the letter from the secretary and the secretary left the room. Undoubtedly, it must have been sent by a bluebird, since it was rolled up. --The magnesium research has beenpleted. Come and see it when you have time-- As soon as she read the letter, Dolores sucked her lips. She adjusted her posture and looked at it again. "Come and see it when you have time." ''Come and see...Is he inviting me?'' Is it really what Reed? Inviting her? What''s going on? Is there someone who dares to y a prank on a Tower Master? As if caught in cognitive dissonance, she tried several escapes, but in the end, Dolores called her secretary. "Um, you know." "Yes." "Who sent this letter?" "It''s from the Silence Tower Master''s exclusive bluebird." "Are you sure?" "I''ve checked it twice, so it''s definitely correct." "Understood." Even though there was a possibility of having a conversation through telepathy among magicians, it is considered rude to do so abruptly. Instead, it is courteous to send a bluebird with a message first. Yes, it wasn''t strange. But the other party was the Tower Master of Silence? Dolores had no choice but to call the Tower of Silence through telepathy. At the end of a long ringing sound, someone answered the call. ¡°What''s the matter?¡±, A deep voice asked. There was no doubt it was Reed Adeleheights Roton''s voice. "I received a letter from your bluebird." ¡°It seems it has arrived.¡± "¡­What are you thinking?" ¡°Nothing much. You said you were interested, and I just informed you of my research results.¡± "Although I''m happy¡­ We''re not that close. Is it okay to invite me?" Her cautious question seemed to draw a line. Dolores suddenly felt regretful. In fact, she didn''t want to say it like that. She wanted to thank him for contacting her. For sharing such good news with her. But she couldn''t change her words. Once spoken, you have to be responsible for them. That was the weight of being a Tower Master. ¡°You were a person who sincerely listened to my research. So, I don¡¯t think it''s wrong for me to invite you.¡± "¡­" ¡°However, I might have been too friendly. I''m sorry if I hurt you. It''s my fault.¡± "No, no! That''s not what I meant!" Dolores inadvertently shouted loudly. Reed on the other end seemed surprised, and Dolores lowered her voice again. "Well, there are factions between Tower Masters, right? Naturally, I assumed that you, as the Tower Master of Silence, would be affiliated with the Tower Master of ck Sky and that it would not be good for you to associate with me." ¡°Is that so?¡± "Yes." ¡°Coincidentally, I do not belong to any faction. So, there''s no problem.¡± "Is that¡­so?" ¡°So you can rx.¡± "What rxation are you talking about?", But she was relieved. Not even aware that the corners of her mouth were rising into a smile, she opened her mouth again. "So, when can Ie to see you?" ¡°You cane whenever it''s convenient for you. Even today is fine.¡± "Are you holding a meeting between Tower Masters without making an appointment?" Reed tilted his head as if puzzled. ¡°As I recall, the Tower Master of Wallin also came without notice?¡± ''Stupid mistakes keep happening!'' "¡­Okay. I''lle by for a short visit today." ¡°Understood.¡± The telepathy call ended and Dolores let out a sigh as she held her head. "Stupid, stupid, stupid¡­" She had exposed all her weaknesses. It was a blunder. But what could she do? The only thing she could do right now was to visit Reed. Dolores connected telepathically to her secretary and asked. ¡°Yes, Tower Master.¡± "What''s on my schedule today?" ¡°At 1 PM, you have a surprise tour of the Chief Wizards'' researchb and check the improvements in the amodations. Then, at 3 PM¡­¡± The tight schedule continued like a hellish march until 9 PM. "Cancel them all." ¡°All of them? Do you have somewhere to go?¡± "I''m going to the Tower of Silence. They invited me to see theirpleted project." ¡°But are you going to clear the entire afternoon?¡± "¡­" Yes, it would take at most 30 minutes to see the project and return. Even if they talked about various things, everything would be finished within an hour. If it were the usual Dolores, she would have canceled only part of her schedule and continued with the other appointments. "Clear my schedule until 2 PM. I''ll also see how talented Rosaria is." ¡°Rosaria? Ah, you mean the daughter of the Tower Master of Silence.¡± "Yes, who knows, she might want to join our tower in the future?" ¡°Indeed, an investment for the future! Understood.¡± An investment for the future. That was a good enough reason to ept. Her secretary didn''t object and cleared her schedule until 2 PM. Chapter 24.2 Dolores flew on her personal broomstick towards the Tower of Silence. As the door to the Tower of Silence opened, a guide came out. Surprisingly, the one weing her was the Tower Master of Silence. Forgetting to exchange polite greetings, Dolores asked first. "You came down personally?" "I didn''t see the need to have a subordinate do it. Since I invited you, shouldn''t I be the one to greet you?" Dolores took a quick nce at his appearance. His ash-gray hair was tied back and a youthful appearance that wouldn''t be odd for someone of his age. "¡­Alright." "Good." Hiding the fact that she was spacing out, she hastened her steps to keep up with him. Soon, they arrived at the Tower Master''s research building and Reed showed Dolores his sessful creation. "This is the item I mentioned in the letter." "So, this is the prototype made of magnesium." "There are still many improvements to be made, but it''s the first sess. Want to try it?" "Yes, let''s." Dolores picked up the magnesium te that Reed had made. "I heard magnesium is soft, but this is as hard as an iron te." "If we use this, it can be a substitute for steel or even something better." "What did the other Tower Masters say?" She thought that he would undoubtedly show off such an item to others. "I haven''t asked." "Excuse me?" "I just wanted to show it to you." "¡­Me?" Dolores looked up at Reed with her eyes wide open. Her eyes were like the full moon in midsummer, her lips shivering as if touched by winter frost. Reed was also taken aback by her reaction. "Wallin Tower Master." "Only to me? Why? What did I do to deserve-" "Wallin Tower Master, calm down." "I-I''m not upset. I''m fine. Really." "Your magic is leaking, though." "My magic is¡­?" Dolores looked down at the magnesium te in her hand and saw white frost forming on the brass-colored magnesium te. "Ahh!" With a scream, Dolores let go of the now-frozen magnesium te. Crash! The frozen magnesium te shattered into pieces like thin ice. The two stared at it for a while. "¡­It broke." "It indeed broke." Reed nced at Dolores as he looked at the broken magnesium. Cold sweat was dripping down her face. Despite trying not to be upset, she couldn''t hide her nature. Reed turned his head and gestured to the assistant wizards. Understandingly, they hurried over and began to clean up the shattered prototype Dolores had broken. "I''m sorry. I was startled and just¡­" "No, it was my mistake that caused the confusion." "I should beposed as a Tower Master, but¡­ I overreacted. And¡­I even broke the prototype." She looked guilty and her right hand kept fidgeting. She was on the verge of biting her thumbnail. "Don''t worry. Your actions gave me inspiration." "Inspiration¡­ really?" "While researching alternatives to steel, I ultimately want something with effects greater than steel. To harness its inherent power, what you broke actually helped me a lot." "¡­" "So, this mistake is actually a good thing for me. Don''t worry too much." Reed patted her shoulder and moved on as if it wasn''t a big deal. Dolores found his kindness strange. It was something she had felt since the time he abandoned the . ¡®You''re acting a bit strange¡­¡¯, was what she wanted to ask him. The Reed Adeleheights Roton she knew was very different. But before her impolite words coulde out, Reed turned his head. "Why not visit my daughter while you''re here?" "You mean Rosaria?" "She''s really into learning these days. She has a strong desire to learn various things." At those words, Dolores'' eyes narrowed, and her voice became calm. "You''re not pushing her too hard, are you?" "Of course not. It''s what she wants to learn. I''ll let her study as much as she wants until she gets bored." "Well, it wouldn''t hurt to see her." Reed and Dolores walked together to her room. They knocked on her door and entered. Rosaria, who was sitting at her desk, greeted Dolores with a big smile. "Ah, it''s Dolores Unni! Hi!" "You should call her Tower Master." Reed pointed out, but Dolores crouched down to match Rosaria''s eye level as if it was fine. "Have you been well?" "Yeah! I''ve been ying well with the Lucy doll you gave me!" "That''s good to hear." Dolores knew better than anyone how much help a teddy bear could be. Living as a genius, the only ones she could openly talk to were dolls. Seeing Dolores, Rosaria seemed to have thought of a question. "Right, you''re a Tower Master too, right?" "Huh? Oh, yes. Tower Master." As Dolores nodded, Rosaria''s face brightened even more. "Then, are you good at studying too?" "Huh? Oh, yes. Of course." "Then can you help me with my studies?" "Me, help?" As she was flustered, Reed put his hand on Rosaria''s head and spoke. "Rosaria, Unni is a busy person." "Why is she busy?" "She is the Tower Master of Wallin. She has responsibilities as a Tower Master." "Uh, I see." Rosaria lowered her head with a disappointed face. Dolores looked at her watch. The current time was 1:20 PM. If she left now, she would have about 10 minutes to spare. So, she could follow her original schedule from 2 PM, feeling the extra time. But this would be herst goodbye before she leaves. Dolores looked at Reed and said, "I have nothing to do today." So, she lied with a clear and firm voice. Chapter 25.1 Hobbies (2) "You have nothing to do?" Reed asked in surprise. He knew that Dolores was a workaholic. He thought she must have left a few busy schedules behind toe here. Dolores nodded her head. "I happened to have nothing to do today, so I just came over. It won''t be a big deal if I''m away for a while." "Really?" "Yes, that''s right." As she spoke with a serious expression, Reed had no choice but to ept it. Reed turned his head to Rosaria. "She says so." "Then can you help me?" Rosaria''s eyes sparkled again. Dolores smiled and said, "I''ll help if you''re okay with it, Rosaria." "Yep!" Rosaria grabbed Dolores'' hand and led her to her room. There was only one thought in Dolores'' head as she entered her room. ''Why did I lie...?'' Dolores was surprised at herself. She had decided not to tell lies that could easily be discovered, but she reflexively lied anyway. Dolores rolled her eyes and sneaked a nce at Reed. He was silently staring at her, which made her feel flustered once more. "I won''t do anything bad to the kid." "I''ve never thought that you would do anything bad." Reed could trust Dolores, unlike other Tower Masters. That was Reed''s thought. Reed nodded his head and closed the door. ''I''ve already done wrong.'' So now she decided not to think about anything but focus on Rosaria. "So, do you want to tell me what you don''t understand?" "Everything!" "Do you really not understand everything?" "Yes!" What Rosaria showed her was a basic magic book. It was something that was studied at an average age of 14-15 before entering the academy. In Dolores'' case, she understood it at the age of 8 and began her path in serious magic study. Rosaria was a girl with an extraordinary talent. Thus, she assumed that Rosaria had already understood the basic books. "Wait a minute... So you''ve been using magic without understanding the basics?" "Yes!" ''Is that even possible?'' Watching her innocent smile, it didn''t seem like she was lying. As her blue sapphire-like eyes stared at her, Dolores decided to measure her power once more. "Can you show it to me once?" "Like how I showed Papa?" "Yeah, let''s try that." Rosaria began to emit magic with a bright expression. ''Oh!, my goodness...'' An exmation came out. Various elemental spheres rotated chaotically in the air. ''The form is maintained, but there is no order in the movement.'' Form and order. Dolores had been taught that those two things were the most important. If the form is not maintained, there is no order. If there is no order, the form cannot be maintained. That was called the rule of traits. The rules are unbreakable because they are rules. However, Rosaria ignored such rules casually. She had heard that she was a genius, but she never imagined her to be such a monster. In terms of math, she found the answer by ignoring all forms. It was an impossible task even for Dolores, who had once been called a genius. ''What is the true identity of this child?'' She knew the fact that she was an orphan and that she had been bought from the ck market, but no one knew her true identity. "How was it? How was it?" Rosaria stopped the magic and asked Dolores. "It was really beautiful." "Is it beautiful? Pretty?" "Yes, it''s really pretty." Dolores''pliment put a big smile on Rosaria''s face. "Even though you can use mana like this, you don''t understand the content of the magic books?" "Yeah, I don''t understand even though everyone teaches me. Rosaria doesn''t want to be stupid..." Rosaria pouted her lips. Basically, all magicians were well-versed in basic magic theory. ''But it''s difficult to pass that on to someone else.'' Teaching someone is different from learning. Everything is like that, but magic is the most difficult among them. Meeting a good teacher, diligently climbing the steps, and umting experiences. The process is as natural as water flowing. Most wizards probably went through this process. However, there aren''t many people who can remember the entire process and exin it. Once they be familiar with the unknown realm, it bes difficult to exin it from the perspective of their inexperienced days. "Rosaria." "Huh?" "You probably won''t be able to understand this. Do you know why?" "I don''t know!" Rosaria answered energetically. Dolores smiled at the sight of her not being ashamed of her own ignorance. "It''s because Rosaria is not a fool but truly amazing. That''s why you can''t understand basic magic theory." Dolores, like other magicians, had learned magic while understanding basic magic theory. However, Rosaria understood and acquired everything sensually. So, teaching her the basics of magic studies was just like teaching her how to breathe, which was unnecessary for her. In other words, the basics of magical studies were meaningless to Rosaria. Dolores pushed Rosaria''s book aside. "Studying with a different book would help Rosaria understand more." "I see." "Didn''t your dad teach you this?" "Dad said he''s busy. But he still ys with me! At first, he taught me letters!" "Letters?" "He taught me one by one using an encyclopedia. It was fun!" "It must have been fun. I''m d." Dolores sincerely responded to Rosaria''s words. "Didn''t he teach you anything else?" "No." Was it indifference, or did he really want his daughter to live the way she wanted? Amidst such doubts, Dolores naturally continued the conversation. "You know what? I learned magic from your dad." "From Dad?" "Yes, when I was only as old as Rosaria, your father came as a home tutor for me." That was Dolores and Reed''s first encounter. "Back then, I called your dad ¡®Oppa¡¯.''" A faint smile appeared on Dolores'' face. The first meeting. It was such a happy memory. Back then, Dolores was as small as Rosaria. - You are the eldest daughter of the Baldschmidt family, Dolores. Since you were born into nobility, you should always remember that. You should no longer disobey your parents. Reed''s voice echoed sternly yet gently. Although his voice was often criticized for sounding rigid, Dolores liked Reed''s voice. Because there was nothing else that couldfort her heart but him. - If you want to act out, tell me. I''ll be with you until you get tired of it. Reed had been a strong support for Dolores, who had always relied only on her teddy bear. That''s why she admired him, and when she found out that he was her fianc¨¦e, she worked hard to enter Escolleia Academy. Although they walked their separate paths, she worked hard to be the pride of the family. In a way, all of those efforts were also for Reed. Her first love, and the one who knew everything about her. But Reed abandoned her. He cruelly and impulsively disbanded their engagement. She found out that it was due to the pressure from the Baldschmidt family. It was because she was such an outstanding person that they didn''t want to give her to Adeleheights, who was working hard. But, even knowing that Dolores began to hate Reed. Chapter 25.2 She hated him for leaving her with scars without saying anything. She despised him for ruthlessly abandoning her. That''s why Dolores looked at Reed with resentment. Like a girl going through bted puberty, she blindly hated Reed. Though she felt sorry for his increasingly broken state. But at some point, her hatred disappeared. It was undoubtedly when he stood up against Freesia. She began to see him not as an object of hatred but as her first love, mentor, and her one and only Oppa, Reed. "Unni, are you crying?" "Uh, huh?" "Don''t be sad." Rosaria covered Dolores''s eyes with both hands. "I''m not crying. I was just thinking about the past for a moment." "Really?" "Yes." When Rosaria carefully removed her hands, Dolores'' smiling face appeared. "Shall we find a book that Rosaria can study together with Unni?" "Yes!" They began to look through the books piled up on the library shelves one by one. As if picking out toys to y with, they continued looking for books, unaware of the passing time. *** Dolores carefully left Rosaria''s room. She felt drained even though they were just looking for books. Rosaria, who was the most active, began to doze off at the desk, and Dolores put her to bed and left. ''It seems like a lot of time has passed...'' Although she had initially discarded everything, the clock showed that too much time had passed. The current time was 4:20 pm. She couldn''t believe that she hadn''t been aware of the time until now. ''I need to get back to work quickly now.'' Dolores''s head throbbed due to her disrupted schedule. She needed to fix it. Because it was a problem she brought upon herself. That''s when it happened. "Ms. Tower Master." A deep voice made her head turn. Reed was standing in front of her. She nonchntly praised Rosaria. "Rosaria is quite impressive. I was surprised when I heard she folded the mana pir but like this¡­" "Your secretary came." Dolores''s speech was cut off. She had been with Rosaria,pletely unaware of anything else. "When did shee...?" "She came around 2:10 pm, asking if the Lord of Wallin Tower was here." Most likely, she had been worried about something happening to Dolores and had been searching for her. Since she had never overridden her schedule before, it was reasonable for her to find it strange. "Your secretary seemed to have made a mistake." "Excuse me?" "She said that the Lord of Wallin Tower had no schedule today, but kept insisting that there was a schedule." "......So?" "I didn''t listen to the nonsense anymore and sent her away." Dolores looked up at him incredulously. "Did you send her away at the door?" "I didn''t have enough time to entertain her nonsense, so I sent her away." "Ha... I understand. I''ll handle it. But why didn''t you tell me? What if it was really important?" When Rosaria was with her, it would have been just a nuisance. "From what I heard, it was all trivial matters. It would have only disturbed you while you were with my daughter." Dolores finally understood. It was his consideration for her. When the secretary came looking for her, Reed must have realized that Dolores had some business to attend to. However, Reed pretended not to know. So that Dolores could have some time alone with Rosaria. That''s why she couldn''t brazenly raise her voice. "......Anyway, Rosaria is a very talented child. It''s just that other people can''t understand her. It''s a problem." "Is that so?" "It''s not that shecksprehension, but she doesn''t know why she has to understand. It''s like breathing naturally, but they can''t ept it when you tell them to understand. The problem is that everyone dismisses it as normal because she is just a kid and can''t understand." "I see." Reed pondered on who could be the most suitable person to be a teacher for her. Dolores just looked at Reed quietly. Somehow it felt like he was considering everyone except her, and it made her feel upset. "Shall I teach her?" In the end, she spoke up first. "Huh?" "Since I have work on weekdays, I can''t do it... I''ll visit every Sunday. I can certainly teach her better than the other wizards here." "Personally, I don''t mind... but is it okay for you?" From Reed''s perspective, it was a very good thing. Having Dolores, a graduate of Escolleia Academy and a genius, teach his daughter was nothing short of a blessing. However, he was also concerned about Dolores being a workaholic and whether Rosaria could cause problems in her work. "It''s fine. This is... a..." She drew out a word that didn''te to mind immediately. "Hobby." That word she had never taken up before. "This is my hobby." *** So, Dolores became Rosaria''s private tutor. Rosaria liked Dolores, and Reed didn''t feel any awkwardness, so everything went smoothly. The problem was the people around them. - I heard that the Lord of the Wallin Tower is teaching the youngdy. The person making a fuss was the Lord of Monolith Tower. He was a fat man who took up about 70% of the screen that appeared. He was also famous for having as much greed as he was fat. "It''s because my daughter likes her and she agreed to it. This is beyond my authority." -Isn''t the Lord of Wallin Tower just trying to pull her into her domain? Blindingly obvious! "It''s none of your business." -What did you say! The Lord of Monolith Tower became agitated. As Reed tapped his chin with his right index finger, he said, "Let''s think about it. What did all of you send for my daughter?" -Isn''t our lecture notes enough? If it were a student or an apprentice in our tower, they would bow down to me every morning. "That''s the story for the students, but my daughter is only 7 years old. She doesn''t even know her identity yet. To her, it''s just a thick and boring book full of letters." -Are you saying that our gifts are not gifts? "They''re not gifts. She felt stressed as soon as she received it. How could that be a gift? It''s just torment. The only real gift came from the Lord of Wallin Tower." -What did the Lord of the Wallin Tower give? "She gave her a small teddy bear." How could they not think of that? In fact, it was natural. -.... Since she was a genius before she was a girl, they had hoped for her to grow up and be beneficial to them. They hadn''t thought about things like fairy tale books or dolls. "All I did was choose someone who thinks of the child first. It doesn''t matter how much her academic achievements increase or how much her grades rise. All that matters is someone who can treat her as a teacher, a big sister, and a friend." The Lord of Monolith Tower became silent. He must havee to terms with Reed''s words. Reed was about to suggest hanging up when the Lord of Monolith Tower spoke again. -That... "...?" -There is a magic measuring dummy that resembles a doll, what about that...? "...." ''I should hang up.'' Reed was proud of himself for suppressing the urge. "Anyway, why bother sending it when it''ll be destroyed soon? Just leave it." Chapter 26.1 Brosa (1) Three months have passed since the reform of magic engineering. By now, not only the Chief Mages but also the intermediate mages have grasped the basics. They have reached a level where it is feasible to start actual projects using Magnesium. - Magnesium material reinforcement. - Enhancement of magic stone efficiency in Magnesium tes And through the inspiration given by Dolores, a new issue was discovered. - Magnesium reinforcement: resistance to elemental attacks. Since Magnesium would be mainly used for armors, it was essential to increase resistance to elemental magic. ''This falls under the enchantment area, so it shouldn''t be difficult.'' He would distribute rted research to newly created magic engineering teams. ''It''s faster to conduct research in reality than in the game.'' Usually, only one research could be conducted due to theck of mages, but Reed had more than 100 mages. So, by entrusting the projects to them, they could achieve multiple research results at once, even if the speed was slow. "Phoebe." "Yes!" Phoebe came over with a smile. "Please distribute these research tasks ordingly. And tell those participating in this research that they''ll be rewarded with bonus pay based on their performance." "Bonus pay... are you sure?" Phoebe seemed dissatisfied. "Ah, let them know they''ll be considered for promotion as well." "Eh? Promotion, too? There would be a lot ofpetition within the tower..." ''Did I go too far this time?'' Well, it didn''t matter. Wouldn''t it be enjoyable to work extra hard if there were sweet rewards? "Just ry that to them." "Understood~" Phoebe took the documents and went outside. As soon as she left, her dragged-out voice was heard. "Oh, Miss, what brings you here?" It seemed Rosaria hade. Soon, Rosaria''s cheerful voice was heard. "I came to show this to Papa!" "Ah, don''t bother the Tower Master, Miss." "But I have to show this to Papa!" "What is it? Oh, that''s so pretty! Is it me?" "Yeah! It''s Phoebe!" "It''s so lovely. Our Miss is so talented~." ''I feel like their conversation is making them forget the main purpose?'' Reed yelled towards the door. "Stop chatting out there and let her in." "Ah, yes!" Phoebe, startled, opened the door and let Rosaria in. A small angel with white hair and red eyes came running towards him, holding a drawing. "Papa, I drew a picture!" "You drew a picture?" "Yeah!" "Let me see!" Rosaria came to his side and showed him the drawing. It was a pure and naive drawing that looked exactly like something a 7-year-old would draw. She began to exin each figure. "This is me, Papa, Phoebe, and Dolores!" They were all made of circles and stick figures, but Reed could tell who was who. Phoebe had half-closed eyes and a smiling face, and Dolores had sparkling blue eyes and shimmering hair. The most discordant figure was Reed''s. Perhaps because it was his own face, the gray-haired figure with a wide grin looked quite distant from him. Reed looked at the drawing and looked at Rosaria. She looked as proud as if she had produced a masterpiece. "It''s great." "Yeah!" Watching her puff out her chest, Reed couldn''t help but smile. While she was there, he checked her stats through¡¸Talent Appraisal¡¹. Name: Rosaria Adeleheights Roton upation: Daughter of the Tower Master Age: 7 years old Alignment: Lawful Neutral Health: 100/100 Stamina: 80/80 Mana: 55,860/55,860 [Traits] ¡¸Eternal Hole¡¹ [Stats] "Absorption Lv. 1", "Purity Lv. 3", "Mana Sensitivity Lv. 7", "Magic Lv. 3", "Elemental Sensitivity Lv. 3", "Magic Studies Lv. 1" [Unreleased Traits & Abilities] Traits: ¡¸Magic Ruler¡¹,¡¸Master of Adaptation¡¹ Abilities: "Magic Lv. 7", "Magic Studies Lv. 7", "Elemental Sensitivity Lv. 7"¡­¡­ Her ''Purity'' level was gradually decreasing, and the Lawful alignment settled in. It meant that she now understood the importance of rules. Reed''s intervention must have had an impact on her alignment. ''Whether it''s good or evil depends on what she does next....'' As for whether it''s good or evil, it doesn''t matter. As long as she can uphold her own beliefs, Reed was prepared to ept her choices regardless of what they were. ''Rather, it''s strange.'' Her stats had changed as Dolores consistently helped her study, and after not much time, the ''Magic Studies'' stat was created. It meant that Dolores was able to urately address what Rosaria didn''t understand. Only a genius can truly understand another genius. Reed was grateful to Dolores. ''Should I give her a giftter?'' Although she said it was just a hobby, it has been a great help to him. Even if Rosariater decided to go under the Tower Master of Wallin, Reed wouldn''t have any lingering regrets since she had already yed the roles of a friend, mentor, and sister. ''Yeah, let''s give her a gift.'' If possible, something that women would like. As he thought that, Phoebe''s voice came across. - Sir Tower Master! He hears Phoebe''s voice through a distantmunication spell. Reed asked her mentally so that Rosaria wouldn''t hear. - What''s the matter? - The Tower Master of ck Sky is here - ck Sky? - What should we do? ''Why did the Tower Master of ck Skye here?'' Reed was puzzled and told Phoebe. - Guide her to the reception room. Tell her I''ll be down in 10 minutes. - Yes! To meet with Freesia, he needed some preparation. Reed took the drawing from Rosaria. "Very well drawn. Is it okay if I frame this and decorate it?" "Really?" "Of course! It''s my daughter''s first drawing, so of course, it can be framed! I want to hang it on the wall." "Okay! I''ll give it to you!" Rosaria nodded. "Now I have to work, so why don''t you go back?" "Okay. Papa, fighting!" With her balled-up fist raised as an awkward cheer, she exited the room. Chapter 26.2 Reed tried to think about what Freesia would havee up with, but the situation didn''t seem to allow for any leisure. "Ah, Tower Master, um, you have to go to the reception room!" Phoebe''s urgent voice could be heard. She seemed to be trying to stop someone but was clearly struggling. The office door flung open, and the figure of a girl and the restless Phoebe appeared. ck gothic dress, ck hair, and red eyes exuding an intimidating presence. It was Freesia Vulcan Darkrider. "It''s been a long time since I''ve seen you, Reed Adeleheights Roton." Reed greeted her respectfully without panicking. "Wee, Tower Master of ck Sky. I would havee downstairs to greet you in the reception room." "Why? Would you have had to dress up? The way you are now is not bad." Freesia approached Reed casually and looked closely at his face. Her red eyes and pale skin. Her attractive eye smile and moist lips were drawing his attention. However, in Reed''s eyes, she looked like a little girl trying too hard to act mature, no matter what she did. "I haven''t seen you in a few months, and I really missed you, Reed. How about you? Did you miss me?" It was undoubtedly because Reed hadn''t attended thest Tower Master''s meeting. Since he had informed them in advance that he had important matters to attend to, the chairman of the Tower Masters, Master of Sky Chamber, must have informed everyone, so there wouldn''t have been any strange suspicions. Reed just stared at Freesia, and she raised her finger. "You shouldn''t keep ady waiting. Well, I''ll give you 3 seconds. 3, 2, 1¡ª" "I didn''t miss you." Reed answered her sharply. At that, Freesia made a face as if it was no fun. "Really? At times like this, you could at least say, ''I''ve been suffering from a drought in my heart because I couldn''t see the Tower Master of ck Sky.'' Don''t you think?" "Lying is bad." "Tsk!" Despite his cold words, Freesia''s smile did not fade. "Hmm¡­ What''s this?" Freesia leaned down and looked at the drawing on Reed''s desk. He didn''t think her eyes would catch it. After examining the drawing briefly, Freesiaughed and looked up at Reed. "You really can''t draw, can you?" "¡­What are you talking about? That''s clearly a drawing by my daughter." "Isn''t your daughter old enough to draw better than this?" "She''s only 7 years old now. She just started drawing the day before yesterday." Freesia tilted her head as if to say, ''Is that so?'' ''This woman really doesn''t care about Rosaria.'' "Hmm... Judging by the colors, it seems to be you, the brat, the puppy, and the ice girl." Everyone was strangely named, but it seemed she knew who they were. Freesia threw the drawing back onto the desk, and Reed put it away with a storage spell. Freesia''s face was full of dissatisfaction. "Why am I not in the picture?" "Why, haven''t you had no real interactions with my daughter, and you can''t remember her, so it''s only natural she can''t remember you." "What?" Freesia made a puzzled face at his answer. "Even though I bought her clothes and praised her, she must have seen me as a stranger. How ungrateful." "You didn''t have any special conversations with her, and since you don''t remember her, it''s only natural she doesn''t remember you." "I am her elder, so she should remember me even if I don''t remember her!" That was absolutely shameless. Well, in the former aristocratic society, that would have been normal. Like how seniors in the army don''t remember their juniors but juniors remember their seniors. "So, what business do you have? You didn''te here to protest about education like the other Tower Masters, did you?" When he mentioned education, Freesia chuckled and said, "That? That''s simply the beginning of a romantic tale between you and Dolores. I won''t interfere as a third party. Besides, education isn''t my cup of tea. Breaking things is the most fun." "So why are you here?" Then Freesia smiled. Her smile seemed to reveal years of experience, unfit for her young face. "It''s about the Hupper Kingdom." Hupper Kingdom. It was a topic that had not even been mentioned during the Tower Masters'' meetings. Everyone knew about it, but since a consensus had been reached and it wasn''t causing any major problems, no Tower Master had raised the issue. ''I never thought she would bring it up.'' That was unexpected. Anyone would expect her to make a sarcasticment about such a boring matter. Reed hid his thoughts and spoke to her with a polite tone. "The matter with the Hupper Kingdom has been handled smoothly. There should be nothing to worry about." "Actually, I don''t care. It doesn''t matter if you stabbed someone to death there or overturned the dinner table. It''s just that if you interfere with what I''m going to do from now on, it''ll be a problem." At those words, Reed''s expression became serious. "Are you saying the Tower Master of ck Sky is going to get involved in the affairs of the kingdom?" "No, even though I''m a Tower Master, why would I bother getting involved in the kingdom''s affairs?" Freesia smirked as sheughed. "Instead, ''Brosa'' will cause trouble, and that''s the issue." Brosa. It was a pseudonym Freesia created by shortening ''ck Rose''. Most likely, none of the other Tower Masters, even the Tower Master of Sky Chamber who was in charge of the chairmanship, knew about it. Reed had been aware of it since he received the magical engineering equipment. So, even if she caused trouble under the pseudonym ''Brosa'', Reed knew it was Freesia''s doing. "What''s the problem?" "Your sense of Justice." "Justice?" "If there''s someone who tries to prevent something like what happened in that small insignificant vige, it would be a big problem for Brosa." In short, she was saying he shouldn''t recklessly step forward, driven by a sense of justice. "In that case, you don''t have to worry. I''m not so idle as to volunteer for such people." His sense of justice had been lit simply by dealing with the fallen star vige''s matter. If there were people who spread rumors and expected Reed to solve their problems with a ''Maybe he''ll do it for us too?'' mindset, Reed would make them pay the proper price. "So, what are you trying to do, Tower Master of ck Sky, that you want to keep my mouth shut?" Freesia ced her hand on Reed''s shoulder and whispered into his ear. "I''m about to do it right now." She whispered in a sweet, devilish voice. "If you don''t have a sense of justice, Reed, why don''t youe and take a look for yourself?" Chapter 27.1 Brosa (2) An ominous feeling crept in. No, something bad was definitely going to happen. After all, most people who got involved with Freesia ended up in ruins. She is pure evil. Getting involved with her could only bring misfortune. "Think of it as just getting some fresh air. It''ll be fun to be with me, Reed." Like a fox wagging its tail, she tried to tempt Reed. [T/N: Fox wagging its tail could imply she is cunning and yful at the same time] Regardless of her temptation, Reed was lost in his own thoughts. ''Cohen...'' There, the third disaster, Adonis, resided. What if Freesia was involved in it? What if it leads Adonis to her ruin? ''...Am I being too nosy?'' The seven disasters Reed created. Among them, there were some that were purely evil, but there were also those who became monsters due to injustice. ''I want to know more about that.'' Viins are often portrayed as evil, even in their backgrounds. Most stories rted to Adonis Hupper were also malicious. She was born with a lot of greed. She was arrogant. She seduced people like a fox and killed a noble''s child. That''s why it was justified for her to be dismissed and not eligible as a sessor. Even Morgan II, who ascended the throne after Morgan Hupper''s death, said so, but Reed couldn''t shake off the nagging feeling. He made up his mind. He would keep an eye on Freesia''s actions for a while, and if she tried to get him involved, he would pull out. After all, he knew the true identity of Brosa. If she tried to trap him, he could counterattack by mentioning ck Sky Tower Master would suffice. "I''ll go with you." "As expected of our Reed. We should have fun together." She cooed at him like a grandmother adoring a well-behaved child, making him want to punch her. But he knew that she acted this way because she liked him. So he had to be careful. If he didn''t handle her cautiously, the thorns of a rose would dig into his flesh. *** The capital of the Hupper Kingdom, Cohen. It was a small kingdom founded by Morgan Hupper after he dered independence from the empire, and the current political situation had stabilized significantly. Well-paved roads and people walking on them. Reed and Freesia were walking among them. A girl dressed in a luxurious outfit, holding a ck parasol, and a gray-haired man in a formal suit walking beside her. At a nce, they looked like a naive youngdy and her butler. Therefore, no one could imagine that the masters of the Silence Tower and the ck Sky Tower were walking side by side. However, due to their outfits, they couldn''t avoid the asional curious nces from passersby. "Every time I see the royal road, old memoriese flooding back," Freesia began. "Is that so?" "Yes, I used to be a nobledy myself. Or was I a doll back then?" Freesia smiled slyly. The Vulcan family was an unknown noble family. In fact, there was a record that the family had existed a long time ago. However, it was unclear whether the lineage was still being passed down. Freesia never revealed it herself. She just acted like a spoiled brat and continued like a skunk in the Cloud Continent. As Reed looked down at her, Freesia became aware of his gaze and met his eyes. Her red eyes. Simr to Rosaria''s, but Freesia''s were closer to a darker red. "Are you curious about my past?" "Uncovering what others don''t know. Isn''t that the duty of a magician and schr?" "If you want to see a woman''s past, you must be able to take responsibility for it. Can you take responsibility for my past?" Taking responsibility for the past. That was a roundabout way of talking about marriage. So Reed shook his head. "I''m sorry." "I really want to break you." Freesia discreetly approached and took Reed''s hand. "Reed, I have a question." "What is it?" "How did you find out about my alias?" A subtle chill could be felt in Freesia''s words. "It''s tied to my past, and a man like you couldn''t possibly know about it. So I can only think that you must have learned it through someone else." "What do you n to do once you find that person?" "What do you think? If they won''t let go of ady''s dirty past, I''ll have to bury them whole." A malicious woman. Reed quietly withdrew his hand. "That person is already dead." "How?" "They seem to have been killed as a guest. They were drinking at a tavern and got caught up in a brawl." "Hmm... Well, there''s nothing we can do about it." What can be done about someone being dead? Freesia didn''t try to inquire any further. Taking a step forward, Freesia said, "We''ve had enough of a walk, shall we now get down to business? Follow me." Freesia left the main road and entered a back alley. Buildings were tightly packed, and not a single ray of light could prate the area. As soon as they entered, their eyes involuntarily squinted. The smell of rotting garbage stung their noses. Reed found it hard to bear the foul odor, but Freesia walked on unfazed. After walking for a while, Freesia spun around on her right foot and faced Reed. "Stay still. You might get hurt if you move." As Freesia flicked her finger, her shadow rose from the ground and reached out to Reed. He hesitated for a moment at the sight of her using magic, but realizing it wasn''t an attack on him, he stood still. Soon, the shadow wrapped around Reed and began to wriggle. His red uniform on a ck background turned all ck, and his gray hair was dyed ck. Looking down at his chest pocket, there was a single ck rose pinned there. Reed wasn''t the only one who changed. Freesia''s appearance had also changed slightly. Her Gothic outfit was now a silk dress adorned with ck roses, and a small silk hat was ced on her head. ''Strange.'' Freesia''s presence wasn''t felt at all. If he hadn''t known it was Freesia, he wouldn''t have recognized her at all. Freesia looked Reed up and down with a satisfied expression and patted his arm. "Hmm, it turned out quite well. It suits you. How about giving up your position as the Tower Master of the Silence Tower and bing a butler for our ck Sky Tower?" "Why did you use disguise magic on me as well?" "I thought you didn''t want to get involved in this Brosa¡¯s business, Was I wrong?" "..." "Just keep your mouth shut. That way, you won''t get entangled in this matter." It was her own way of being considerate. Chapter 27.2 She walked a few more steps and turned a corner. There, a man leaned against the wall with his eyes closed. Freesia approached the man and said, "The famished snake has finally opened its eyes." A bizarre line of poetry. Undoubtedly, it was a code phrase. The man opened his eyes and nced down at Freesia. "Are you Broza?" "Yes, I am." She replied, sounding a bit surprised. Freesia''s tone hadpletely transformed from a cheeky child to a proper youngdy. It was refined and polite yet irritating. It was an unusualbination of attributes, but she didn''t seem to have any trouble pulling it off. ''Is it because of this that she told me to keep my mouth shut?'' The man stepped away from the wall and pushed a rough wooden panel. With a creak, it slid like a poorly greased sliding door, revealing stairs leading down. Freesia and Reed descended the stairs. The smell of sewage made them think it was an abandoned sewer in the kingdom. There was a single table and four men and women gathered around it. They seemed to be in the middle of a conversation, but they greeted Freesia and Reed warmly when they saw them. "You''ve arrived, Broza." One of the men greeted Freesia first. "Do we really have to announce our ns in a ce like this? You could have found a better location." "If we had that kind of money, would we be gathered here like this?" The bulky man with a scowl red menacingly at Freesia. Judging by his size, it wouldn''t be surprising if he could engage in a bare-handed fight with a bear. If it had been the usual Freesia, she would have been consumed by fear and tormented him endlessly, but now she just smiled brightly. "By the way, who''s the guy next to you? I heard you wereing alone." A woman with her arms crossed pointed to Reed with her chin. Freesia smirked and casually leaned on Reed. Before he could react, she drove her point home. "He''s my older brother. He loves his little sister more than anyone, so he came with me." "..." Was his ck hair made for this? She portrayed the image of a loving younger sister clinging to her brother. He wanted to make a fed-up expression, but since he had vowed not to get involved, he just stood still. "It would''ve been nice if you had told us beforehand." "I''m sorry. But what can we do? He''s inseparable from me." "Enough. Let''s stop the chitchat." They didn''t care about trivial matters. The only thing that mattered to them was keeping their promise. That''s why they focused on their ns, treating Reed as if he were just a folding screen. Reed sneakily took a peek at what ns they were making. It was amon event that urred on the royal road in fantasy games. ''Are these guys criminals?'' Of course, he had suspected this to some extent when they entered the dark alley. Reed examined them with an eye for talent. Name: Sneaky John upation: Thief Age: 21 years old Alignment: Chaotic Evil Health: 500/500 Stamina: 310/310 Mana: 0/0 [Traits] ¡¸Quick Hands¡¹ [Abilities] "Stealth Lv. 2", "Eloquence Lv. 3", "Agility Lv. 3", "Thievery Lv. 2" [Unreleased Traits & Abilities] None Thieves, bandits, swindlers...... They were just mediocre people, living off the crimes theymitted in the shadows. ''Even if they domit crimes, they''ll be easily subdued, right?'' At best, their highest level was a measly 3, just small-fry specs. Reed was expecting a blockbuster but ended up watching a low-budget film. He couldn''t understand why Freesia was working with such people. She was helping with their crimes under the name of Brosa. Reed became curious about the crime that the ck Tower Tower Master was involved in and examined their ns more closely. And if he were to evaluate their ns honestly... ''Crude.'' It was just like the hostage drama and swift heistmonly seen in movies, followed by escaping over the city gates. That was all. ''Without any countermeasures, they just nned whatever they wanted.'' Reed couldn''t help but sigh at the n, but what would Freesia say about it? A momentter, Freesia opened her mouth. "That''s a good n." Reed could tell that she was subtly mocking their n. "However, I''m still worried about the escape. Isn''t it difficult to steal the guild''s cargo and leave through the city gates?" "We know it''s impossible. That''s why we called you, Brosa, isn''t it so?" Freesia smiled slyly. Then, Reed saw mana bursting from her body. It wouldn''t have been strange for the people of the tower to step back at the ominous presence, but the rest of the people, who couldn''t feel mana, showed no reaction at all. "What I do is amplify your desires. Do you know what that means?" "It means you give us the power to be superhuman, like the knights and wizards of the kingdom, right?" "Yes, that''s right. Some people even say it''s a power given by a demon. Do you know why?" Shriek! Freesia''s mana engulfed the men and women surrounding the table. "Ugh!" Their bodies stiffened as if they were being electrocuted. Not knowing why, they rolled their eyes, bewildered by the strange sensation in their bodies. Freesia answered the question she had asked. "Because no human who has ever been under my spell has remained sane." "Ugh!" "Do you think you can ovee your desires?" For a moment, they looked at each other. And they nodded at her question once more. "We understand." With those words, Freesia snapped her fingers. Snap! With a clear sound, her shadow enveloped their entire bodies. A momentter, their bodies,pletely swallowed by the shadows, began to squirm. Crack! Crunch! The sound of something breaking and being crushed. Despite the terrifying sound that should have elicited screams, they didn''t even let out a small moan. How much time had passed? The shadow curtain that had tightly wrapped the thieves began to melt. Soon, their figures were revealed to Reed and Freesia. The atmosphere of just moments ago, like a bunch of weaklings, waspletely gone. Even Reed felt a little cautious at first nce. Moreover, their bodies had grown 1.5 timesrger, and the once bulky man had turned into a bear itself. "Huff, huff...!" "Is this, is this me?" "Why does everything feel so slow?" "Aren''t you just speaking slowly?" Their consciousness speed had increased, making others'' speech seem slow. They all looked at their bodies with eyes full of ecstasy. ''Could it be the magic she used on them was...'' At that moment, Reed realized what it was. The worst magic Freesia had suggested to the protagonist when he was ying "Disaster 7". A skill that could be considered the identity of the character Freesia. "Desire Massacre". Unlike ordinary buff magic, this dark magic was characterized by consuming mental power and using desire as a medium to maximize abilities. ''With this, their pathetic nning won''t be a problem at all.'' The party, which had been full of weakling vibes, transformed into a monstrous party in an instant. With them turning into monsters, such a crude n wouldn''t pose any problem at all. "Ha-ha-ha! This is amazing! Yes! With this level of power, it won''t be a big deal at all!" Chapter 28.1 Hey guys, It''s my dad''s birthday today, so a bonus chapter from me! You will be a king (1) "Now, everyone, go on. Be true to your desires." Freesia politely greeted them. "Thank you, miss." The men who had turned into monsters left the sewer, leaving Freesia and Reed behind. From now on, they would raid the merchant guild in the capital, Cohen. "Reed." Her polite tone returned to normal. Freesia, who had stopped acting as Brosa, asked. "Do you know what this magic is?" "Isn''t it ''Desire Massacre''?" Reed nodded. Desire Massacre. A ughter of desires. It sounded like a name that would erase all desires and lead to a state of Nirvana. However, those who had seen the magic firsthand could understand why it was named that way. It wasn''t about ughtering desires, but being ughtered by desires. Captivated by desires, they break all ethics, and ultimately, they are consumed and destroyed by their desires. A scene of massacre without mercy where desires exploded. Freesia had cast such a spell on the unaware thieves. "Is this what Brosa does?" "Brosa has no good or evil. She''s just a girl who moves ording to her contract." "Wouldn''t it be a big deal for the tower if the magicians of the workshop found out about this chaos?" This matter was on a different level than what Reed had done. It wasn''t just about opposing a kingdom''s tyranny in a small vige, but directly attacking its capital, Cohen. "We won''t have any problems, Reed. Do you know why?" "Why?" "Because this chaos is what Morgan Hupper wants." "Morgan Hupper?" Morgan Hupper wanted his city to be ransacked? Even though Reed stood there with a confused expression, Freesia turned her steps toward the stairs. "Shall we get going too, Reed?" "Where do you n to go?" "Now that all the roles have been assigned, it''s time to watch the y. We can''t miss out on the fun, can we?" Freesia began to walk ahead. As they came out onto the main street, Freesia stopped acting as Brosa, and Reed followed her, returning to his original form as well. Reed and Freesia headed for the merchant guild, pretending it was a coincidence. The quietness of the peaceful street. However, it soon shattered mercilessly like thin ice on ake. "Kyaaak!" A scream burst out from inside the merchant guild. At the same time, people swarmed out. ''What? It seems like all the people who could have been taken hostage areing out.'' Reed looked at the scene with a bewildered expression. ''What happened to the n?'' ording to the n, they should have closed off the surroundings to buy time to escape. But now, there was an unprecedentedmotion everywhere, as if they were advertising something. Their carefully nned operation for theft had be futile. ''Well, it''s an obvious oue.'' Reed could roughly guess the situation. Those who had been affected by Desire Massacre were destined for this fate. Gold always attracts envy and greed. However, most people do not covet what belongs to others. At most, they may envy the owner of the gold. But it was different when affected by ''Desire Massacre''. The moment they saw the gold, they would draw their swords and cut the throat of the one holding it without even feeling envy. And then, they would greedily covet the gold that person had. No doubt, this alone was a terrible situation, but the misfortune didn''t end there. Soon, they would attack the people around them and brutally kill them in the same way. The reason is simple. Having killed a person and obtained gold, they fall into a one-dimensional delusion that killing people will result in gold. ''The most terrifying ck magic.'' Although it only works with mutual consent, Freesia knows how to touch people''s desires. A woman who stimtes their desires with an innocent face and lures them into a devilish contract. There was only one reason she used this magic. Curiosity. She was merely curious if there was anyone who could survive after falling into Desire Massacre. That''s why she didn''t discriminate between friend or foe if they had desires. "As expected, these guys were simple fools as well." Freesia clicked her tongue in disappointment. Seeing that they didn''t intend toe out even after a few minutes, the word ''n'' must have already disappeared from their minds. Freesia shook her head and snapped her fingers. Shadows swelled up, and a luxurious chair and a ss container filled with delicious-looking snacks appeared. "Still, watching the chaos unfold is quite entertaining." Freesia chuckled, munching on snacks while watching the merchant guild descend into chaos. Crash! Bang! ss windows shattered, furniture flew, and the street began to fill with broken pieces. As order disappeared and chaos filled the scene, a savior appeared. Ten horses galloped down the main road, carrying knights in silver te armor. "It''s the Hupper Kingdom''s Knights!" "The Knights stand with the light!" Everyone cheered and made way for the heroes. At the forefront was a small-framed woman. Her head was covered by a silver helmet, but her winged ear decorations and physique made her instantly recognizable. The Third Knight Commander, Adonis Hupper. She dismounted her horse and shouted loudly. "Intruders, listen!" Her voice, not fitting her small stature, boomed throughout the building. Even Reed, who was far away, flinched at the deep roar. "You have caused a great disturbance that cannot be atoned for even in death. However, if you surrender peacefully, I will give you a chance to redeem your sins in the name of Cohen, the great king, and Althea, the goddess of light!" Her valiant voice undoubtedly reached the inside. However, what came in response to Adonis''s call to surrender was a broken sofa. Flying directly at Adonis''s face, it would have caused serious injury if it had hit her directly. Whoosh! But for Adonis, such a sofa was not a problem. With a casual flick of her wrist, she swatted the sofa aside. The sofa turned at a right angle and rolled along the street for quite a distance. At the same time, one side of the merchant guild''s wall crumbledpletely, revealing the people inside. No, they were beasts. They feltpletely different from when they first gained power. Their bodies were covered in blood, and their hands clutched crumpled gold coins. Grrrrr... The monsters emitted a phlegmy, muffled sound. Drooling, they looked like rabid dogs. They stared intently at the Knights. A murderous intent could be felt. Even Reed, who was far away, could feel it. However, Adonis, who was at the forefront, raised her hand without hesitation. The knights behind her ced their hands on their sword hilts in response to her signal. "Standby." Hermand was not to draw their swords, but to standby. Adonis maintained her stance as she gave the order. "Ho, ho, is this the monster of the Hupper Kingdom?" Freesia admired her spirit. It meant that there was no need for the others to step forward. In other words, she would face them all alone. But her opponents were not just four people, but four beasts consumed by greed. Freesia, finding it interesting, stopped eating her snacks and leaned forward in her chair. Chapter 28.2 Adonis slowly walked towards them. She didn''t reach for her sword. No, instead, she dropped her sheathed sword to the ground, as if it was a hindrance. She intended to face them with her bare hands. The beasts eyed Adonis warily as she approached. "Money... If you kill people, moneyes out... Money!" As Reed had expected, they were consumed by the delusion that killing people would yield money. "Give us the money!" The man holding a dagger disappeared. When he reappeared, he was in front of Adonis. The dagger aimed for the gap between her armor, targeting her carotid artery. Just as his de was about to make contact, Bang! Dust rose into the air. Reed doubted his eyes. Adonis''s fist was covered in blood and flesh, and the monster targeting her neck was now embedded in the ground. It was like an old movie, where the process was cut, and only the result was shown. ''She took him down in one blow.'' Humans enhanced by the Desire Masker were all monsters. But Adonis Hupper was a superhuman who surpassed them. It was clear who the real hunter was in this ce. "Kyaaaak!" Crunch! "Give us the money!" She moved slowly, with heavy steps, and crushed the heads of the monsters that charged toward her. "Uwooooh!" Finally, thergest man, with a bear-like roar, charged at Adonis. His arm was as thick as her waist, making the difference in size apparent. Thud! But Adonis''s hand grabbed and snapped him like a twig. Reed, who was briefly worried, felt embarrassed by the destructive sight. It took only one minute to subdue the monsters that attacked the merchant guild. Adonis brushed off the blood and flesh from her hands. "Listen, citizens of Cohen!" Adonis''s shout echoed throughout. "As long as the king lives, there is nothing that can threaten the existence of Cohen! All of this is the will of our Lord, Althea, and the will of the great king, Morgan Hupper! Worship the king!" "Knights of Cohen!" "Alt¨¦, please watch over our king!" The voices of people offering prayers to the god and showing respect to the knights filled the area where chaos had once been. Only then did Reed understand why they had intentionally caused chaos. ''Create chaos themselves. And then clean it up. Then...'' They would gain fame. The power of the kingdom would be disyed, and everyone would praise and trust the kingdom without question. "What an amazing show of force. I can''t tell who''s the monster and who''s the knight." Freesia''s face was filled with a childlike smile. "It''s a shame for that girl. She certainly has the qualities to be a king, but she can''t be one." Reed''s eyes were filled with determination. He was definitely swayed. However, he tried not to show it to Freesia. "What do you think, Reed?" "I also think she is a person worthy of being a king." A wless superhuman. To some, she was an idol; to those who couldn''t worship her, she was a source of fear. "But you said she can''t be a king. Is there a reason?" "It''s not a big reason." Although she said it wasn''t a big reason, Reed concentrated on every word as if he wouldn''t miss a single one. "Well, it''s just that a woman being possessed by a man is a bit... you know?" "¡­!" Possession. Upon hearing that word, all the repulsive elements clicked together like puzzle pieces in Reed''s mind. "Do you mean that Morgan Hupper will possess his son, Morgan the Second?" "Yes, that''s how it is." Freesia nodded casually. ''Then Morgan the Second so far...'' Was not Morgan''s son, but Morgan himself. Maturity beyond his age. An awakened mind, driven by the conviction that he must rule the country after his father''s death. Lies. Everything was a lie. In fact, it was Morgan himself. "Isn''t it fascinating? The wise king who watches over all people is after his own son''s body. He''s afraid that everything he has built will be futile, so he creates chaos himself and desires eternal life." Freesia twirls with her fan open. She looked around the city once again. A smile formed naturally. A wicked, childlike smile. "I really like it here. It''s an interesting city." Having escaped Freesia''s amusement, Reed sat quietly leaning back in his office chair. ''Morgan the Second...'' He recalled Morgan from ¡°Disaster 7¡±. -Your loyalty will be rewarded. -It is my duty to carry on the will of my father, Morgan, and watch over the people. With a disgusting face, he tantly lied. He deceived everyone, taking the life of his own son to survive. ''Freesia must be the one helping him.'' Morgan probably asked Freesia, the master of dark magic, for help, and Freesia was searching for a solution in response to his request. Why would Freesia research such magic? The nuances suggested that she was undoubtedly in cahoots with Morgan Hupper and she wouldn''t have informed the workshop. The workshop''s magicians mainly researched white magic, which emphasized ethics, so it was natural that they wouldn''t touch dark magic, which was ufortable even for the tower''s magicians. ''Adonis...'' Captain of the Third Knight Order, Adonis Hupper. And the third disaster, Adonis. ''Did Morgan Hupper push Adonis to make the Second seed?'' What if the death of that noble was also intentional? Thest moment Adonis faces. In a situation where the protagonist could show mercy, she responds like this. -I have been betrayed by the people I have respected and loved all my life. There is only one ce left to go. Saying this, she takes her own life with her sword. The noble soul that could have been a virtuous knight devoted loyalty to a twisted being tainted by the light of corruption. Reed closed his eyes and gathered his thoughts. ''Why did Ie here?'' He always felt pity for the seven disasters Reed created. Characters who, despite having experienced great setbacks, had the chance to ovee obstacles and make a leap forward. However, he pitied the seven disasters that became hideous monsters by Reed¡¯s hand. Adonis falling into danger, and the noble that tried to assault her were all orchestrated by Morgan Hupper. ''In order to be a wise king... No, to maintain his rule, he led his own bloodline to ruin.'' He tore down his daughter''s reputation as a knight and stole his son''s body, extinguishing his soul. Hypocrite. Reed let out a hollowugh. "Isn''t this just like the final boss I used to be?" Fearing death and using his children to escape. He couldn''t admit the limits of his abilities, and it was no different from Reed who drove multiple people to ruin. ''If I interfere with his n, I will surely be at odds with Freesia.'' Not knowing her motives, but as a self-willed woman, she would undoubtedly be ruthless. However, it doesn''t matter. She is not on my side. She is on no one''s side. ''If she doesn''t agree with me, I have no choice but to turn her into an enemy.'' He finally made up his mind. Reed picked up his pen. *** Cohen Kingdom''s Third Knight Order Captain''s office. The soldier who just finished the shift report spoke. "¡­ That''s all I have to report." "Soldier, you''ve worked hard. Go and rest for today." "Yes, sir!" After the soldier saluted respectfully and left. Someone else entered the room. It was a servant. "Sir, Captain, there is a letter for you." "A letter?" "Yes, there''s no sender, so it''s a bit concerning, but what should we do?" A letter without a sender. Depending on themander''s discretion, it could just be burned. "Leave it and go." "Yes, sir." The servant ced the letter on the desk and saluted Adonis. Adonis used a knife to tear open the letter with an invisible seal. -You will be a king. The elegant handwriting did not seem to be written merely as a joke. ''Who sent this?'' Although she couldn''t tell who sent it, Adonis could feel the sincerity emanating from it. That someone genuinely cared for her. Chapter 29.1 Kaitlyn (1) A general store. Literally, it felt like a small store that bought and sold all sorts of items. From simple herbs to kitchen utensils and even longswords used in battle, a wide variety of items were on disy. No, it wasn''t even a proper disy, as the items were piled up, making the store look cluttered like a secondhand bookstore. However, the smaller the vige, the more important it was to have a ce that dealt with such a variety of items. The general store was the only ce to get what they needed when they needed it. Tinkle tinkle. A person in a robe with a hood entered, ringing the bell on the door. While tucking the red hair sticking out from under the hood back in, the woman walked over to the counter and put something on it. A hefty money pouch. Inside it were 1 UP coins, filled to the brim. "I came to buy some lizard poop you mentionedst time." It was a casual tone, but her voice was unmistakably feminine and high-pitched. The general store owner recognized the words and responded. "You mean magnesium when you say lizard poop?" "Yes, that''s right." "I''m sorry, but the price of magnesium has gone up sharply, and the merchant guild bought it all up." At that, the woman pped the table with the palm of her hand. "What? I reserved it, so why did you sell it to them?" "I''m a merchant too, how could I refuse when they offered more money? You didn''t even give a deposit in the first ce, did you?" "I didn''t have money at the time, what do you want me to do?" "What can I do if you don''t have money? I can''t help it either." That was thew of Cloud merchants. It would have been the merchant''s fault if the deposit had been paid first, but this was a matter where the woman had no say. "Where in the world would a fool buy that lizard poop? Did you secretly withhold it because I was going to buy it?" The woman didn¡¯t care to call herself a fool. "You! Do you think I''m some kind of unscrupulous merchant? If I were to do business like that, I would have gone to the city!" "Ugh! So, why did that damned merchant guild buy it?" "Recently, someone has been buying uprge amounts of magnesium. Who was it... someone called the Master of the Silence Tower." "Silence... Tower Master?" "What was the name? It was a noble-like name." The general store owner didn''t know the name, but the woman did. Reed Adeleheights Roton. She had known about him even before the name Roton was attached. "Anyway, I''m sorry. I need to make a living too, so what can I do? If you''re going to buy something next time, I''ll definitely have it ready for you. But the price has gone up since then." "How much?" "70 UP per 1kg." "¡­Never mind." The money inside the pouch was exactly 50 UP, so she couldn''t even use it as a deposit. ''If I pay 20 UP more, I''ll have to live on dew for a few days...'' The woman was neither a sage nor a druid, but a human, so eating was absolutely essential. The woman took her money pouch and left the general store. Then she looked up at the sky. ''Without a doubt, that sky doesn''t care what I''m thinking.'' As always. "Why is Senior Reed buying magnesium?" Kaitlyn Ramos. She called that name again, which she thought she would never have to call again. *** Tower Master Research Center. Reed was murmuring, looking up at the object ced on the anti-gravity floating device. "Is itplete...?" An item made after days of struggle and wandering. It was the first time he had used a magnesium te to create an item, so he had gone through 15 trials and errors to maximize the efficiency of the magic stone. Magnesium Gauntlet (Trial Version) Type: Equipment Item Durability: 50/50 Defense: 28~30 "Production Lv. 3": The joint connection is weak, making it vulnerable to durability reduction. "Magic Engineering Lv. 4": Charging rate - 95%, duration - 70 hours "Magic Lv. 4": The power of the manifested magic increases by 1.1 times. A gauntlet made using magnesium. When charged, it is stronger than ordinary steel. The length that reached up to the elbow was a little longer than the arm size of the wearer, Reed. ''It feels like a weapon of some ancient civilization.'' Looking at the mana channels he had created, it looked like a maze had been drawn. It felt like a tool for showing off rather than for practical use. Now there was only one thing left. Only the actual test remained. As Reed reached out to the anti-gravity floating device, the assistant magician standing behind him opened his mouth. "Are you going to try it on yourself?" "Yeah." "It could explode again." "¡­" At those words, Reed suddenly started to feel afraid. In fact, the gauntlet had exploded during the 12th trial and error. However, instead of answering, he red at the man who had said that, and the magician who had made a slip of the tongue covered his mouth with both hands and stepped back. "Don''t worry. I made it. If it fails, of course, I have to pay the price for that, right?" Roughly avoiding the subject, the assistant magicians looked up at Reed with a slightly awed expression. ''He truly is a Tower Master.'' ''Just a few months ago, he wasn''t like this...'' Most of them were apprentices and had no direct contact with the Tower Master, but they were well aware of his notoriety. A crazy man who would dismiss anyone he didn''t like, treating the deputy Tower Master and the Guardian of Silence like a dog. However, after overthrowing ¡°Project Flower Garden¡±, such rumors disappeared entirely. A Tower Master with drive and ruthlessness, but at the same time, he had the ability to embrace others. Furthermore, this time the adopted daughter he brought in was a genius who was worth more than gold, but he never got conceited. Ultimately, Reed''s sessful resolution of the conflict in the Hupper Kingdom greatly improved his image within the tower. Reed mentally prepared himself and inserted his hand into the gauntlet. He slightly manifested mana and touched the magic stone part. Then, the gauntlet started to react and move. The volume gradually reduced, and it fit snugly on Reed''s hand. Reed tried moving his fingers. It moved more smoothly than when wearing a glove. It fit Reed''s hand perfectly, just as designed. Chapter 29.2 ''And fortunately, there''s no explosion either.'' The current production project was over. [The progress of production has reached 100%.] [The production project, "Magnesium te armor production - gauntlet " has been sessfullypleted.] ["Sess Reward" is given.] - You can now create a gauntlet using magnesium tes. The magnesium gauntlet prototype was made over the course of three days. ''Should I reduce the actual weight a bit more... or rather, should I increase my strength instead?'' The weight itself was lighter than the gauntlets used by knights, and the defense was on the lower side. If the weight was reduced any further, it would be like making ceramics instead of a gauntlet. ''Let''s increase my strength a little.'' Tower Master doing strength training... It might be a bit funny. Reed checked the current status of magnesium research using the authority of the Tower Master. -Magnesium material enhancement (research progress: 60%). -Magnesium te magic stone efficiency enhancement (research progress: 80%). [T/N: Previously referred to as ¡°Enhancement of magic stone efficiency in Magnesium tes¡±] -Magnesium enhancement: resistance to elemental attacks (research progress: 70%). -Magnesium te armor production - gauntlet (production progress: 100%) When the efficiency-enhancing research ispleted, the continuous effect will increase by about 30%, and when the material enhancement ispleted, the defense of the gauntlet will increase by about 5. At that level, it might not just be as good as the steel technology that the empire boasts, but it will rival it. ''Still not enough.'' The functionality was absurdlycking. Reed didn''t make the gauntlet in this form simply to create armor. ''This is my magic support tool and a card that can be a trump card.'' The ultimate goal of this gauntlet was a modified weapon like the staff or wand used by mages. Of course, this was not Reed''s unique idea. ''Because Kaitlyn Ramos raised her insufficient magical power with this.'' The magnesium ''magic'' gauntlet was the unique magical tool she created, breaking away from the conventional form of staff and wands. It was as if Reed had brought forward the weapon that Kaitlyn would create in the future. It was also as if he had stolen a future idea, but Reed didn''t feel much guilt about it. Because the idea in the future also existed in the past. ''Because Reed had the same idea too.'' Strictly speaking, it was a legacy left by that nerdy Reed, not the Reed possessed by Jung Jinhyuk. Weaponization of magnesium gauntlet using magic gem. Type: Research Project Author: Reed Adeleheights Roton Check whether the magnesium gauntlet can be weaponized using the magic gem, which can be considered the core part of the staff and wand. Establishment of hypothesis: X Research progress: - You can create a Magnesium Magic Gauntlet (100%). Random enhancement (Attribute Enchantment/Magic Enhancement/Attack Enhancement/Defense Enhancement/Durability Enhancement) can be applied to the Magnesium Magic Gauntlet (100%, limited to first-time only). After seeing the research project, Reed clicked his tongue. ''The failure rate is 60%.'' Attack enhancement was the damage dealt when striking with the gauntlet. It was the least necessary thing for Reed, who only had stats unrted to strength. If ranked by tiers, it would be like this: Tier 1: Attribute Enchantment, Magic Enhancement Tier 2: Defense Enhancement, Durability Enhancement Tier 3: Attack Enhancement If only the Attribute Enchantment, which imbues a specific attribute when using non-attribute magic, and Magic Enhancement, which increases the original power of magic, were applied, there would be nothing more to ask for. ''If the mana absorption function is added as well...'' In a one-on-one battle between mages, Reed could have an absolute advantage. This was an achievement that even Kaitlyn Ramos couldn''t achieve in her early days. Reed deliberately did not reveal it. With the current skill level of the tower''s mages, they couldn''t evene close, and revealing it would just let everyone know what Reed was doing. ''Dolores, of course, but neither Rosaria nor Phoebe should find out.'' Although Dolores is currently an ally, she has sided with the Tower Master of the Thought Tower, so there is a possibility of leaking information. Phoebe was inherently naive and untrustworthy. Rosaria... didn''t need an exnation. The first person who needs to know this important matter is the future pioneer, Kaitlyn Ramos. "Phoebe." "Yes!" The half-dragon assistant, Phoebe, came running at his call. "How''s the investigation on Kaitlyn Ramos''s whereabouts that I asked you about before?" "Ah, well... I tried asking around several ces, but they said they don''t know much about it..." "Really? Was there anyone who knew about her?" "I first contacted the Escoleia Magic Academy, where she studied, and they said there was a student like that, but..." "But?" "She was expelled." "Expelled?" "Because of a giarism dispute, she was excluded from the schrship recipients, and eventually got expelled." Escoleia is a prestigious academy, and the tuition alone is over 20,000 UP. While the amount is easy for nobles to afford for education, it''s impossible formoners to graduate unless they study hard and receive a schrship. Since Kaitlyn was involved in a giarism dispute, she must have not been able to endure it. "A mage involved in a giarism dispute... Then, she''s likely to be in a small vige." Mages must value and respect knowledge. Once involved in a dispute, they cannot survive in ces with many people. There are only about 20 kingdoms, but there are hundreds of small viges on the continent. It''s be even more difficult. "Please keep up the good work." "Yes." Although it was tough, Phoebe smiled brightly and nodded. Afterpleting the research, Reed left the cleaning to the assistant mages and exited the research building. Reed, now dressed in his uniform, took the elevator straight down to the reception room. Waiting in the reception room was the one-eyed rat, Leto. "Your humble servant, Leto, greets the Master of the Silent Tower." It was Reed who had called for Leto. "You delivered all 4,000kg on time." "How can I do business if I''m not trustworthy? Thanks to you, my Master, I''ve had precious experiences traveling all over the ce." Leto ttered him while rubbing his hands together. "So, can you get me some more magnesium?" "Of course, it''s possible, but..." Leto paused before continuing. "The truth is, even we are having a hard time finding that lizard pooptely." "Having a hard time finding it?" "It seems the rumor has spread that you, the Master of the Silent Tower, are looking for magnesium." It wasn''t surprising. He had bought an enormous amount of 4,000kg, so traders must have preemptively bought it in case. However, the Tower Master couldn''t continue to secretly buy magnesium either. It could bring about even greater misunderstandings. "So, how much has the price of magnesium gone up?" "It''s 70 UP per 1kg." "70 UP..." The original cost was 42 UP, and it was 50 UP when purchased from Leto. In no time, it increased by another 20 UP. Magnesium itself was amon ore, so the price shouldn''t have increased much under normal circumstances. There''s no doubt that the traders knew Reed was looking for it and stocked up on it together. "Still, it''s worth buying for now." The Master of the Silent Tower. He was a man who had nothing but money. Chapter 30.1 Kaitlyn (2) "Are you sure you didn''t leak it?" Regardless, I decided to y the viin role for a while. "Ah, ouch! Why would I do such a thing! Would I risk my life in front of the Tower Master?" "It''s only you who knows that I bought it." "No, sir! Oh dear, I would never do such a thing!" Leto shouted, hitting the floor as if he was terribly wronged. Seeing his fuss, it seemed he was somewhat used to ying this role. ''The price of magnesium has gone up.'' It''s the material item I''m focusing on researching right now, and it''s fine if just the price goes up, but if the material itself bes scarce, it would be difficult. ''Normally, it would be time to consider a stable supply source.'' "Perhaps it''s time to consider a stable supplier, are you not interested in the mine contracts?" As if reading my thoughts, Leto brought up the subject. I can''t believe I have to deal with this guy. Reed looked at him with a strangely ufortable expression and said, "No, it''s fine." "Excuse me?" "The reason they bought magnesium is undoubtedly to resell it to me. So, if I don''t buy it, magnesium can only be a burden that takes up space in the warehouse." They might try to find a way to use it by researching it themselves, but systematic research is impossible unless they are a workshop or a tower wizard. Besides, who would do it in this era, when "Magic Engineering" is itself minor? Reed still had over 3,000kg of magnesium. As long as he doesn''t waste it, there will be enough left to use for research. "Still, buy about 300kg more. Instead of paying 2,000 more for the price, I¡¯ll give you a deferred payment for this one." "Understood. I''ll get it for you quickly." As the transactions with Leto increased, they no longer even talked about writing contracts. What Reed had was money, and what Leto had was information. Since both had what the other needed, as long as neither let go, this alliance would continue. Now all they had to do was use each other. *** Below the Silence Tower. A slender-looking wizard stood in front of the Silence Tower. Kaitlyn Ramos. She was a wizard who had hurriedly embarked on a journey upon hearing that the owner of the Silence Tower was researching magnesium. ''Is this the Silence Tower?'' Kaitlyn gasped for breath and swept her wet bangs behind her ears. Then she lifted her head to look up at the tower. Although it was said to be the shortest of the 13 towers on the Cloud Continent, when viewed up close, it appeared to be a massive structure connecting the sky and the Earth. Her admiration was short-lived, however. "Ugh." Kaitlyn clutched her stomach and crouched down on the spot. Gurgle! A deep rumble from her empty stomach. Naturally, since she hadn''t eaten anything except for some herbs she had found by chance yesterday. Her entire fortune was a mere 100 UP. She had used it all to embark on this journey, and it was only now, on the verge of starving to death, that she had finally arrived. ''I need to finish my business quickly and leave.'' Kaitlyn quickened her steps towards the main entrance of the tower. -Who''s there? "I''m Kaitlyn Ramos, a wandering wizard. I havee to see the tower owner, may I?" -The Master of this tower does not meet anyone without a prior appointment. You should leave. It was customary to send a letter beforehand, but Kaitlyn didn''t even have the money to send a letter. "I didn''t have the money to send a letter because I haven''t eaten anything for days. Please, just let me speak with him once." -Insolent fellow! How dare you... Huh? The dignified voice turned into a question mark. Following that, a whispering sound could be heard. -The deputy Tower Master is looking for someone named Kaitlin Ramos. Kaitlin Ramos? Could it be this person...? "Why do you keep calling my name?" Kaitlyn asked with a puzzled expression, but there was no answer. A momentter, the firmly closed main entrance of the tower began to open. *** "Kaitlyn Ramos came here on her own?" "Yes, I asked the wizards guarding the front door, and they said she identified herself as Kaitlyn Ramos." Even Phoebe''s tone was irregr, perhaps due to her surprise. A person who hadn''t even shown her face when they were inquiring... ''It might not be the person I''m looking for...'' Since they had announced they were looking for Kaitlyn Ramos far and wide, there was a possibility of an imposter. Of course, if it was an imposter, Reed would punish them without hesitation. But punishment was not necessary. The person sitting in the reception room was undoubtedly a younger version of the Kaitlyn Ramos Reed knew. Name: Kaitlyn Ramos upation: Magical Engineer Age: 32 Alignment: Chaotic Good Health: 1,560/1,560 Stamina: 640/650 Mana: 2,982/2,982 [Traits] ¡¸Mechanical Engineer¡¹, ¡¸entric Inventor¡¹ [Attributes] "Magic Engineering Lv. 5", "Alchemy Lv. 3", "Crafting Lv. 5", "Magicology Lv. 3", "Digestion Lv. 3", "Mana Sensitivity Lv. 2", "Magic Lv. 2" [Unreleased Traits & Abilities] ¡¸Master of Magical Engineering¡¹ "Magic Engineering Lv. 6", "Crafting Lv. 6" ''Indeed.'' This was Kaitlyn Ramos from 10 years ago, who wouldter be called a master of magical engineering. Chapter 30.2 She had short red hair and ck eyes. During the game, her unavoidable wrinkles gave her the vibe of a woman in her 40s, but now her skin was stic enough to be in her mid-20s. She wore a gray robemonly worn by wizards with unclear affiliations. It wasn''t made of expensive material, so it could be obtained for around 30 UP if purchased cheaply. Wearing it until it was worn out undoubtedly meant she had no money. Kaitlyn, who had been sipping tea, stood up from her seat and awkwardly bowed. "It''s been a long time, Adeleheights senior. No, now you''re the Tower Master." "I didn''t expect you toe here on your own." "Were you looking for me?" "I was literally looking for you." Kaitlyn asked, looking at Reed with a surprised expression. "It''s really unexpected that the owner of the Silence Tower would look for a wizard as insignificant as me." "I had sent people out to inquire about you." "Well, it''s no wonder they couldn''t find me. Everyone seems intent on killing me, iming that I''m a fraud..." Kaitlyn bit her lip tightly. In the world of wizards, giarism is a fatal disgrace. Regardless of the truth, the mere involvement in such a dispute had already dealt a significant blow to Escolleia. "Anyway, it''s surprising. That you, my senior, would look for me. After calling me a moner'' and looking down on me every day." "I''m sorry. I apologize for my past mistakes." "No, what''s there to be sorry about? I followed you knowing all that." Kaitlyn brushed it off casually. Reed took a sip of his tea and asked her, "So, you seem to know that I''m looking for you, but why did youe here?" "Well, nothing special... I heard that you''re researching magnesium, Senior." "So, you came here because I''m researching magnesium... Does that mean you''re researching magnesium too?" Kaitlyn nodded her head. "Yes, I''ve been conducting various research on my own for a year now." "What kind of research were you doing?" Reed was secretly tense. Although she had not yet reached the transcendent stage, her levels of "Magic Engineering" and "Crafting" were at 5. Her levels were higher than when Reed first started in earnest, so it wouldn''t be strange if she was far ahead. "Processing magnesium ingots." "...For a whole year?" Reed had a puzzled expression, unable to understand. Kaitlyn had spent a whole year on the task that Reed hadpleted in just a few days? Kaitlyn then let out a sigh. "To process magnesium, I need to control the forge''s fire, need magnesium ore, and manpower. I also have to go through trial and error. Although I can buy and create more if there are trial and error failures, doing so leaves me with no money to buy food. After paying the taxes to the vige, I have to get up early in the morning and drink only dew... Ugh!" Kaitlyn hunched over, clutching her stomach. Seeing her painful expression, Reed''s face filled with confusion. "Are you okay? Is your body hurting?" "Well, it''s embarrassing to say..." "Go ahead and tell me." "The truth is, I''ve been starving on my way here..." "..." ''Really, it''s an embarrassing story.'' Reed looked at his watch. It pointed to 11:40. Almost lunchtime. Thinking it was well-timed, he suggested to her, "Alright, let''s have a meal together and talk since you''vee a long way." "...I don''t have any money, how can I have lunch..." "I can treat you to one meal." That meant it would be free. Kaitlyn, who had been hesitating, lifted her head. Her pained expression disappeared as if it was a lie. "I won''t refuse your offer." "Is this really a meal that the tower master eats? I''m having a precious experience of the meat melting in my mouth." Kaitlyn rubbed her stomach with satisfaction. It was indeed a rare experience. She had eaten twice as much as Reed, yet her stomach remained intact. It made one wonder if there was a space pocket in her stomach. ''She said she was poor.'' She was a magician who had entered Escoleia with the body of amoner. But she hadn''tpleted her studies and was expelled, so her future must have seemed bleak. "Now that you''ve eaten well, we can proceed with the conversation. You said you were researching magnesium ingot processing?" Kaitlyn nodded with a pleased face. "Yes, it was quite difficult. However, after three trials and errors, I greatly reduced the margin of error. So now, the temperature is between 1,330 and 1,370..." "At 1,355 degrees, heat for 7 minutes to create it." Reed interrupted Kaitlyn''s words. "That''s the temperature used when processing magnesium ingots." "How can you be so sure?" "The magnesium ingot processing you''re working on has already beenpleted at our Silent Tower." "...What?" Kaitlyn looked at Reed with wide eyes, asking. "It means that while you were going through three trials and errors, the form for ingot processing has already been created in the Silent Tower." She understood the meaning of turning theory into a form. It''s something that any magician would naturally know. "So, with magnesium..." "Researching it any further is impossible without my consent." A magician''s intellectual property rights are absolute. Viting it would result in a social obliteration on a different level than just a giarism dispute. Not being able to process magnesium ingots meant that she couldn''t create anything using magnesium. For Kaitlyn, it was like a bolt from the blue. She had poor equipment and a meager budget, but she tried to ovee it with her talent. It was devastating to know that Reed had already surpassed her. "Is there any chance you could allow me to do some research...?" "That might be difficult. After all, it''s the tower''s main asset." If the authority to process magnesium ingots is handed over to a middle-of-the-road magician, the face value itself would decrease. Kaitlyn knew this too, so she tried to probe but didn''t push it. "Ah..." She could only let out a hollowugh. Kaitlyn leaned back against the chair and looked up at the ceiling. Her empty eyes and open mouth seemed to be losing her soul. It was an unavoidable problem. From the beginning, the research of individual magicians and the research of magicians in the tower had different systems. Even if she had talent, her poor environment prevented her from catching up with the most basic things. "Anyway, congrattions. Then..." "Where are you going?" "Since magnesium research is out of reach, I have to find another path, don''t I? I guess I should research fairy transformations that can fill the stomach with just dew." ''What nonsense are you trying to research?'' "Isn''t there still a way?" "Do you n to permit magnesium research?" "No, that''s not it." "What other way is there then!" Kaitlyn got angry, thinking that Reed was mocking her. "What if you join me and continue the magnesium research?" "... With you, senior?" "If you join the Silent Tower and continue your research, you''ll undoubtedly be able to solve a significant part of the hardships you''re facing.¡± For the unemployed magician Kaitlyn, it was an incredibly attractive offer. It was such a good offer that she couldn''t tell if it was a dream or reality, and she asked a foolish question. "Really?" "Yes." "Is, is sleeping free and eating free?" "Yes." "Ah, do you also treat for free when sick?" How many times will she make him repeat ''yes''? "Depending on your achievements, you''ll receivepensation, and if you want, you can be promoted." "Compensation..." Kaitlyn''s open mouth wouldn''t close. Everything is free, and they pay her to do the research she loves! However, this was just a very minor condition. Reed knew what she desired the most. He put it forth as the final condition. "And I will personally resolve the giarism dispute at Escoleia, pay for a full schrship, and support you to graduate safely from the academy." Hearing that, Kaitlyn didn''t try to think any further. She simply got off her chair, knelt down, and deeply bowed. "Master of the Tower!" Kaitlyn Ramos. She had found the boss to whom she would devote her loyalty for the rest of her life. Chapter 31.1 Kaitlyn Ramos. A middle-aged woman with a strong will and determination. In "Disaster 7", she was stubborn beyond anyone else, so strong that it was hard to stop her with simple words. ''I never thought it would go so smoothly.'' When I tried to recruit her, I had no doubt that I would have to go through ups and downs... but it seemed she was in no position to bargain due to her financial difficulties. Hearing about her life, it was not surprising that she gave in. She woke up early in the morning, collected dewdrops from leaves to quench her thirst, and ate young nts that the gatherers had missed for breakfast. However, there was no way she could find such nts every time. So, when there was nothing else to eat, she risked her life to eat even poisonous nts. As a result, she gained the "Digestion" ability, which was not originally in her stats, and her level increased by 3. While tightening her belt, Kaitlyn conducted research on magnesium, considering it the opportunity of a lifetime. Then, as the price of magnesium rose, she found out that Reed, the master of the Silence Tower, was conducting simr research. Since she and Reed were alumni, she decided to make a difficult move. She went to the Silence Tower to get some magnesium, but she found out that Reed''s research was far ahead of hers. Moreover, she realized she could no longer continue her research. It was as if thest ray of light had disappeared from her life. But who would have known? It wasn''t thest ray of light that disappeared, but rather, the dark clouds vanished, and the God of Light, Althea, descended. The god appeared in the form of Reed, and his hands were full of ''free'' gifts. She didn''t doubt it. No, there was no need to doubt. Even if Reed were a demon and asked for her life, she was ready to pay in 72 monthly installments right now. Reed sessfully hired Kaitlyn with a special offer. While he did offend senior magicians by informing them after making the decision, no one in the field of "Magic Engineering" opposed or hesitated to ept Kaitlyn, as there was ack of suitable talent at the moment. Everyone agreed to watch and see how things went, as the Tower Master was widely acknowledged for recognizing talent. ''I would like to ce her in the chief position but...'' It would be disrespecting the current Chief Magicians. On top of that, Kaitlyn felt that she had already received too much. If she were given morepensation in this state, she might becent, so Reed decided to treat her as a junior apprentice. So, he ced her in a room for junior apprentices on the lower floors. Kaitlyn nkly looked around the room she had been assigned for quite some time. "Is there something you don''t like?" "No, it''s just... it''s been so long since I''ve used something in good condition..." Being used to scavenging from garbage dumps, she couldn''t even distinguish whether this was a dream or reality. "Do I have to pay for anything..." "Everything is free." In the end, she asked a few more times if everything was really free before realizing that it was indeed real. Perhaps due to her rough life, Kaitlyn became familiar with all the facilities of the tower in just three days. Being a natural engineer and inventor, she immediately began working as an assistant magician in the Tower Master''sboratory once she had adapted. Kaitlyn quickly became a part of the Silence Tower. ''I can finally breathe a sigh of relief now that a Chief Engineer has appeared.'' What she needed was money and welfare. What Reed needed was her ability. No one would feel bad about the deal. "I''m concerned about Miss Kaitlyn." No, everyone except one person. Phoebe, who had been lingering in the office, spoke with a determined expression. "Is there a problem?" "She''s calling you too casually, Tower Master. You''re definitely someone who should be respected in the tower...!" She managed to call him Tower Master, but her speech style hadn''t changed. ''On top of that, her traits make her seem rude too.'' Her trait and temperament were those of an "entric Inventor." When given direction A, she would twist it to B or C, proposing unconventional ideas that deviate from the existing framework. Her ideas could be better directions, but at the same time, they could be difficult for Reed to handle. The only thing that could control her double-edged ability was Reed''s decision. Knowing that her temperament would lead the tower in a good direction, Reed left her alone. However, Phoebe warned him to be cautious, as she found it bothersome, but Kaitlyn had no intention of changing her way of speaking. "Just leave her be." "But, umm..." "She has the ability of a chief magician in our tower when ites to magical engineering. We can tolerate that level of rudeness." "But still..." Phoebe was quite persistent. Since the conversation about their speech hade up, Reed mentioned her speech as well. "Aren''t you also strange with your speech, being my deputy?" "Me? What''s wrong with mine..." "Don''t you know that when you talk with that drawn-out speech, it makes my mind drowsy?" Hearing that, Phoebe''s face turned shocked. Despite the cruel words that almost made her tear up, she began to stubbornly try to change her speech. "Then I''ll change my speech too! No, I''ll change it now!" She red with force in her eyes, reminding him that she was a half-dragon. It was quite scary to be stared at with golden eyes, even though he knew she had no ill intent. "¡­Phoebe." "Yes! Tower Master, the quick and snappy Phoebe is here! What do you want to say?" "Your hair looks nice today." "Hehe... thank you. Oops! That was because I let my guard down!" "It goes well with your horns." "Really?" She''s too easygoing. She tried to change her speech with a strong tone, but as soon as she receivedpliments, she lost focus, making it impossible. In the end, Phoebe gave up after just 30 minutes. For someone who had given up, her face looked very happy. "It may be annoying right now, but she will be our tower''s top engineer, so please try to understand." "Okay." He thought he had sessfully persuaded Phoebe and that the storm had passed, but¡­ "No way!" Rosaria''s childish voice echoed through the hallway. Chapter 31.2 When he went outside, Rosaria and Kaitlyn were standing there. Rosaria''s cheeks were puffed up like two steamed buns, and she was holding a cardboard sword in her hand. "What''s going on?" "Ah, Tower Master, let me exin." Kaitlyn calmly blinked and exined the situation. "I came up to get permission to process more magnesium tes for my research, but this girl suddenly asked me if this sword was any good." "And?" "So I honestly answered her. I told her that with this, she couldn''t even catch a rabbit, and that it had technical ws. But then she suddenly screamed in the middle..." "No way! With this, I can even defeat the demon king!" Rosaria raised her voice and showed her sword. Objectively speaking, Kaitlyn''s assessment was urate, as it was just a piece of cardboard cut out. The problem was that the target happened to be Rosaria. "Weren''t you too harsh in your evaluation of a child?" "But isn''t this inside the Tower of Silence? She must havee here as a mage too, so shouldn''t I give her an objective evaluation?" Reed felt something was off in her words. "That child is my daughter." "...What?" He had a feeling that would be the case. "Did you not know?" "I couldn''t even imagine that you, Tower Master, were married..." "I''m not married. I adopted her as my daughter." Her thought process came to a halt and resumed. Now she realized that she had angered the Tower Master''s daughter. "¡­Ah!" "Hmph!" Rosaria stomped back to her room. Phoebe followed Rosaria, and Kaitlyn, unable to speak, covered her face and sank to the ground right there. "Oh my, oh my goodness, how could this happen..." "Did you really not know, even though every magician knows?" "....It''s been over 6 months since I entered the tower...." "Even so, isn''t it too much to think of that young child as a member of the tower?" "I thought they were either epting young children as apprentices these days or that she might be older than she looks... I didn''t think it through." Daughter? A daughter? Kaitlyn muttered to herself, and Reed sighed. "Anyway, do your best to make amends. If you can''t..." Reed trailed off, not knowing what to do, but Kaitlyn heard it as a death sentence. Rosaria''s room. She frowned and threw her cardboard sword on the desk. "I could defeat the demon king with this...." But Rosaria knew Kaitlyn''s words were right. She was angry because Kaitlyn''s words were true, but she didn''t cry. "Miss, may Ie in?" The drawn-out voice was undoubtedly Phoebe''s. Rosaria didn''t answer as she sat at the desk, trying to cool off her anger, and Phoebe cautiously entered the room. "Miss, are you okay?" "I''m not okay." "Would you like to touch my horn?" Rosaria didn''t respond, but she grabbed Phoebe''s horn as she bowed her head. Her angry face never left the cardboard sword she made. "Did you make this sword to give as a gift to the Tower Master?" "Yes, I saw Papa making it. Rosaria wanted to help too." "I know. I could feel that you were thinking of the Tower Master." "I worked so hard on coloring it..." Rosaria''s voice trembled. Phoebe put her hand on her shoulder andforted her. "I would have been really upset too if someone spoke like that about something I worked hard on." "She''s a bad, stupid, dog-likedy." "That''s right! She''s really a bad person!" Phoebe, who had built up resentment towards Kaitlyn for being rude to Reed, agreed with Rosaria''s words. "Miss, shall I bite that stupid, foolish dogdy once on your behalf?" Her red eyes looked up at her, even redder than before. "But it will hurt if you bite." "That''s why I''m going to bite." "I don''t like hurting others." Although she had been hurt, Rosaria didn''t want to resort to violence. Phoebe found Rosaria''s attitude endearing and hugged her tightly. She smiled brightly and kissed Rosaria''s head. "Our kind, angel-like Miss, I understand. I won''t bite that baddy." "Okay." Rosaria, buried in Phoebe''s chest, felt her emotions subside in thefort. Knock, knock. At that moment, someone knocked on the door. "Um, excuse me, girl, I mean, Miss, are you in there? I came to apologize." "Should I send her away?" Rosaria hesitated and shook her head while still buried in Phoebe''s embrace. "Then I''ll step aside." "¡­Okay." Phoebe stood up and opened the door. Behind her was a redhead woman, Kaitlyn. Phoebe smiled brightly. "Miss Kaitlyn~." "Yes, Deputy Tower Master." "You''re lucky." "¡­Lucky?" Kaitlyn received Phoebe''s re with a puzzled expression. She didn''t say anything more and stepped out of the room, and Kaitlyn cautiously entered. "Um, well¡­" "¡­" "Wow, you really made that sword well. I didn''t notice it until now because I''m not good at recognizing things!" "¡­" "Please, calm down¡­ I made a mistake. I shouldn''t have thought of you as a magician of the tower in the first ce." "Hmph!" Rosaria snorted and didn''t even look at her. Her opponent was the Tower Master''s daughter. Seeing Rosaria''s sulking, Kaitlyn recalled scenes of her shing with Reed. Such a future couldn''t happen. Kaitlyn looked around, trying to find a way to make amends. Then she discovered a notebook on Rosaria''s desk. It wasn''t just a simple notebook. It was a magic notebook used when designing magical forms. It was made of a special paper that reacted to mana. "Ah¡­!" She came up with a brilliant idea and tore off a sheet of special paper. "Um, Miss, look at this." "¡­" "You won''t regret looking at it for just a moment." Rosaria nced at the object in Kaitlyn''s hand. It was a neatly rolled-up piece of paper. "When it''s like this in your hand, it''s just a bunch of paper, but when you infuse mana into it¡­" Her hand glowed blue. As mana flowed out of her hand and seeped into the paper, it began to move slowly from the tip. The paper that she thought was simply crumpled turned into petals and slowly unfolded. When thest petal fully bloomed, it became a white rose. "It turns into such a beautiful flower." Rosaria was now facing Kaitlyn, looking at the rose. Her red eyes were filled with admiration as they stared at the white rose. "How did you do that?" "Are you curious?" "Yes." Kaitlyn ced the rose in Rosaria''s hair and said, "When I was young, I didn''t want to throw away my tightly-filled notebooks, so I always folded them like this as decorations." "Why?" "When you forget the fact that you''ve worked hard, it''s easy to get discouraged andcent. I''ve always made these roses as a reminder." However, Rosaria was too young to understand Kaitlyn''s words. Seeing Rosaria tilt her head in confusion, Kaitlyn gently smiled. "You seem to be interested in paper roses. Would it be okay if I taught you how to make them?" Her anger from earlier had vanished, and her eyes were now filled with curiosity as she nodded. "Teach me how to make them." "Will you forgive me if I do?" "Yes." Rosaria nodded lightly again, and Kaitlyn sighed in relief. For Kaitlyn, it was a moment of relief. She had just avoided being kicked out of the tower. Chapter 32.1 Project: Sound of Music (1) There is no country that does not need a hero. Adonis Hupper, the unparallel warrior, was the hero of Cohen. Her nickname and trait, the¡¸Giant yer¡¹exined everything about her heroism. Adonis Hupper was undoubtedly the next king of the Hupper Kingdom, and no one doubted it. Although Adonis didn''t show it, she was conscious of the throne and always kept her behavior modest, striving to be an inspiration for others. She was a warrior who would be the first to step forward if monsters threatened the kingdom. When reports came in of goblins forming a horde in the mountains northwest of the Hupper Kingdom''s capital, Cohen, Adonis took on the extermination mission without a moment''s hesitation. Now, havingpleted the extermination mission, she returned. She was on her way to report in person to King Morgan Hupper. "Lord Adonis, there''s blood on your cloak." In front of the royal chamber, the minister spoke. Adonis looked at her own cloak. Green blood was heavily stained on the red cloak. She silently took off the cloak and handed it to a servant, then asked the minister: "Is there any other part of me that''s not neat?" "No." The minister courteously bowed and stepped back, and Adonis opened the door to the royal chamber. A long red carpet stretched out in the middle, and at the end sat King Morgan Hupper. Adonis knelt down at a certain distance, taking the proper knightly stance. "I, Adonis, themander of the 3rd Knight Order, have returned from the extermination mission." His eyebrows, as white as fallen snow, twitched as his eyes looked down at Adonis. "Have you returned?" "Yes." "You''ve worked hard." "¡­Thank you." Upon hearing that, Adonis rose from her position. The conversation was over. A momentter, Adonis stood in front of the closed door. From inside, she could hear Morgan''s voice, little by little. "Where is Morgan and what is he doing?" "His Highness is studying in the library, Your Majesty." "Is that so? Make sure he takes good care of himself." "I understand." Morgan the Second. Morgan had never called her by her name since she became a knight. He called only that child by his name. "Commander, is there anything bothering you?" "¡­" At the words of the Royal Guard, Adonis said nothing and moved her feet to the hallway. ¡®Don''t think about it.¡¯ There''s nothing more disgusting thanpeting against your own flesh and blood. Adonis brushed her chest and headed for her office. Wasn''t there a saying, ¡®Speak of the devil, and he shall appear?¡¯ Adonis saw the man standing in front of her office and froze. "Big sister! cough, cough." Morgan the Second. A man so beautiful that others might mistake him for her sister. Unlike his simr appearance, he had a fragile body, prone to illness from birth. A ss flower-like child who couldn''t be sent outside alone. Adonis approached Morgan with an expressionless face. "Why are you outside?" "I wanted to see you, big sister... We haven''t been able to talk muchtely, have we?" "Is that so?" Adonis replied curtly. However, Morgan, the Secondughed heartily. "I haven''t seen you for a whole week, sister. I almost forgot what your face looked like." "Why did you wait here instead of going inside? You''ll be scolded by His Majesty again." "I didn''t want to make it difficult for you, sister. I just wanted to see you for a brief moment¡­" For some reason, Morgan the Second knew that his father didn''t like him being with Adonis. That''s why he had been waiting here, pretending to have bumped into her while taking a walk. Adonis looked down at Morgan the Second and closed her eyes. Morgan, with a smiling face, looked at her and offered a polite greeting. "You seem to be in good health, sister. I''ll take my leave now." "¡­Yes." Adonis responded to his greeting, and Morgan the Second passed her by, still smiling brightly. Entering her office, Adonis covered her face. "¡­I''m like a jealous woman." She found it ridiculous that she was jealous of the king''s affection for her younger brother. Adonis knew deep down.
    • That Morgan cherished her brother more than her.
    • That despite her constant achievements in public, the king did not appreciate them.
    • That he might not pass on the throne to her.
    Although she said she didn''t expect it, deep down, she had been hoping. If she said she had no desire, it would be a lie. She was human too, a person with the will to strive for a higher ce. She wanted the throne more than anyone else. But she despised her own greed that reached out to her younger sibling. "Don''t think about it." Being a knight was Adonis''s path now. As a knight, she was the sword that protected the country and the shield of the king. *** Meanwhile, Reed began to ponder in his office. -You will be king. After sending a very brief anonymous letter, he had been thinking about ways to approach Adonis Hupper, but no good excuse hade to mind. ''Adonis will fall, and she will be corrupt.'' The root of that downfall was her father''s greed. Morgan was currently seeking eternal life by possessing his child''s body. ''Ultimately, I have to approach Adonis Hupper to help her.'' However, the way to approach her was the biggest problem. ''But if I show interest in any way, she will be suspicious.'' It was impossible for a tower mage to meddle in the affairs of the kingdom. It was like holding up a sign saying, ''I''m suspicious. Please investigate.'' ''I''ll approach her secretly.'' The Tower Master of the ck Sky, Freesia, would undoubtedly be secretly in touch with Morgan. To counter their conspiracy, joining hands with Adonis was the most ideal option. However, Adonis was now an unwavering knight. From their first encounter, Reed could feel it with certainty. That she was loyal to the king and followed him blindly. Even if he approached her covertly, there was a high chance that Adonis would report him. No, maybe she would even join forces with the king. "Ugh¡­" Was it because he had seen her turn the victims of the¡¸Desire Massacre¡¹into a bloody mess? Just thinking about her made him shudder. ''If I can''t approach her secretly or directly, then I have to subtly get close.'' He would subtly approach her. In other words, he would make her feel like this was some kind of fate while being aware that it was a scheme. There might be some minor misunderstandings, but the risk of those misunderstandings was not greater than other methods. If he exined it well, most people would just let it pass. ''The best way to approach her like that is to show off my technical skills¡­'' Magic Engineering products were items specialized for ordinary people rather than mages, so they could serve as a good excuse. However, the gauntlet Reed was making was not intended to be shown off somewhere. It was merely an item to improve Reed''s ability, who couldn''t use magic properly. Reed examined his magic engineering projects one by one. ''They''re good and innovative, but there''s nothing that really catches the eye.'' Most of them were items used in wars. In other words, they were unnecessary in times of peace. The Hupper Kingdom wouldn''t be interested in these war tools either. As he wondered what to do, someone knocked on the door of his office. Chapter 32.2 "Tower Master, it''s Kaitlyn. May Ie in?" "Come in." Kaitlyn was dressed in work clothes, unlike other assistant mages. She should have looked innocent with her sturdy overalls and makeup-free face, but somehow, she felt more like an old man. "The weaponization project of the magnesium gauntlet using this magic crystal is about halfwaypleted." "Halfway done?" He was about to ask, ''Already halfway?'' but hurriedly changed the subject, not wanting to give her too much credit. She was truly worthy of being a master of magic engineering. With the right environment, she soared to new heights. "Is everything going ording to schedule? Any difficulties?" "I''m struggling a bit with the circuitry and safety issues with the crystals, but I think I''ll be able to bring you good news soon." "You''re always working hard. Make sure you take care of yourself." He was still worried about her. A chief engineer''s body was their greatest asset. ''Come to think of it, she must have multiple ideas for magic engineering products, right?'' In the ending scroll of , she was described as a mage who not only created weapons for war but also greatly contributed to improving living conditions. He didn''t know what the world was like after the ending, so he didn''t know what she had made. ''But I''ve always been curious.'' ''How did she create the magic engineering products in Reed''s drawer?'' That was the question. Reed decided to ask her directly. "Kaitlyn." "Yes." "These are the projects I have nned for the future. I''m curious about what you think." Reed took out the projects he had stored in his storage magic and showed them to Kaitlyn. He roughly expected her to say something like ''Did the Tower Master also have such thoughts?'' However, upon reading the project summaries, Kaitlyn eximed in admiration. "Oh, you truly are the Lord of the Tower. You thought of this?" "Haven''t you ever thought about something like this?" "Well, I did think that using magnesium as a substitute for iron to improve living conditions would be a good idea, but I never thought of a specific weaponization n. It was difficult enough just to make ends meet¡­" Kaitlyn''s voice gradually became gloomy. Contrary to Reed''s expectation that his question would be answered, Kaitlyn''s words only made the situation even more unclear. ''If the current Kaitlyn doesn''t know, does that mean this knowledge was stolen by her?'' While it could be a btedly sprouted idea, most of the items she created in the game were rearranged differently based on Reed''s creations. ''The most likely possibility is that it was leaked in thetter part of the game.'' That''s the conclusion he could draw right now. "Do you n on working on this project concurrently?" "Huh? No. This alone wouldn''t be enough." "What do you mean?" Reed decided to ask her while they were on the subject. "Besides these war tools, is there anything that might grab people''s attention?" Kaitlyn tilted her head in thought. "An attention-grabbing item? If you ask me so suddenly, I can''t really think of anything." "It doesn''t matter if it''s a bit strange." "What do you mean? When have I ever thought of something strange?" "Never mind." Contrary to her characteristic as an ''entric inventor'', she seemed to have no self-awareness. "One thing I thought of before was a magnesium product that could be used as both a table and a bed." "It''s a bit unique, but not enough to catch people''s attention." "Hmm... Arguing like this won''t help, so I''ll go back to the workshop and think about it." "Alright. Take care." Kaitlyn spun around and left the room. Reed didn''t just wait for her toe up with a good idea as shown in the game ending, but diligently tried to think of ideas himself. Knock, knock. "Come in." As the door slowly opened, a little angel peeked her head in. It was Rosaria. "Papa, are you busy?" "No, it''s alright. Come in." Rosaria entered the room with a cheerful step and a smile on her face. She was hiding both hands behind her, which meant she probably had a surprise gift prepared. Judging by the dirt falling onto the shiny marble floor, she must have picked something up while walking outside. "You seem to be in a good mood." "I went for a walk with Phoebe and found a beautiful flower!" Rosaria showed Reed the flower she had been hiding behind her back. It was a beautiful wildflower with wide-open, light pink petals. "It''s called an Azalea." "It''s pretty." "And guess what! Phoebe told me there''s a song about Azaleas too!" "Really?" Reed knew of an Azalea song, but it was likely to be different from the one Rosaria was referring to. "Aren''t you curious? You are, right?" "Yes, I''m curious." Seeing her eagerness to show off, Reed nodded, creating an environment for her to sing. Rosaria cleared her throat for a moment before she began singing. "Azalea, azalea, beautiful azalea~. How can you be so beautiful~?" The song was, as expected, quite amateurish. However, when Rosaria''s voicebined with the awkward tune, it sounded cutely endearing. As a result, Reed couldn''t help but burst outughing. "Pfft." The song abruptly ended, making it more funny. "..." As Reed lowered his head, Rosaria stood there with a shocked expression on her face. Her face twisted in anger, and she red at Reed. "...Youughed at me." "..." "I''m not going to sing for you anymore." "I''m sorry. I didn''t mean tough at you." "Hmph!" Rosaria pouted and ran back to her room as if to say ''I''m mad at you!'' Bang! Reed felt guilty as he watched the door closing roughly. Scared that she upset him by mming the door too hard, she quickly opened the door. The little angel approached him with quick steps and suddenly hugged Reed. "Hmph!" Then she left again with a sulky expression on her face. This time, she closed the door gently. There was no doubt that she had softened her approach, worried that closing the door too hard might have angered him. "A song..." Rosaria''s amateurish song echoed in his ears. And that song became an inspiration, causing a sh of insight in Reed''s mind. "...What if?" A brilliant n came to his mind. Chapter 33.1: (Part 1) Project: Sound of Music (2) Silence Tower, Executive Meeting. Since the Flower Garden incident, the meetings had always ended with only regr reports from the chief magicians without any major agendas. However, this meeting was an irregr executive meeting convened by Reed. The outline of the executives was simple. Three chief magicians, excluding the two who had resigned. Phoebe, acting as the deputy tower master. And Reed, making a total of five attendees. The chief mages nced ufortably at one ce and then opened their mouths. "Tower Master, may I ask you something?" "It''s fine. It''s not a world where you get your throat cut for voicing an opinion." "Why is that woman in the executive meeting?" "Wasn''t it just for the executives?" The person they were looking at was Kaitlyn Ramos. It made sense for them to question her presence, as she was the lowest-ranking member among the Silence Tower members. Kaitlyn hade when called, but she naturally felt intimidated by their gazes. "First, let me apologize. I''m sorry to you all, but she knows more about in this tower than anyone else. Although she entered as an apprentice, she is essentially our chief engineer. So I think it''s only natural that she attends this Magic Engineering-rted meeting." "Still, there''s a matter of status..." "Of course, we won''t always have her attend. And it''s an irregr meeting, so please understand just this once." "Hmm, alright." "If the Tower Master says so." There''s nothing they could do since it''s not like they would have her attend always. The chief magicians moved on to an agreeable atmosphere. "Since the Tower Lord has called us like this, it must be something that requires our consent or assistance." "It''s a matter that meets both requirements at the same time." Reed snapped his fingers at Phoebe, and she distributed the project documents to everyone participating in the meeting. - Project: Sound of Music "Sound of music?" "Is it a simple codename like the old Flower Garden?" At the chief magician''s question, Reed shook his head. "The main focus of this project is music." "What does music have to do with Magic Engineering?" "Since it''s an application of Magic Engineering technology, let''s first look at the overview and then discuss it." Seeing is believing. At his words, they began to read the overview one by one. "Well, this is..." "Huh, well..." The chief magicians all showed ambiguous reactions. Reed wasn''t shocked, as he fully understood their response. Reed asked Kaitlyn. "What do you think about this?" "In a nutshell, it''s about creating a magic recording device that even those who can''t use magic can use, isn''t it?" Magic Recording Device. As the name suggests, it was a magic device for recording specific content. It was an item that they had seen a lot when the Tower Masters had presented gifts, handing over their notes and records. The price was high, with even the lowest grade orbs costing over 5,000 UP each, making it hard to obtain unless you were a workshop or tower-affiliated magician. "And so?" "In my opinion... there is a magic recording orbs for magicians, right? I don''t think it''s particrly necessary... but it''s not difficult to use either." The use of a magic record orb was very simple. If one could control mana, it was intuitive enough that even Reed, who first encountered magic, and Rosaria, who never formally learned magic, could use it. "However, only one in five people have potential in magic, and even among them, half cannot awaken mana. Our goal is to create something that can be used anytime without the involvement of magicians." "Hmm... If magicians hear about this, they might feel quite offended." Surprisingly, it was Kaitlyn, who majored in Magic Engineering, who brought up this point. Magicians are conservative. They value progress more than anyone else, but the moment they step out of the box, many magicians resist. In in words, it was considered heresy among magicians. Because of such issues, Magic Engineering was looked down upon, and many people were surprised when Reed used it as ast resort. ''All history has been like this.'' When cars first came out, no one knew that carriages would disappear, and until smartphones appeared, mobile phones were just machines for making calls. As more convenient things emerge, people get swept up in the winds of change. And now, Reed is trying to lead that wind of change. "Our main goal is to capture voices. I think it won''t be a big problem as long as we''re not dealing with video. If they think their interests are threatened by such trivial matters, they are pathetic magicians and can be ignored." "In my opinion, it doesn''t seem like such a big deal either." "If they make a fuss over something like this, as you said, they would be pathetic magicians." The chief magicians agree with Reed''s words. "So, you mentioned capturing sound, what do you n to do with that sound? Do you n to record an orchestra?" "It''s not just about listening to the music of an orchestra." "Then what?" "We will record the songs of the best bards roaming around, the secretive songs of elves and druids, and even the songs of intelligent beings like orcs." "Ah, now that you mention it, the term ''Sound of Music'' makes sense." "Even capturing the songs of elves and druids..." A project truly dedicated to music. It was somewhat unfamiliar to the chief magicians who had only been researching magic, but they seemed interested. "Bards will gather if we announce it in the vige... but how do you n to deal with the elves and druids?" "They can be quite exclusive to outsiders." Elves born within the World Tree and druids who kidnap vige girls to raise them as warriors. Theirmonality was that they were beautiful and had a sense of mission to protect their territory. However, they were not unconditionally exclusive. They were just picky about people because of their beauty. "Do elves and druids like humans who handle mana well?" "If you have the qualifications of a Tower Master, they will certainly acknowledge you." "I won''t be able to do that. I would only bring shame." Chapter 33.2 A Tower Master typically has at least a level 5 in and . However, Reed''s levels in everything are 4. The chief magicians were taken aback by his objective self-assessment. But perhaps it was because they had already been surprised once by his remorse and reflection during the Magic Engineering reforms. The chief magicians quickly regained theirposure. "If anyone disrespects the Tower Master, I''ll smash them!" All but one. Phoebe reacted like an enthusiastic mother at a women''s meeting. Reed sighed at her behavior, but the chief magicians stealthily backed away from her. Reed, shaking his head, spoke to Phoebe. "Phoebe." "Yes!" "Then, can you take care of the elves and druids?" "Yes! I just need to smash them, right?" "No, if you smash them, we won''t be able to record anything." ''How did she be the tower master''s deputy?'' She usually has a cool side, but she acts strangely emotional when ites to Reed or Rosaria. "Ask the elves and druids for permission to record their songs." Although she always seems like a bumbling fool, Phoebe is a magical monster with and . The reason she can act as the Tower Master''s proxy is because of her outstanding abilities. "Um... But..." Phoebe hesitated for a moment, then asked with a half-sobbing voice. "...Wouldn''t it be faster to just smash them?" "I''m sure her abilities are excellent, but convincing them is a different issue." Phoebe was not confident in persuading others, and the others agreed. "The key is the songs of the elves and druids. While grand music that requires an orchestra can be easily replicated with sheet music, their songs and music are peculiarly impossible to mimic with a human tongue." "Indeed, the songs of elves and druids are known to be enchanting. Not onlymoners, but also nobles wish to hear their songs in their lifetime, but most never do in their lifetimes." Kaitlyn was sharp. "That''s the key." "Yes?" "We will attract the attention of the nobles." Recording devices that civilians can handle, along with songs and music collected from all over the country. And the Tower Master of Silence, who possesses all of it. What would happen if this rumor spreads? A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to hear the songs and music that they might only hear once in their lives is created. Naturally, everyone would pay attention. "I will promote this project targeting nobles and merchants." Magic engineering is the technology of merchants. If an old magician had heard Reed''s words, he would have eximed, "This is not magic!" and be angry. But the chief magicians, who had already worked together with Reed, did not object to his opinion. ''Project: Sound of Music'' was unanimously executed. *** A weekter, After days and nights of research and design, Kaitlyn finally seeded in creating a recording device. "How is it?" "Not bad." It looked more like a stopwatch worn by physical education teachers around their necks than a recording device. Inside, there were a record modification crystal, a mana stone, and a magic circuit that could control the device ording to the buttons. "Press this right button and speak, then press the left button to..." - Speak. Kaitlyn''s voice rang out clearly. It would be fair to say that there was no loss of sound quality, as they had included a top-quality crystal worth 100,000 UP in each device. "You did a great job." "Your humble servant made this item while thinking about the Tower Master day and night." A loyal one. Not a subservient puppy-like feeling like Phoebe, but the gratitude felt genuine. Reed wondered how to reward Kaitlyn. - Kait... "Huh?" As Reed continued to press the left button, a voice came from the recording device. - Kait, Kait, Kaitlyn. My name is little Kaitlyn. Little... ant? Ants are fine too. I''m a little ant~ Kaitlyn~. Today, the ant is working again. A random, off-tune song flowed out, revealing ack of musicality. Reed, wondering if something had gone wrong, nced over. Kaitlyn''s face had turned even redder than the color of her hair. Reed was certain after seeing her expression. "...When I''m tired, I sometimes hum a little tune too." "..." "If you''re tired, feel free toe and talk to me." "Please kill me. Rather..." Kaitlyn slumped down on the spot. Leaving the embarrassed Kaitlyn behind, Reed took the recording device and went to Phoebe. "Phoebe, it''s your turn to do the task." "It''s finished, huh? How do I operate it?" Since it was a very simple method, Phoebe could quickly learn how to use it. "Make sure to record well without confusing the right and left buttons." "Well... I''m not sure if I can record it." "Why not?" "I sent a letter in advance to the druid and high elf tribes, but I haven''t received a reply yet. I think I need to go and talk to them in person..." "Is that so?" There shouldn''t be a big problem with the music itself. Reed had fully understood the characteristics of elves while ying . He also knew that they had a weing song for foreigners. As long as Phoebe didn''t seem hostile, it was a problem she could solve. ''Is there something more needed?'' Reed thought once more if there was something that could be a backup n. ''Elves and druids like humans who handle mana well... In that case...'' At first, Reed thought it would be enough for Phoebe to go. However, upon further thought, this was also a great opportunity for Rosaria. "What do you think about taking Rosaria with you?" "The youngdy?" "Shouldn''t I show her the world at least once? The world of the druids and the world of the elves." Upon hearing that, Phoebe pped her hands and rejoiced like a child as well. "With the youngdy''s abilities, they''ll understand, and it won''t be dangerous since I''ll be with her. It will undoubtedly be a good thing for her too." It seemed like a good idea. "Then go and take Rosaria with you for a while." Chapter 34.1 Project: Sound of Music (3) Going to the dwelling ce of the Druids and Elves. When she first heard those words, Rosaria''s eyes sparkled as expected. The only adventure she had embarked on so far was around the Silence Tower, and the farthest she had gone was when she went to the Starfall vige with Reed. For Rosaria, who harbored an adventurer in her heart, it was the most delightful news. "Phoebe Unni, we''re going to see the Elves!" "Wow, it sounds really fun~." Rosaria excitedly talked, and Phoebe chimed in. The conversations between Phoebe and Rosaria mostly went like that. Rosaria was pure, and Phoebe knew how to protect that purity. Even though she already knew most of the stories Rosaria shared, Phoebe always listened with interest. "Did you pack everything you need?" "Yes!" A wide-brimmed hat and an easy-to-move-around dress for going out. And, of course, Lucy, the bear doll, was securely attached to one side of her waist. She was fully prepared. "Are you taking Lucy with you?" "Yes! Lucy will want to see the Elves too." "Since Lucy can''te alone without Rosaria, you should always take her with you, okay?" "Yes!" Rosaria, puffing out her breath with a confident face, entrusted herself to Phoebe. "Please take good care of Rosaria." "Just leave it to me. Even if my body breaks, I''ll protect her!" The sense of responsibility on her face was simr to Rosaria''s. Having read the context of the conversation, Rosaria tugged on Reed''s sleeve and asked. "Huh? Papa is noting?" "Hm, the timing isn''t good." "Hmm..." The child who was excited about going on a pic looked down with a sullen face. Reed wanted to say he would go with her, but the timing and his abilities weren''t in the best shape for that. "Don''t worry. You''ll have fun ying with Phoebe." "But still..." Although Phoebe smiled and gently touched Rosaria''s cheek, Rosaria just looked up at Reed with a regretful expression. Reed felt uneasy about letting her go like this. "Let''s do this." Reed squatted down to match Rosaria''s eye level. He straightened her clothes once more and said, "When youe back, I''ll take a vacation right away. You''ll tell me everything you saw, everything you ate, okay?" "Will we also take walks together?" "Yes, let''s do everything you want. So, will you go on this adventure with Phoebe?" "Yes!" Her sulky face turned into a big smile. Rosaria loved adventure stories as much as she loved talking about her own adventures. Without any more hesitation, Rosaria climbed into the sky carriage. After seeing off Rosaria and Phoebe, Reed returned to his office and began his work. - Project: Sound of Music. It wasn''t a simple magic research project, but one that involved people, so the entire tower was bustling with activity. Kaitlin Ramos was in charge of the overall technology, and the chief magicians were responsible for hiring bards and orchestras. Reed was in charge of overseeing the entire project, taking responsibility for everything. Perhaps that''s why he felt more pressure and stress than anyone else. The current time was 2:30 pm. It had been three hours since Rosaria and Phoebe left, and two hours and forty minutes since he started working. "Yawn..." Reed''s eyelids felt heavy today, maybe because he hadn''t been able to sleep properly for several days. ''I should take a one-hour nap and then get back to work.'' Thinking that forcing himself to stay awake and work might cause more problems, Reed decided to lie down on the office sofa for a short nap. After closing the ckout curtains in his office and setting a timer, just as he was about to fall asleep. Weee! Weee! He was startled by the rm sound and immediately sat up. No, it wasn''t the rm sound. It was even more unpleasant and clear than the one he had set. "An alert?" Reed looked around, wondering what it was, and realized that the sound wasing from his desk. "What''s this...?" Reed pressed the alert button. The person who issued the alert was the tower master of the Greenwood Tower. -Silence Tower Master, why are you answering sote? Where''s your secretary? "My secretary is out on a business trip, and I was just checking on some work in the research department. What''s going on?" -It''s an emergency! Pleasee to the conference room immediately! The call ended without any further exnation. Reed hurriedly grabbed his clothes and headed to the conference room, unable to even guess what had happened. *** Meanwhile, Rosaria and Phoebe. They parked the sky carriage at the entrance of the forest and walked into the woods. The forest was simr to the one Rosaria often visited, but here, the trees were so densely packed that it was difficult for people to traverse. "Miss, are you not tired?" "I''m fine! I''m not tired!" "Let me know if you''re tired. We can take a break." "Okay!" Unlike Rosaria, who walked innocently without knowing anything, Phoebe was on high alert. The ce they were going to was the territory of the elves who worshipped the World Tree called ''Yggdrasil''. Although they were friendly enough to humans to send letters, she remained cautious. After walking deep into the forest for a while, they finally managed to enter Yggdrasil''s territory. "Stop!" A man''s voice echoed through the forest. It was impossible to even guess which direction it came from. Phoebe grabbed Rosaria''s shoulder and pulled her closer. "This is thend of the great World Tree and mother, Yggdrasil, and the domain protected by Yggdrasil''s siblings. If you have lost your way, I suggest you turn back, traveler." In response to that statement, Phoebe answered politely. "My name is Phoebe Asteria Roton. We sent a letter in advance on behalf of the Silence Tower Master, but as we received no reply, we havemitted the rudeness of trespassing into your territory." After a brief pause, a man skillfully descended from the trees to the ground, stepping on branches. "You are the human named Phoebe Asteria Roton...?" "Yes." "The elder is waiting for you. This way." The elf sentinel led the way, guiding Phoebe and Rosaria. Phoebe held Rosaria''s hand and followed the sentinel side by side. Leaving the dense forest behind, they arrived at the elves'' vige. Chapter 34.2 "Wow... the trees are incredibly big." The World Tree, Yggdrasil. Unlike the artificially built Silence Tower, the enormity of the World Tree, containing years of history, had a sacredness that no other tower could imitate. The elves revered the World Tree, building their homes and living under it. As they reached the entrance of the vige, a green-haired woman greeted them with a solemn face, her entourage behind her. Although it was their first meeting, Phoebe instinctively knew she was one of the elders of this ce. The green-haired woman wrapped her right fist with her left palm and extended it as a greeting. "I am Yustina, daughter of Yggdrasil and the fifth elder." Phoebe greeted her in the same way, following their customs. "I am Phoebe Asteria Roton, the representative of the Silence Tower. It is a great honor to meet the great sister of Yggdrasil." "There''s no need to be so formal. Open your eyes and speak." "Excuse me? Oh! I must have been rude." To be friends with Rosaria, she had always kept her eyes half-closed. Phoebe opened her eyes wide, revealing her golden irises. "Before we begin, I apologize for not responding to the Silence Tower Master''s letter. Lately, Yggdrasil''s condition has not been good, and all the elders have been unable to focus on anything else as they tend to it." "Oh no... Why all of a sudden...?" "Recently, unclean mana has seeped into the ground, contaminating a part of the World Tree." "If it''s been contaminated by unclean mana... magical assistance must be needed." Yustina nodded. "If we could only locate the mana vein, we could undoubtedly find the contaminated area, but capturing the mana vein is not easy." Unlike the towers that emit mana in a single thick pir, the World Tree had a structure where dozens of thin pirs were tangled and intertwined as they rose. To identify the source of the contamination, one had to properly examine each entwined mana pir, a process that was more difficult than finding a pearl in a desert. "I will help you if I can." At Phoebe''s words, Yustina shook her head. "No. Your skills are undoubtedly outstanding, but this is something we could not aplish even with the abilities of the elf elders." "I see." As an elf elder, Yustina was able to roughly assess Phoebe''s abilities. She had already estimated Phoebe''s level and judged that it was not superior to the current elders. Phoebe rxed her shoulders, looking disappointed. "Anyway, the timing is not good. How about visiting again next time?" "Um...." Returning would be tantamount to mission failure, so Phoebe looked troubled by Yustina''s suggestion. At that moment, Phoebe felt a small hand tugging at her clothes. Rosaria was looking up at the elf elder, Yustina, with her mouth slightly open. "Pointy ears." The long, slender ears that could not be hidden by the flowing green hair. It was a characteristic that could be considered the identity of the elves. Rosaria pointed at those ears with her finger and asked. "Big ears. Is that an elf, Phoebe?" "Miss, you shouldn''t point at people like that." "Is an elf a person?" "¡­They''re not human, but you shouldn''t point at elves either. It''s rude to point at an older person with your finger. Do you understand?" "Yep." Rosaria obediently lowered her finger. Phoebe stood up after giving a warning and offered an apology to Yustina. "I''m sorry. My youngdy is still a child, so I hope you can be understanding." "It doesn''t matter... but who is this little one?" "She is our tower master''s daughter. We came together to broaden her horizons." "Hmm, I see..." Despite her indifferent response, Yustina couldn''t take her eyes off Rosaria. ''Strange.'' An extraordinary aura was felt throughout Rosaria''s body, which was different from her innocent face. When she looked at Phoebe, she could definitely gauge how much mana she could handle, but no matter how much she looked at this girl, she couldn''t tell. ''If my eyes are not mistaken... this child is an outstanding talent surpassing the current elf elders...'' That meant she was an incredible talent that even Yustina, who had lived for hundreds of years, had never seen before. She suddenly became curious. "This girl might be able to help us." "What? What are you talking about?" "If this girl helps us with our task, we will perform the song you desire." At Yustina''s suggestion, Phoebe spoke to the elder with an expression of difficulty. "But our youngdy came here only for a field trip..." "If it''s a field trip, wouldn''t seeing our elders also be a part of it?" "Well, that''s true, but... it''s a bit difficult for our youngdy to be involved in this matter." "Dealing with the World Tree''s mana is not overdoing it. If it seems too much, I''ll stop it. I say this in the name of Yggdrasil." To invoke the name of Yggdrasil was to stake the honor of their tribe. It was astonishing that the elves, who valued their bond, would say such a thing. However, Phoebe couldn''t easily say yes or no and hesitated. During this moment of hesitation, Rosaria approached Yustina and asked. "Elf unni, can Rosaria be helpful?" "Yes, you can." "Then I''ll try!" Rosaria was happy to hear that she could be helpful. After saying that, she btedly sought Phoebe''s approval. "Can I do it?" "If you want to try, it''s fine." Phoebe stroked Rosaria''s head and nodded. If Rosaria wanted to do it, there was no reason for Phoebe to stop her, as it was also part of broadening her horizons. "But what am I supposed to do?" "Well, that is... Youngdy, you know about pir raising, right?" "Pir raising? The tower''s pir light! Are you talking about the one Rosaria folded into a ball?" "Yes, the one you turned into a ball. You can do something simr to that." Phoebe spoke lightly, and Yustina corrected her with a cough. "Yggdrasil is moreplex and delicate than the towers built by you humans. Treating what we do as simply pir raising is no different from underestimating it." "Ah, I''m sorry..." Yustina''s gaze sharpened, and Phoebe apologized, sweating coldly. Yustina let her rudeness slide for now. ''Even if she''s more talented than the current elders, it''s impossible to grasp Yggdrasil''s mana at once.'' Yustina made such a suggestion to Rosaria because she wanted to see just how great her potential was. She thought that this alone would satisfy her curiosity, so she asked her. That was it. *** Meanwhile, at the Tower Lord conference. The Tower Lords, who had been urgently convened by the alert issued by the Greenwood Tower Lord, listened to her words and asked with astonished faces. "I heard that the World Tree barely grows 10 centimeters in a year, but you''re saying it grew 2 meters in just a few minutes?" Chapter 35.1 Project: Sound of Music (4) A tree that grew bit by bit, about 10 cm a year, suddenly grew more than 2 meters. No matter how you looked at it, it was clearly an abnormal phenomenon, a matter worthy of an emergency meeting. While everyone was wondering, "What on earth happened?" Reed, unlike the others, could guess the cause of the incident. ''It must be their doing.'' The territory of Yggdrasil, where High Elves and Wood Elves coexisted. Phoebe and Rosaria entered that ce. There was no doubt that the yellow rice cake and the white rice cake had caused amotion in Yggdrasil''s territory. ''I''m sure they didn''t do it with bad intentions, and it must have been going in a good direction and ended up like that...'' As Reed was thinking that, the atmosphere among the Tower Masters became more and more serious. It wasn''t an atmosphere where you could speak hastily. Then, the Master of the Greenwood Tower spoke with a serious face. "If the world tree of the elves grew over 2m at once, there must have been an elf with exceptional magic skills involved." "Then, wouldn''t the bnce maintained by the Greenwood Tower also copse?" "That seems to be the case for now." The Master of the Greenwood Tower spoke with an expression of shame. The copse of the bnce meant that the tower Master had not fulfilled their duty, so there was nothing to say even if they were med. However, the tower Masters knew what their priority was. Right now, resolving this situation was more important than ming. "So, are there any changes in those big-eared creatures? Did they pick up any relics or something?" "It''s difficult to say at the moment. We discovered the anomaly at the Greenwood Tower and immediately convened this emergency meeting, so we''re still investigating the specific situation." Although there was a problem, there were no concrete details yet. So the tower Masters racked their brains and made guesses. "If the World Tree suddenly grew 2 meters... could it be that a new magical form was created?" "The growth of the World Tree is more dependent on mana than spells. Even when all the eldersbined their powers, it barely grew by 10 cm, but in just a few minutes, it grew by 2 meters. There''s no doubt that a talent with apletely different amount of mana from the other elders has appeared." The emergence of talent and the invention of a new spell. Either way, it was a tremendous event that could shake the bnce of the Cloud Continent. "What do you suggest we do?" Freesia, with a bored expression, offered a solution. "What''s the point of whining like this? Nothing will fundamentally be resolved. Let''s eliminate the problem before it bes an issue." Eliminate the problem in advance. It was a solution, indeed. Then, Dolores, who was sitting next to her, frowned and objected. "Are you suggesting we ughter the elves now? If that happens, not only the ck Sky but other towers will also be enemies of the continent." "I agree with Wallin''s statement. Don''t say such things so easily, ck Sky." As the Master of the Sky Chamber Tower, Helios also frowned and red, Freesia''s face turned sour. "Really, you people are no fun. Don''t you think so, Reed?" She turned her head and passed the baton to Reed, who was sitting next to her. "Anyone would think we''re on the same team." Taking the baton, Reed looked around and opened his mouth. "In my opinion, the elves probably have nothing to do with this." "What do you mean, Silence! It suddenly grew by 2 meters! You''re saying this isn''t a matter to be cautious about?" To the other tower Masters, who were unaware of Phoebe and Rosaria''s existence, it might have sounded overly optimistic. ''This must be rted to Rosaria.'' But Reed didn''t know the exact details, making it difficult to reveal at this moment. ''But to continue with this misunderstanding...'' Even if it waster revealed that the situation was part of the project, the worst-case scenario could arise where the misunderstanding would not be cleared up. Reed continued to ponder and eventually made a decision. Although the timing wasn''t right since it wasn''t a project to create an incredible weapon, he decided to disclose it first. "That''s the thing..." "Ah! I''ve received a call!" The Greenwood Tower Master, who was sitting on the opposite side, eximed. Everyone''s attention immediately shifted to the Greenwood Tower Master. "What is it?" "What''s the situation?" "Wait a moment. Yes... Yes... Yes?" As her tone grew increasingly serious, she looked over at Reed. "Yeah, I got it. Thank you." The call ended, and silence ensued. The Greenwood Tower Master mulled over what she had heard and remained still until the other Tower Masters, unable to bear the suspense, urged her to speak. "Start by telling us what it is." "Well, it''s just that..." "Did some problem ur?" "Well... It seems that someone entered the Yggdrasil area a few hours before it suddenly grew...?" At those words, some Tower Masters jumped up. "An aplice from the outside! As expected!" "Let''s go and investigate immediately!" Including Freesia, some of the hardline tower Masters mentioned war and became agitated. However, the Greenwood Tower Master continued her words while ncing at Reed. "But it''s confirmed that... a horned blonde woman in her twenties and a white-haired girl entered the area." The atmosphere suddenly cooled. "A horned woman in her twenties and a white-haired girl?" "It seems specific..." As they spoke, everyone''s gaze focused on one ce. Someone who had a half-dragon assistant and a white-haired child. That someone sighed, tucked their lips in, and resignedly said, "¡­Anyway, it''s not something the elves have done." *** The emergency meeting ended anticlimactically. Since they had gathered due to concerns that Yggdrasil''s rapid growth might be rted to the elves'' ambitions, discovering that the causey elsewhere allowed the situation to be easily resolved for now. Reed was talking to Phoebe through a call. -I''m sorry... "I told you to broaden your horizons, not create an incident that puts me in a difficult position." -I have no excuse, Tower Master. Her voice sounded tearful and damp with moisture. Reed sighed. -Were you interrogated? "For now, I exined the project to everyone and also told them why you guys were there. They asked you to write a separate report on the events that urred there to be sent to the Greenwood Tower Master. -Yes, I will write and send the report separately. "That''s what you should do." -Whimper... The sound of whimpering, like a scared puppy, flowed in response to Reed''s stern words. "Has the contamination of the World Tree been resolved?" -Yes, thanks to thedy''s help, it was resolved quickly. And in the process, all the blood that was hindering growth was released, leading to rapid growth. "Is that so?" -Yes, even the elf elders were surprised, their mouths hanging open as they looked up at the tree. It was indeed surprising. When it was said that it had grown from about 10cm to 2m, the tower Masters, who are outsiders, were also surprised, let alone the parties involved. Chapter 35.2 While they were exchanging words, someone tapped Reed''s shoulder. "Uh, Master of the Silent Tower?" "Hold on a moment, Phoebe. What is it, Master of the Greenwood Tower?" The Greenwood Tower Master carefully spoke her request. "I''m sorry, but there''s someone who wants to call you, would that be possible?" "It''s possible, but who is it?" "It''s a high elf elder in Yggdrasil''s territory, a person named Yustina." "Phoebe, I''m sorry, but please end the call." -Yes. Reed received the call from the Greenwood Tower Master. Shortly after, a clear female voice echoed in his ear. -I am Yustina, one of the five elders. "I''m Reed Adeleheights Roton, the Master of the Silent Tower. My daughter and secretary have been quite rude, Elder." Reed first offered a polite apology. -It''s fine. I''m about to be quite rude myself. "What do you mean?" -I would like to invite you to Yggdrasil''s territory on behalf of our race. What do you think? "...You want to invite me?" He asked again as if he couldn''t believe it. The Greenwood Tower Master, who had been quietly listening from behind, also looked at Reed with a shocked face. It was unusual for an elf to invite someone into their territory. -Is there a reason you cannot ept the invitation? "No, no, it''s not that. It''s just unexpected. But why are you inviting me?" -We asked if our benefactor wanted anything. And she said she would like her father toe here. So we are inviting you to our council of elders. "The council of elders..." The council of high elf elders, ifpared to a tower, is like the office of the tower Masters. Unlike other elves who build houses on the ground, this ce was built at the very top of the World Tree Yggdrasil, and it is a sacred area that no one can enter without permission. It was a ce that even the Greenwood Tower Master, who is close with Yggdrasil''s siblings, has never been to. "I understand. I can''t refuse an invitation." -We will open a path for you to directlye to the council with your sky carriage. The call with Yustina ended. The Greenwood Tower Master, who had been waiting until Reed''s call ended, started to speak. "Uh, Master of the Silent Tower..." "Yes, what is it, Master of the Greenwood Tower?" "I''m sorry, but after youe back..." "Don''t worry, I''ll ask you what to do as the Tower Master of Greenwood." He interrupted her as if he was ready, but she hesitated and continued to speak as if there was more to say. "Um, after visiting the council, if possible, could you share your impressions..." "...I understand." A sacred area that she herself has not seen. She had no choice but to vicariously satisfy her curiosity through his impressions. *** The World Tree Yggdrasil. Although it did not boast a very high height like the Silent Tower, its wide branches and leaves spread out horizontally, presenting a grandeur that no pce could imitate. Reed found a ce that was artificially cleared and used it as anding spot for his sky carriage. As he stepped outside, the high elf elders were waiting for him. "Daddy!" Among them, Rosaria ran towards Reed with an innocent face. Despite sweating profusely from exining the situation caused by this little troublemaker, seeing her innocently smiling made all those resentful feelings disappear. "Have you been behaving?" "Yes!" "Do you understand that lying can lead to big trouble?" "Rosaria doesn''t lie!" "I see." That statement meant the guardian had been neglectful in her duties. Reed nced at Phoebe, who was following him, with a reproachful look. Seeing this, Phoebe was taken aback and broke out in a cold sweat. A green-haired female elf stepped forward on behalf of the others and greeted them. It was the same scene as when she had greeted Phoebe. "I am Yustina, the daughter of Yggdrasil and one of the five elders." "I am Reed Adeleheights Roton, the Master of the Silent Tower." "So you''re the Master of the Silent Tower. You are indeed handsome, just like your daughter said." "Oh, is that so..." Reed, who had prepared for his meeting with the elders, was flustered within just a few minutes. He hadn''t expected her to catch him off guard with apliment. Reed quickly changed the subject. "I heard that Yggdrasil, the spiritual pir of the elves, has grown by 2 meters." "For us, the siblings of Yggdrasil, it''s the greatest joy." "Congrattions, but this fact was not properly conveyed, so all the tower Masters gathered in a flurry." "Apologize to the Master of the Greenwood Tower for me. At that time, all the elves were so surprised that they couldn''t do anything for a few hours." The elves share a mental link. They share their thoughts and emotions silently, establishing their foothold in the Cloud Continent through this bond. Considering that the event was shocking enough for the elf elders, it would have been even more so for the elves under them. As Yustina looked at Reed, she nced down at Rosaria and spoke. "It seems our benefactor is not a blood rtive of the Master of the Silent Tower." "That''s right. This child is one I took in." "It''s a pity. I was interested in her parents because she is a child with the potential to understand the profound intentions of Master Yggdrasil." "Rosaria is not a child who understands such profound intentions." "What this girl solved was a problem that could only be done by reaching its origin. Without understanding the intentions of Master Yggdrasil, she could not have reached the origin. Whether she was aware of it or not, this girl fully understood Master Yggdrasil''s deep intentions." In other words, Rosaria had instantly solved a problem that even the elf elders, who had lived for hundreds of years, could not unravel from Yggdrasil. Reed looked down at Rosaria and asked, "Do you understand what they''re saying?" "I don''t know!" Rosaria answered innocently. How could he expect her to understand something she didn''t know herself? He just stroked her cheeks and praised her for doing well. "Anyway, we, the siblings of Yggdrasil, owe a great debt to Rosaria Adeleheights Roton. We hope you''ll ept our gratitude as you walk through Yggdrasil''s domain." "We will gratefully ept the honor given by the great siblings of Yggdrasil." "Then follow me." Yustina took the lead in guiding them, and Reed followed behind her, holding Rosaria''s hand. "Did you have fun? What have you been doing?" "Yes! The elf sisters made me a bracelet with flowers." "Miss, they are actually men." "The elf brothers made it for me!" Phoebe subtly hinting, and Rosaria correcting. Reed stroked Rosaria''s head as he spoke. "You''ve been having fun." "And, and I also touched the ears of the elf elder!" "...Ears?" Reed doubted his own ears. Even after double-checking, Rosaria nodded her head and spoke. "Yes! I asked if I could touch his ears, and the elf elders said it was okay!" Elves are extremely reluctant to have physical contact with other races. Especially touching the head is considered taboo, not to mention the ears. If Reed had touched an elf elder''s ear, it would have been a grave sin for which he could have been severely punished and expelled without a word. Reed subtly lifted his head to look up at Yustina. Yustina smiled gently and said with a face that implied there was no problem. "There''s no issue with such minor contact for our benefactor." "...Thank you." Chapter 36.1 Project: Sound of Music (5) Reed thanked Yustinaand looked at Phoebe to ask. "How did the recording go?" "Well, there''s a festival today to celebrate the growth of Yggdrasil, and they said they''d let us listen then." It would bete in terms of time, but it was a jackpot for Reed''s project. The music at the festival. It wasn''t just the music to wee foreigners, but joyful music from the heart. It would be more melodious and enjoyable than any song. "Did you ask if we could record that too?" "Yes, they said we can." Phoebe nodded, and Reed thanked them once more with a salute. "Thank you for letting us experience Elf culture." "Joy is something that can only truly be felt when it springs from within. If you can reproduce that sound of joy and share it, Yggdrasil will be pleased." It was a generous statement, not expected from a secluded elf. But that generosity didn''t end there. "I heard you want to hear the druids'' music too." "Yes." "I asked for their help on behalf of you. If you mention my name, they''ll dly help." "Thank you." Thanks to Yustina''sgoodwill, what would have taken at least two days could bepleted in one day. Then, Phoebe, who was standing next to him, spoke. "Tower Master, I''ll go ande back soon." Reed shook his head. "No, stay here. Since the elder has asked for permission, it''s enough to send some mage from the tower." "It would be better for me to handle this quickly~. And......" Phoebe sneaked over to Reed and whispered in his ear. "I shouldn''t interfere with your time with thedy, should I?" Phoebe grinned, and then Reed realized why she had said that. ''Right, Rosaria was upset when she couldn''te with us.'' "The elder invited you, the tower master, because of thedy. Please make it a good time." "Ah, I see." "Yes." Suddenly, Reed''s heart grew heavy. He thought she understood and moved on when her sulky face turned into a big smile, but she didn''t. ''She is more mature than me.'' At just 7 years old. She has been a good daughter to her father, even at an age when tantrums aremon. Reed was grateful for Phoebe''s tactful withdrawal. "Thank you, Phoebe." "Hehe, it''s nothing. Lady, Phoebe is going now." "Okay! Ah, Phoebe Unni!" "Yes?" Rosaria ran over to Phoebe and handed her the teddy bear she had tucked under her arm. "Take care of Lucy." "Got it~." After sending even Lucy away, Rosaria waved her hand with a bright smile. Unlike when Reed said he wouldn''t go, Rosaria easily let Phoebe go. She walked toward the forest, waving her hand. "I''m going to ask my sisters, or rather brothers, to make something for Papa!" "Let''s do that." Reed was gently pulled around by Rosaria''s tiny hand. What food they eat, and how they pay homage to Yggdrasil. Rather than showing the dignity of a tower master, he epted the elf culture as a foreigner for a while and experienced their life. As the night deepened, themps that had grown here and there illuminated beneath Yggdrasil''s tree with a blue light. Reed and Rosaria also headed there, led by Yustina. The ce was already filled with many elves preparing for the festival. Rosaria and Reed took their ces at the very front. "Sit here." Since there was no mat or cushion, just the bare ground, Reed sat cross-legged and ced Rosaria on top of him. A littleter, the festival preparations were allplete. The gathered elves began to form a circle. Reed pressed the start button on the prepared recorder. The elf musicians seated in the center tuned their instruments. Their instruments were stringed instruments made of carved wood and drums. Soon, the lively rhythm of the percussion blended with the gentleness of the strings, gently resonating through the serene forest. Elder elf, Yustina, slowly walked into the center. The elves'' traditional costumes, which the elders had been wearing, resembling a chiton made from a single cloth, had been changed to a dancer''s costume with tassels flying every time they moved. Yustina, who had been standing still in the center, started to move to the rhythm. The seated elves began to sway their bodies from side to side and start a chorus. The grandeur created by the sweet tone. It felt like a gentle and warm breeze was filling Reed''s chest. It was the pure joy that the elves felt. A joy that everyone could feel, without exception. And that joy touched his heart from deep within. ''Joy......'' Reed was happy too. He was happy to be able to listen to this music directly. He was happy that Rosaria was listening to such beautiful music. Above all, he was most happy to listen to this song with her. ''Rosaria......'' At first, it was regretful, but now it had be a part of his heart. Reed gently hugged her, who was sitting on hisp. Rosaria looked down at his hand, then grasped it with her tiny hand, tightly wrapping herself. Reed ced his forehead on her head. The faint scent of roses wafted. Rosaria turned her head with a beaming smile, and her eyes met Reed''s. Suddenly, Rosaria''s face stiffened. "Papa, are you crying?" "Huh?" At Rosaria''s words, Reed finally realized that tears were streaming down his cheeks. His heart, shaken by the music, was raining tears. Reed quickly wiped away the tears with his thumb, and Rosaria looked up at him with a worried expression. "Are you sad? Why?" "I''m not sad. These are tears of joy." Rosaria tilted her head. "Why cry when you''re happy? When you''re happy, you should smile." "That''s right. You should smile when you''re happy." As Reed smiled, Rosaria also giggled. "They say if youugh after crying, you''ll grow horns on your butt, hehe." But it seemed like he wouldn''t mind even if dozens of such horns grew. The song of joy echoed for several hours, and the quiet festival came to an end when it was time for Rosaria to sleep. Chapter 36.2 In the guest room of the elven elders. Reed checked the music he had recorded yesterday once more. ''Everything is recorded.'' Although it wasn''t as moving as when he had heard it directly with his own two ears, it was enough to make those who heard it for the first time shed tears. Reed put the recorder in his pocket and turned his head. Rosaria was sleeping with a soft snore. "Rosaria." "...Hmm." "Daddy is about to go now, do you want to continue sleeping here?" "...Hmm..." Rosaria shook her head, unable to wake up from her sleep. He had no choice but to pick her up. Like hugging a giant teddy bear, Rosaria hugged Reed''s neck and fell asleep again. Carrying her, Reed went outside and happened to run into Yustina, who was walking down the hallway. "Are you leaving?" "Yes, I think I''ll be going now, Elder. I apologize for any inconvenience." Reed bowed his head lightly to express his gratitude for the time being. And just as he was about to call Rosaria''s name to say goodbye, Yustina stopped him. "Let our benefactor stay in thend of dreams a little longer. And I would like to have a conversation with you." "Understood." Yustina walked with Reed to the sky chariot he hadnded. Walking down the hallway made of intertwined tree trunks, Yustina was the first to speak. "What kind of person are you?" "I''m afraid I don''t understand what you''re asking, so it''s hard to answer." "I''ve seen many humans in my time. But I''ve never met a human as enigmatic as you. You seem like someone who is wandering." "Wandering..." Reed considered why she would say such a thing. Then he remembered his own nature. His nature was ''unknown''. Just as he couldn''t see his own abilities with his ''Eye for Talent'', he thought this was also something he couldn''t confirm himself. "Teenage years are for finding your path, the twenties for paving it, and the thirties for walking it. I''ve heard that this is the cycle of human life. You''re of the age to walk your path. You should be walking the path you''ve found and paved. But, looking at you up until now... I get the impression that you''re not following the path you''ve paved." "It sounds like you''re saying that''s not a good thing." "There''s no right or wrong in life. I understand that humans areplex, unlike us elves. It''s not necessarily bad to deviate from the path you''ve paved and go on a new one. I''m just concerned about where the path you''ve paved is leading." Saying that Yustina apologized. "I''m sorry, Masterof the Silent Tower. Even though I''ve lived for hundreds of years, I''ve overstepped and tried to teach you. I''m a very curious person. I can''t help but be curious, even knowing that it can be a double-edged sword for someone. I apologize again." "No, please teach me more. I still don''t know much about myself, Elder." "Isn''t everyone like that? Even we, who have lived for hundreds of years, always think about our existence, but no answeres." Yustina smiled subtly. "Everything is cause and effect, payback for one''s deeds. To find yourself, you should reflect once more on what you''ve left behind while paving your path." Look back at the past. Look at the past before Jung Jin-hyuk entered Reed''s life. ''Project: Flower Garden is not the end.'' He needs to more decisively settle the past. Thanks to Yustina''s words, Reed realized that he had been closing his eyes until now. Reed expressed his sincere gratitude to Yustina. "Thank you, Elder." "I''m d if I could help." With another word of thanks to Yustina for her guidance, Reed boarded the Sky Carriage. *** The Tower of Silence. Ordinary people are not well aware of the existence of other towers except for the ck Heaven Tower where death lurks, the Sky Chamber Tower that roams above the clouds, and the tower nearest to their own vige. However, now the Tower of Silence has been added. Everyone knew about the news of the Masterof the Tower of Silence to the extent that one would be considered ignorant if they didn''t. -The Lord of the Tower of Silence has developed an object that allows people who can''t use magic to record. When people first heard the rumor, they didn''t pay much attention. Nobles had magicians, and those magicians could handle record modification spheres. And for themon people, magical items were expensive luxuries that were hard to see in a lifetime. -The Lord of the Tower of Silence has captured the songs of the elves and druids. Upon hearing this, both nobles and bourgeois were excited, andmon people couldn''t help but listen. Thus, it quickly became the talk of the town. It was a beat faster than the originally intended timing. After all, he had intended to spread it through Leto. However, the news first came out through the Tower Lords'' emergency meeting, and the magicians, who were of noble origin, spread the story to the noble and bourgeois societies. Reed and the magicians of the Tower of Silence did not release any more information. "Is the song of the elves really that fantastic?" "The Tower Masters have already heard it once." "Oh, really?" "They say it''s heavenly music. Even a vampire would shed tears after hearing it once." For this reason, the rumor grew uncontrobly, and the tower masters began to doubt each other as to whether anyone had really heard it. In the end, Reed was the most bothered. "Well, nobody has heard it, right?" -Is that true? The Master of the Monolith Tower asked with full suspicion. "Have you been fooled all the time?" -Haha, what are you saying! I just... wondered if our Tower Master of Silence was sharing all the good things without including me. ''What a cunning and bothersome fellow.'' "When the development is finished, I will inform the Master of Monolity Tower first, so don''t worry too much." -Hehe! How can you discriminate people like that! Shouldn''t you just contact everyone fairly? Although he said that, he wasughing as if he was very pleased. It was so concerning that hisughter might even rub off on him. "Anyway... I''ll be going now." -Hehe, yes, work hard! The call with the Master of Monolith ended, and Reed threw himself back into his chair and sighed. Chapter 37.1 Honest Conversations (1) It felt like half of my work hours were wasted on exnations. I felt irritated because it seemed like there was no point in giving up my weekend. ''There''s still no response from the most important ce... There''s no point in working like this.'' Reed decided to take his hands off work and even ignore theints. Going to the research building and bothering Kaitlyn or the assistant magicians seemed to be more helpful. Then, I remembered what Yustina had said. -The path you have paved, where does it lead? That''s all I''m concerned about. Those words made Reed think a lot. If that path was only for him to walk on, it could be ignored. And to move on a new path in the future, one needs to look back at the path they have created, at their past. ''Someone who knows the past well...'' The ones who know that best are the family. But when he checked the family tree, the only one left with the name Adeleheights was Reed alone. If Reed abstains from marriage as it is, the lineage of Adeleheights will undoubtedly be cut off. ''Then, is it the alumni of EscolleiaAcademy?'' However, it was mentioned in the game that Reed has never properly conversed with the alumni. If he asks them now who he was, nine out of ten will tter him for his position as a tower master without knowing anything, and the rest will not even contact him. A more certain person is needed. "Dolores." She was Reed''s fianc¨¦e, nine years younger, and a woman who was dumped by Reed. She had resentment towards Reed because of that, but it was somewhat resolved now. ''Dolores was taught by Reed when she was as young as Rosaria.'' It was information obtained identally from Rosaria. Having been together since childhood and harboring feelings of hatred towards Reed, she might know Reed better than anyone else. ''Asking the person involved would be the best...'' The problem was that in order to hear everything from Dolores, he had to admit that Reed''s memory wasn''t intact. ''Absolutely not.'' Leaving aside whether Dolores is kind or not. A secret is no longer a secret the moment ites out of the mouth. In the end, the best way was to create a situation where they could honestly talk to each other. ''Is it about time for Dolores to finish Rosaria''s studies?'' The current time is 4:50. Every Sunday, she spent time with Rosaria from 1 pm to 5 pm, skipping lunch. It wasn''t just about focusing on studying for four hours. She taught her how to y with magic and fulfilled her role as a sister and a teacher, allowing her to enjoy magic. The reason he knew this well was because whenever she learned magic from Dolores, she always came first to him to brag about it. ''If it''s now, it must be almost over.'' Reed rose from his seat and headed to Rosaria''s room. He nned to sneak in, and ask if she needed anything, or if there was anything she wanted while he was tutoring her. The moment he stood in front of Rosaria''s room and was about to knock. ?~ ????~ ?. A sweet sound flowed from inside. It was a tune Reed knew well. He had heard it directly and listened to it dozens of times more for sound quality checks. ''Could it be?'' Reed opened Rosaria''s room door without knocking. The leaking sound became clear, and a recorder that should have been in the research building was seen between Dolores sitting at the desk, and Rosaria. Rosaria was grinning at Dolores, and Dolores was savoring the song as if she was eating delicious food with her eyes closed. After a while, the song ended and silence came. "Ahem..." At Reed''s fake cough, Dolores, who was immersed in the afterglow, flinched like a cat. On the other hand, Rosaria, who had no awareness, turned her head and grinned. "Rosaria, why is the recorder on your desk?" "I just borrowed it for a while!" "Did you want to y it for your Unni?" "Yes! I wanted to let my sister hear it!" "Who did you get permission from?" "No one was there, so Rosaria took it by herself." ''Well, that makes sense...'' Reed spoke, stroking her head. "Rosaria, this is something that Dad is preparing to show to people." "Was I not supposed to take it?" "Showing an unfinished product to others is very rude. If you show something like this, they will only be disappointed in your Dad." "Uh..." Whether she was aware that she was being scolded, Rosaria looked down at the floor with a sullen face. "It''s fine to show it to your sister, but next time, ask the Chief Engineer, no, ask Kaitlyn before you take it. Okay?" "Yep." Rosaria nodded her head. Reed put the recorder on the desk into Rosaria''s hand and said. "Now, you''ve yed enough with it, so put it back where it belongs." "Okay!" Rosaria, holding the recorder tightly in both hands, went outside. The only ones left in the room were the two of them. Reed turned his head to look at Dolores. She was also sneakily looking at Reed, and as soon as their blue eyes met, she quickly turned her head forward pretending not to see. Reed opened his mouth. "Let''s go to my office and talk." Chapter 37.2 Reed''s office. Dolores sat stiffly on the sofa, and Reed poured her some tea from the opposite side. "Did you hear everything?" Caught off guard by the unexpected question, Dolores was a bit flustered. "Uh... Rosaria wanted to surprise me, so she brought it, I just left it thinking it was something else... I had no idea that it was a Sound of Music item. I only noticed after some of the song yed, and by the time I came to my senses..." You appeared. But it was so frustrating to say it until the end that she shut her mouth. "Would you have stopped Rosaria if you knew it was someone else''s project?" "The song was so good... and all the other tower owners had heard it, I wanted to listen too." It seemed Dolores had also heard that rumor. Reed told her the truth. "The other tower owners have never heard it. It''s all false rumors." "I see..." As it turned out that even her excuse was a lie, Dolores''s cheeks turned bright red. Reed did not scold her. It was a time when it was about 80%plete and needed external evaluation. Feeling that it was a good opportunity, he asked her. "So, how was it?" "What do you mean?" "I''m talking about the song of the elves and the song of the druids. I hope the results turned out the way I wanted." Dolores seemed to hesitate for a moment, then began to talk about her impressions. "It was very beautiful...." "Is that all?" "Well, and I could see how the elves sing, I couldn''t understand thenguage, but I could feel their emotions in it..." Dolores began to recite her impressions. However, she was quite stiff, as if presenting in front of a professor. After listening to Dolores''s 10-minute review, Reed could tell that the recording had turned out as he had intended. "I see." "Is that okay?" That was enough. He was pleased as it was heading in the direction Reed wanted. ''It feels like I can pull out something more.'' Dolores was a woman like a textbook of orderly and righteous living with awful good alignment. The fact that she touched another tower owner''s project without permission must have been weighing heavily on her. The situation was good. In this atmosphere, it might be possible to have an open conversation. They could naturally talk about the past, and through that conversation, they could find out what Reed''s past self was like. Thinking that it was time, Reed took out an object that he had stored away using magic. A red liquid was contained in a transparent ss bottle. Yggdrasil Wine. It was a precious item, a liquor brewed directly by the elves of Yggdrasil¡¯s realm, so precious that if one could get it, the price would be worth their calling. Rosaria had received a few gifts in gratitude for helping Yggdrasil grow. One of those gifts was Yggdrasil Wine. Being of noble descent, Dolores would certainly want to try the elf''s liquor. He wanted to have a sincere conversation naturally, apanied by alcohol. "The elves gave me a bottle of liquor as a thank-you gift. Would you like a ss?" Reed showed her two sses. Contrary to expectation, Dolores shook her head with an even sterner face. "I don''t enjoy alcohol that much." "I''m not saying you have to drink a lot. Just try it." "This is difficult, Tower Master of Silence. Don''t you know?" She asked if he knew, but Reed had no idea. However, sensing the mood, he quickly apologized when he felt he shouldn''t continue to insist. "I''m sorry. I shouldn''t have said that." Reed put down his ss, losing his appetite with a bitter expression. That act became a guilt for Dolores, and in the end, she contradicted what she had said. "¡­I''ll just have a drink." "Are you sure?" "I suppose¡­" She spoke hesitantly, but Reed didn''t notice. Because she said she doesn''t enjoy alcohol, he filled a crystal ss with Wine, about half as much as his, and handed it to her. Dolores, who held the ss with both hands, looked down at the bright red Wine. Then she muttered something. "You can do it. You can do it..." "Let''s drink." "Ah, yes." Reed and Dolores took a sip at the same time. Reed, who was taking his first sip, was almost choked by surprise. ''Why is this so strong?'' He thought the Yggdrasil Winemade from fruit, would have a low alcohol content, like wine. But drinking it, his throat burned as if he was drinking a potent distilled liquor. "The alcohol is quite strong." "...." "Tower Master of the Wallin Tower?" Dolores, who had emptied her ss, did not answer and remained silent, putting her ss down. A momentter, the room began to get colder. It was Dolores emanating the cold. "Are you okay?" "Ah......" "Ah?" "Ah, it''s hitting me hard." "Cough!" She barely managed to suppress a choke. Dolores wiped her lips with the back of her hand. "Why is it so strong? I thought my throat was burning." "....." "Why? You look surprised as if you''re seeing a ghost." As Reed stared at her, Dolores frowned. "No, what you''re saying is really......" "Should I call you like a friend? Or should I talk to you like a child? But why is that surprising? Didn''t you give me this? You wanted to see me drunk." Listening to her slowly loosening words, he seemed to understand why she had hesitated about the drink. ''She can''t handle alcohol.'' She gets drunk instantly, even with just one ss. On top of that, it was clear that her drinking habits were not good. As the alcohol took effect, her polite manner of speakingpletely rxed. Her speech was even more clear-cut, but there was a distinct sense of incongruity typical of a drunk person. What''s more frightening is that only 30 seconds have passed. It means she''s not fully intoxicated yet. ''This is a disaster.'' "Even though my family has been known to have a weak tolerance for alcohol for generations... Did oppa want to see me drunk when you encouraged me to drink sneakily?" "...Oppa?" When Reed pointed out the term, Dolores looked up at him. Her mature expression was nowhere to be seen, and arge child smiled broadly. "You call your Oppa ''Oppa'', what else would you call him?" The honest conversation Reed was hoping for had begun. However, its form had be strange. Chapter 38.1 Honest Conversations (2) Dolores Jade. The Tower Lord of Wallin, once the daughter of Baldschmidt but now abandoned that name. She was the youngest to ascend to the position of tower master, and her conviction earned her the trust of Helios, the Sky Chamber tower master. But even Helios did not know Dolores'' weakness. Alcohol. Since entering Wallen Tower, she had never drunk with anyone, nor had she drunk alone. People unaware of her circumstances thought that Dolores didn''t drink because of her meticulous and careful personality. But the real reason was different. "What are you trying to do to me? I know everything." The moment she drinks, she bes a big child. Dolores slumped on the sofa with a sly grin. Her face was flushed red, contrasting with her blue hair, and the way she looked at Reed was as if he was a man with naughty thoughts. It was more of a cute feeling than contempt. Reed looked at her with a dumbfounded expression and denied her words. "It''s not like that." "Really?" "Yes." "Really, really?" "Yes." "Then cast a spell to sober me up right now." "...Cast it on yourself." "How can a drunken magician cast a spell? What if my hand explodes? You do it, Oppa." Dolores was acting like a younger sister. However, Reed couldn''t cast that spell. Because he had heard for the first time from Dolores that such a spell existed. As he silently folded his lips into his mouth, Dolores'' face became stern. "See! I knew you were trying to get me drunk on purpose! Remember when I was 12, and I identally drank wine from your ss and got drunk?" Dolores giggled as she twirled her hair around her finger. Though it was annoying to the point of being unbearable, it was just as Reed had intended, as she began to spill out her past. "Can I have one more drink since I''m drunk anyway?" No sooner had she said this that Reed snatched Dolores'' ss away. He didn''t even want to imagine what would happen if a lightweight who got drunk after one drink had another. Instead of crystal ss, he handed Dolores an ordinary ss of water. "Drink water." Dolores stared hard at the ss of water, then rolled her eyes and looked up at Reed. "Feed it to me." "Drink it with your own hands." "Then I won''t drink." "You''re being childish." "I can be childish. You told me to tell you whenever..." Dolores grumbled in a childlike tone and turned her head sharply as if she was sulky. Dolores certainly remembered. -If you want to act spoiled, tell me. I''ll go along with it until you''re tired. And young Dolores did act like a younger sister, always being childish, just as he had told her. But Reed didn''t know this fact now. No, he couldn''t have known. Because he was a third party with no memories of Dolores. ''If this is considered a sincere conversation, then it is a conversation.'' He had to know about Reed. And to do so, listening to Dolores, who had turned into a child now, was the most ideal. With no other choice, Reed indulged her childishness and sat down next to her. He could distinctly feel the chill emanating from her body. Reed lifted the ss of water in ce of her and brought it to her lips. Her hair, blue as the sea, contrasted with her face, flushed as a beetroot. Her eyes closed, lips slightly parted, looking up, she reminded him of a bride at a wedding ceremony waiting for the groom''s kiss. Wary of possible dribbles, Reed carefully poured the water into her mouth. Gulp, gulp. Her slender throat moved up and down, swallowing the water. Over three minutes, she emptied the entire ss of water. "Feeling a bit sober?" "Yeah, Oppa." While her mouth said so, seeing her beaming smile, he realized that she was not. As Reed held the water ss and attempted to get up from his seat, Dolores unexpectedly grabbed his hand. "Stay here." "Isn''t it a bit too close for a man and woman..." "......" "......All right." His words were cut off by the sight of her lips beginning to pout. Since it was hard to put up with Dolores'' tantrums any further, Reed decided to calmly ept her request. Even though Reed sat down, Dolores did not let go of his hand. Reed looked down at her hand. Her small hand was wrapped around the back of his hand, and her slender fingers tickled his palm. "Can I... ask one thing? You have to answer no matter what." "......Depending on the situation, I might not be able to answer." "If you don''t answer, I''ll cry right here." "...Do as you please." '' It¡¯s scary, a six-year-old with arge body.'' Seeing her cruel threat, Reed resigned himself. With a beaming face, Dolores asked Reed. "Do you still hate the thought of seeing the face of a child we¡¯ll make together?" Upon hearing this, Reed''s body stiffened instantly. "......What?" "I''ve always been curious. You like Rosaria so much... I wondered if you''d still dislike having a baby with me." "Did I say that?" "Are you evading the question?" Then Dolores'' eyebrows came together. Her eyes, moist and as transparent as the ocean, changed to a clear blue color. Reed fumbled for an exnation about it. "I can''t remember everything clearly because the memory of that day is too stormy." At his words, Dolores nodded as if in agreement. "Yeah, that time was really like a storm. What did you say then? Ah, I remember. ''Are you deaf? I don''t even want to see the face of a child made from mixing my blood with yours.'' That''s what you said." "......" "It really hurt, hehe. I still remember your face. The way your eyes looked at me with resignation......" Dolores chuckles lightly. Reed knew that herughter was notughter. It was her way of preventing her tears from flowing byughing instead. "That wasn''t true, right, Oppa?" Chapter 38.2 Reed couldn''t answer easily. It felt like he was skipping the process and choosing the decisive option. The answer was clear, but he was worried that he might be shooting himself in the foot without understanding the context. But as Reed hesitated, Dolores wavered, and the chill intensified. "Your hands are cold." At those words, Dolores looked down at her own hands. "Ah, I was emitting cold again... Is it very cold?" As Dolores tried to remove her hand, Reed shook his head. "I''m just worried that your delicate hands might crack." At his words, Doloresughed brightly and held Reed''s hand tightly. "It''s okay, if it cracks with just this much, I wouldn''t be an Archmage." Dolores'' wavering disappeared, and Reed answered her. "Yes, I didn''t mean it." Hearing his answer, a deeper smile spread across Dolores'' face. "I knew it! I knew it wasn''t true~. Yeah. There''s no way. You''ve always been kind to me." Chuckling and delighted, Dolores rushed into Reed''s arms. Even if she was drunk, her action was too reckless, so Reed spoke in a stern tone. "Dolores, this is really inconvenient¡ª." "I''m sorry." Reed''s words were cut off by her apology. Dolores'' hand, clutching the pocket of her uniform, tightened. The chest where she buried her face grew damp. "Since that day... I hated you to death." "......" "I know you don''t hate me, I know you said those things just to push me away, I know you did it on purpose to sever all connections because of my father... but I hated it so much because you, my only support, said those things." It was beyond simple heartbreak. The pain Reed had given Dolores was no different from ripping out her heart and stomping on it right before her eyes. In that pain, Dolores, who had vowed never to touch alcohol when she was young, emptied three bottles of wine that day, which she normally couldn''t even finish a single ss. Then, she became half-paralyzed and cried quietly to no end. When she found out that everything was a plot by her parents to allow Dolores, the eldest daughter, to marry into a better family, she ran away from the Baldschmidt estate of her own ord. She turned her dream of bing a workshop magician into a tower and eventually climbed to the top of the Wallin Tower. ''I was quite a trashy guy too.'' The current Reed, being a different person from the original Reed, couldn''t understand what kind of feelings Reed had when he said those things that day. But seeing that strong woman burst into tears as soon as she showed her emotions, he must have done something quite cruel. Reed brought his hand to Dolores'' head. He gently patted her head. "Dolores, now I''m a tower master, and you are too." "A sermon...?" "Now we''re facing each other as a single ''Tower Master''. That means we''re not puppets dragged around by families." He dered to her in a soft voice, as he would do to Rosaria. "So whether willingly or not... I will no longer cause you any harm." The strength in Dolores'' hand, which was tightly clutching the chest pocket, gradually loosened. "I''m jealous." The word she uttered was unexpected. "You can get away from Adeleheights, but... no matter what, I have the blood of Baldschmidt flowing through me..." Her words scattered like a baby''s cooing. A momentter, Dolores'' chest rises and falls. She had cried like a child and, exhausted, had fallen asleep. Reed carefully moved away and brought a cushion to her head. ''The blood of Baldschmidt...'' He wondered why that phrase was nagging at him, but he couldn''t recall any stories rted to the Baldschmidt family. Only that it was a prestigious magical family, and that Dolores had an unparalleled talent within that magical family. Unlike Reed. "I-I''m sorry. I really behaved disgracefully." An hourter, Dolores woke up and, wincing from a hangover, apologized to Reed. He assumed she wouldn''t remember her crying and fussing once she woke up, but surprisingly, Dolores remembered everything. All the words and actions she had done. That''s why her face turned bright red, like a drunk person. "No, it''s my fault for suggesting alcohol. I thought it would get better when you became an adult." "It''s hard to change as it''s innate. And since I end up making mistakes like this, I tend to avoid it..." "It''s a habit that''s not looked upon favorably in social circles." "Yes..." It was a big weakness in social circles where light drinking wasmon. She became so honest that it was difficult for anyone who wasn''t a close friend to understand, making it burdensome for the other party. That''s why she decided not to drink at all. "Still, thank you. Thanks to you... I was able to say things I wouldn''t normally be able to say." "If you''re okay with it, let''s have a drink again sometime." At Reed''s sudden suggestion, Dolores furrowed her brows. "Do you want me to act like a drunkard again as I did today?" "What''s wrong with that? As you get used to it, you''ll stop making mistakes after just two or three drinks." Though that was his excuse, his real intention was to dig more information out of her while she was drunk. If she drank, she would naturally spill stories from her childhood, and Reed would be able to learn about ''Reed'' from that. Unaware of Reed''s n, Dolores fell into thought. "Hmm... Ugh!" Dolores, who was thinking, clutched her head. "Is your hangover okay?" "It''s fine. A bit of magic will fix it." Dolores waved her hand as if it was nothing serious. After the headache subsided, Dolores politely bid farewell to Reed. "I shall take my leave now, Master of the Silent Tower." "Very well, take care, Masterof the Wallin Tower." They bid each other goodbye not as siblings, but as Masters of their respective Towers. "Tower Master!" After Dolores returned to her tower, Phoebe ran into the office shouting with joy. "The message you''ve been waiting for has finally arrived!" What he''d been waiting for. At these words, Reed jumped up and took the letter from Phoebe. The seal on the letter was of the HupperKingdom. He didn''t even think about elegantly opening it with a letter knife but ripped it open on the spot to check its contents. After reading the entire letter, Reed said. "We''ve got them." Chapter 39.1 Demonstration (1) Kingdom of Hupper, the king''s office. The wise king, Morgan Hupper, continued his work leaning against candlelight. He was always a workaholic. Whoosh! The wind, which forcibly opened the window, blew out all the candles hanging on the chandelier. The only remaining candle was on the desk. However, Morgan didn''t panic and stared at the darkness left by the wind. The sound of footfalls hitting the marble floor could be heard. "Morgan Hupper, our wise king." A young voice cutting through the darkness. A frail hand appeared through the curtain of darkness. It was small and delicate like that of a child. "Show respect." Morgan stood up from his seat and stepped into that darkness. Then, he respectfully knelt down, brought his lips to the small hand extended towards him, and politely greeted. "Morgan Hupper, I greet Lady Freesia Vulcan Darkrider, the Masterof the ck Sky Tower." Freesia Vulcan Darkrider. At a nce, the rtionship between Morgan and Freesia looked like that of a grandfather and granddaughter. However, considering their actual ages, the difference was reversed enough that it wouldn¡¯t be strange for them to be mistaken for grandson and grandmother. Freesia slowly walked into the light and revealed herself. With ck hair as dark as pitch, and bright red eyes. She had an aristocraticdy''s presence, dressed in a ck gothic dress, with a parasol. Freesia sat on Morgan''s office desk and stretched out her legs. The documents he had been reviewing got dirty with her shoes. Morgan, who would usually have been hopping mad, quietly watched this. "Have you been at peace during this time?" "I''ve been feeling great. I''m alive because I haven''t died." "Please let me know if there''s anything you desire in Hupper territory. We will do our utmost to amodate the Masterof the ck Sky Tower." "Well, I don''t ask much of you. What I have now is enough." Freesia chuckled. "It''s funny to think that a wise king allows suchmotion." The contract between the king of the Hupper Kingdom, Morgan, and the Masterof the ck Sky Tower, Freesia. Morgan asked Freesia for decryption and research of the forbidden scriptures, and in return, Freesia gained the right to create disturbances within the Hupper Kingdom to a certain degree. Apart from the asional attack on the merchant guild, all the evil urring in the Hupper Kingdom was instigated by Freesia. Even if it came to light that Freesia was involved, Morgan would cover up everything. "How is the research progressing?" "I havepleted the deciphering. Now it''s time to start looking for test subjects. Did you prepare as instructed?" "Yes. The food supply of the vige will soon run out." "Hmm... Issue promissory notes. Then let the vige die by not repaying them. It''s quite amusing." "We couldn''t cause a famine in the Starfall Vige, due to the intervention of Tower Master of the Silence Tower." "I can tolerate a few holes. And we shouldn''t interfere with our little cutie''s game of catching mice, right?" Freesiaughed mischievously and tapped her forehead with her index finger. "Then soon, all the food in the small viges under the Hupper Kingdom will run out, and they will have to find something to eat, even if they have to peel tree bark." But not everyone can survive like this. As it was an intended famine to break down the small viges, more than half will undoubtedly lose their lives. Humans will do anything when driven to the brink of death. Freesia would offer them an extreme choice. "Then, the poor fathers and sons of the small viges will volunteer to be ourb rats." "Excellent n, Lady Freesia. I am truly grateful." Morgan bowed respectfully to express his gratitude. Freesia waved her hand with a childlike smile. "No, I should be the one thanking you. I never imagined you''d give me the forbidden scriptures that came down to the Hupper Kingdom. It''s truly the best." "This matter must be kept a secret. If it reaches the public workshop, it will undoubtedly shake my position." "Is it because of the adjective ''wise''? It would be easier if you just gave up." Freesia clicked her tongue. It was foolish not to relinquish the position forfort. "The Hupper Kingdom is everything to me. If my position is shaken, the kingdom cannot exist." A man obsessed with power. He might seem like that, but Freesia knew he had made a cool-headed assessment. The Hupper Kingdom was a kingdom established by Morgan. It was all thanks to Morgan Hupper''s charisma and reputation that the kingdom could be founded. He could gain overwhelming support from the capital Cohen due to his image of not tolerating injustice and not hesitating to walk through thorny paths for justice. Therefore, Morgan was concerned about the future. If he were to be manipted by those with inferior abilities and lead astray, wouldn''t he ruin everything he had worked for? Such anxiety kept Morgan from even sleeping. Freesia suggested something to him. "Why not try experimenting with the mother and daughter too? Considering the power of your daughter, I think it could be a good idea. You never know if your fragile son could suddenly die, so you need some insurance, don''t you?" Morgan hesitated at her response. He did not show it, but his difort subtly revealed itself in his silence. "I''m sorry, Tower Lord, but I don''t think I can tolerate it going into a woman''s body." "You''re a cruel father. Rather than worrying about power concentrating on your daughter, it would be better if it goes into her body." "Please do not discuss Adonis further." "You''re no fun, fine." Chapter 39.2 Morgan drew the line with a tone indicating difort, and Freesia giggled. "Then it''s time to eliminate your good-for-nothing daughter, isn''t it? Have you thought of a way?" "Yes, I have. In fact, I would like to ask a favor regarding that." "What is it?" Morganid out his entire n to Freesia. The banquet hall, Adonis, a man with indiscriminate lust, and the mistakes made by it. "A man in heat... Is that okay? But with Adonis'' ability, wouldn''t she be able to fully suppress that man?" "You don''t need to worry. That man won''t die by Adonis'' hands, but he will choose to end his own life. Is that eptable?" Morgan asked cautiously, and Freesia nodded with a displeased face. "It''s well within my ability to manipte young ones. What do you take me, the Tower Master of ck Sky, for?" "I apologize, Tower Master of ck Sky." The top authority on Necromancer-type magic. It wasn''t too much to ask of her, as she was also a magician capable of curses and psychological maniption. "Suicide... Do you have a noble family in mind?" "He is the eldest son of the Bren family. An illegitimate child, to be precise." "Targeting a family with an illegitimate child, are we? Abination of coercion and humiliation, perhaps? It sounds amusing. Very well, make sure to draw him into Cohen City. I will take care of the rest." "Yes." "How are you nning to conduct the main event, the banquet? If you host it grandly, you can attract everyone''s attention." Hosting a banquet is easy, but getting someone to participate is extremely difficult. Morgan''s n required many observers, and a diverse crowd was needed to fully shine. However, Morgan had thought about that too. "Recently, there''s something that has been attracting the nobles'' attention." "What is it?" "It''s the recording device made by the Tower Master of Silence." The Tower Master of Silence. Reed Adeleheights Roton. Freesia raised one eyebrow and a faint smile settled on her face. It was a face full of interest that she hadn''t shown even once while they were talking. "Is that our Reed''s project? It seems to have caught the attention of many." "Elders like you might not care, but there are many people who want to listen to the songs of the elves and druids recorded by the Tower Master of Silence." Freesia red at Morgan with a face showing she was annoyed by the word ''elder''. It sounded like he was calling her old. "Anyway, I am thinking of hosting a banquet in the pce,bining it with a music concert." "A lot of nobles will gather for the music that everyone is paying attention to, and you n to tarnish your daughter''s reputation in front of these nobles...." Freesia admired this. Though she was free-spirited, she was a woman withmon sense. And Morgan had transcended thatmon sense. "I may think of myself as a beastly human, but you are an even greater beast, wise king." "All this is for the kingdom of Hupper." He lifted his white eyelids and looked at Freesia. He was a king full of firm conviction, not a hopeless human being. "I have no hesitation in my actions." *** The reception room of the Hupper Kingdom. A valued guest had just arrived there. Ashen hair with golden eyes. A tall height with broad shoulders. A man whose good physique made his uniform shine. "Tower Lord of Silence, Reed Adeleheights Roton, is here to meet the wise King Morgan of Hupper Kingdom." Reed, who respectfully greeted with a salute. Morgan, who was sitting on the other side, stood up from his seat and approached Reed. "Hehe, I feel like the Tower Master, an authority on magic, is being too formal." "I oncemitted a breach of etiquette. However, considering that you generously forgave that and invited me here, how could I not be formal?" "It was our kingdom''s knight whomitted a breach of etiquette, we have no hard feelings between us, do we?" "That''s true." Reed was smiling, but his inner thoughts were different. ''The mastermind who cast his own daughter into ruin and took over his son''s body.'' There was also the fact that he was the mastermind who trapped Adonis, but what disgusted him the most was the fact that he viewed his own flesh and blood as tools. ''What could he be thinking?'' When he sent a letter to Reed, he must have already nned everything. The n to push his daughter into the ruin. Reed was curious about what he had thought while devising that n. Did he feel a bit of guilt? Or did he simply see his daughter as a useless pawn and feel relieved, as if a troublesome burden had been lifted? ''I must endure.'' He swallowed his doubts and anger. Getting angry now would only be beneficial to Morgan. ''I came here to disrupt Morgan''s ns.'' For that, he started ''Project: Sound of Music'', and spread rumors to draw in the Hupper Kingdom. They were just at the beginning of the first phase. Showing animosity rashly would ruin all the ns he had made. Reed tried to suppress the urge tosh out with a smile. Morgan, who had been quietly sizing up Reed, spoke to him. "Seeing the Tower Master of Silence in person, you look like a knight. You''re so robust that nobody would think you''re a mage." Reed had recently started physical training. The reason was to adapt to the heavy magnesium gauntlets. He nned to continue the lightweight development, but the current prototype was too heavy for ordinary mages to handle. To get used to that weight, Reed built up his muscles, and thanks to that, his physique had improved. "If I appear as a knight who values honor, it would be the greatest honor for me." Reed smiled and expressed his gratitude, and Morgan invited him to take a seat. The attendants brought refreshments, and in the quiet atmosphere, Morgan was the first to speak. "What do you think about the content I sent in the letter? You came here in person to give the answer, so is it good news that this old man can be happy about?" Reed nodded. "Yes, indeed. This project has finally borne fruit, and I wanted to present it to the many people who have shown interest." Even before sending the letter to the Hupper Kingdom, he had received many requests for demonstrations from various ces, but Reed spoke as if this was the first time, with a smile. Whether it was true or not, it was a pleasant thing for Morgan to hear. "Then, would you host a concert in our castle?" "Of course." Reed nodded again. "I would like to present the first magical engineering item created at the Tower of Silence in the Hupper Kingdom." Chapter 40.1 Demonstration (2) Everything was going smoothly. Morgan, pleased with the conversation that went without a hitch, smiled and said, ¡°Ah, this is quite unexpected. I''m thrilled that the master of the Silence Tower has agreed so wholeheartedly. I''m delighted to have the chance to build a rapport with the tower magicians.¡± "Am I the first?" Reed indirectly asked if he had no contact with other mages. Morgan answered with a smile, without a moment''s hesitation. "If I said I had no contact at all, that would be a lie. But this is the first time I''ve faced such a young and capable mage." Morgan skillfully avoided the question, like a snake. ¡°I can''t help but feel a great honor.¡± Reed didn''t ask further, finishing his question as if he was very happy to be the first. If he gave the impression that he was suspicious here, he would only be giving him an excuse to respond. So Reed just smiled. Hiding a dagger deep in his heart. *** Reed was aimlessly walking in the garden of the Hupper Kingdom. He had roughly set the ce and schedule and discussed what kind of performance he would show. Morgan was in a meeting to calcte the costs for this demonstration and banquet with the representatives. Although it was co-hosted by the Silence Tower and the Hupper Kingdom, it was inevitable that the Hupper Kingdom, which was providing the venue, had a stronger influence. Reed didn''t unnecessarily fight. There was no need to rashly touch Morgan, who was nning to lead Adonis to ruin. A father trying to ruin his own flesh and blood. A third party trying to prevent it. ''Salvation...'' In this ironic situation, Reed let out a hollowugh. ''If I look at this situation, am I the protagonist?'' Adonis Hupper, to be the third disaster. Reed, who stepped forward to save her, who will be a viin in the future. ''What I want is...'' It wasn''t a viin falling into corruption while bearing a regrettable past. If there was a chance to change their past, Reed wanted to change their past. That''s why Reed never thought of backing down from this n. ''I need to remember as much as possible what they are plotting over there.'' What Reed knew was that Adonis Hupper resists a nobleman who is trying to harm her and ends up killing him. Because it was a grand banquet, many people knew about it, and public opinion flowed against Adonis. And then, Adonis was ruined. "Ah!" A young voice screamed and rolled on the floor. When Reed turned his head, a well-dressed boy was lying on the floor. ''A face resembling Adonis.'' A man with an identical face, enough to be mistaken as Adonis¡¯s sister. It was undoubtedly Morgan Hupper the Second. "Are you alright?" Reed approached him and held out his hand. Morgan the Second grabbed his hand and smiled awkwardly. "Thank you, uh...." Morgan the Second hesitated. Reed politely greeted him. "I am Reed Adeleheights Roton, the Master of the Silence Tower." "Oh, you''re the Tower Master! My name is Morgan." "Indeed, you''re a prince." Morgan the Second scratched his head andughed. "It''s a bit embarrassing when you call me a prince." A very honest expression of emotion. The face was undoubtedly Adonis, but the personality was definitely different. ''The faces are definitely simr.'' During "Disaster 7", he was a boy who was in the midst of his second growth, so he had a masculine impression. But now he could see why they were called siblings. "Cough, cough." Morgan the Second coughed. Seeing this, Reed made way for Morgan the Second. "I apologize for my rudeness. Please, go ahead." Morgan waved his hand and spoke. "No, cough! Cough! I always have a cough, so it''s a daily thing, don''t worry about it." "Do you have a chronic illness?" "It''s not a disease. I''m just ate bloomer so my body is a bit weak." That was a story Reed knew well. The Queen of Hupper Kingdom contracted an incurable disease during her pregnancy with Morgan the Second. Both the mother and the child were in danger, and one of them had to give up their life. Since there was no way to cure the incurable disease, they decided to save Morgan the Second, as per the Queen''s wish. The great love of a mother saved her immature son. "People say I''m a living miracle." A living miracle. It also implied the sarcastic meaning that it was a miracle he was alive. Did Morgan the Second really understand that meaning? Reed pretended not to know and changed the subject. "Will you be attending this banquet, Prince?" "You''re hosting a banquet?" "Yes, we''re nning to present Elf and Druid music right here in the castle." At that, Morgan the Second''s eyes began to sparkle. "Elves and Druids! My maid once mentioned that there would be a device that could y their music at any time... Was it you who made it?" "Yes." "Wow...." Morgan the Second grabbed Reed''s hand. He eximed with an excited voice as if he was in front of his idol. "I''ve heard that it''s really difficult to listen to the songs of Elves and Druids. I''ll definitelye to listen, Tower Master!" Reed looked down at him. ''So innocent.'' A child who grew like a greenhouse nt with his weak body. But his curiosity was no different from his own daughter, Rosaria. ''To take over the body of such a child... The heavens are indeed indifferent.'' Hatred towards Morgan was building up. Unaware, Reed looked at Morgan the Second with a hardened face and said, "I hope you''lle for sure." "Thank you, Tower Master." Morgan the Second responded with a bright smile. Eventually, Morgan the Second was led back to his room by his maid who came to find himte, and one person came to fetch Reed as the meeting seemed to have concluded. The negotiation between Morgan and Reed, both not overly ambitious, ended very smoothly. *** The Tower of Silence. Finally, the moment came when the project led by Kaitlyn bore fruit. "It''s done!" With Kaitlyn''s victory shout, the assistant magicians who participated in the research celebrated by giving high-fives to each other. And Reed checked the message that popped up before his eyes. ''Let it be a good option, let it be a good option...'' [Research progress has reached 100%.] [The research, "Weaponization of magnesium gauntlet using magic stone" has been sessfullypleted.] ["Sess Reward" is given.] - You can craft a Magnesium Magic Gauntlet. - You can enhance the attack power of the Magnesium Magic Gauntlet. "......What?" Reed double-checked the contents as if he had seen it wrong. Attack enhancement. It meant that the magic gauntlet he was creating would have additional physical attack power. "What the fuck¡­ ¡­!" Chapter 40.2 Curse that he had stopped using while living with Rosaria slipped out of his mouth. Hearing his curse, Kaitlyn and the assistant magicians stopped their cheering and looked at Reed, whose face was crumpled. ''Just my luck to get a 3rd-tier......'' Reed couldn''t control his emotions, scratching his ash-grey hair to vent his frustration. ''There are durability and defense enhancements, but why does it have to be attack enhancement?'' "Um, well......" While he was disheartened, Kaitlyn carefully observed Reed and apologized. "I''m very sorry that the result you wanted didn''te out......" "......No, it''s not your fault." Although Kaitlyn has the characteristic of an ''entric Inventor'', a double-edged sword, it doesn''t affect the random probability. It''s a game system, so it''s no one''s fault. ''If I had to me someone, it would be the damn god. Yes, it''s just an additional option. There''s no need to fret over it.'' Reed had poured almost all of the Magnesium into this gauntlet. Considering the time and money invested, it was not something he could easily write off. ''Phew, attack enhancement is just an additional option.'' He was just upset that the additional option was so mediocre, there was only a tiny change in the picture that Reed had painted. "Kaitlyn, how long will it take to make a prototype?" "We can make one within 3 hours." A top-notch magic engineering talent indeed, possessing "Crafting Lv. 5" and "Magic Engineering Lv. 5". Reed admired her internally and gave her an order. "Make one right now." "Understood!" Kaitlyn started crafting the gauntlet from the processing of Magnesium ingots with the assistant magicians. The whole process was quite different from that of cksmiths. If the cksmith''s method is to hammer heated iron on an anvil, causing sparks to fly, the magic engineers were focused in front of machines that glowed faintly with blue mana. They used mana as an anvil and hammer to shape the parts of the blueprint. The sight was incredibly beautiful. ''Such tremendous concentration.'' Kaitlyn Ramos. She had a somewhatcking and easy-going impression, but once she started crafting, she becamepletely absorbed in her work as if the world had narrowed down to one ce. A single rose blooming in the blue me melted and beautifully mixed in. What she is handling now, the ''engraving tool'', is one of the most mentally draining tasks in the process. Other magicians would see a drastic increase in the chance of issues if they used it for more than 5 minutes. In Reed''s case, he would start to feel hazy after 10 minutes. Once, out of stubbornness, he tried using it for longer, but while his mental strength was being drained, the engraving came out a mess. Kaitlyn, however, kept her focus on the task. For a whole 30 minutes. Curious about when she would take a break, Reed watched her work quietly, but she carried on without stopping for those 30 minutes. She only put down the engraver, which looked like a soldering iron, after all the engravings werepleted. She quickly fitted thepleted engraving into the Magnesium gauntlet and finally inserted a crystal orb into the round hollow on the back of the hand. The time it took to create the Magnesium Magic Gauntlet was three hours. Just as she said, it only took three hours. "It''splete." Magnesium Magic Gauntlet Mk.¢ñ Type: Equipment Item A gauntlet made using Magnesium. Unlike regr gauntlets, it is equipped with a magic crystal orb to assist in casting magic. When charged, it is harder than a steel gauntlet. (Equipment) Durability: 60/60 Attack Power: 10~13 Defense Power: 38~42 "Crafting Lv. 3": A wless work of craftsmanship. "Magic Engineering Lv. 4": Charge rate - 100%, Duration - 100 hours. "Magic Lv. 4": Equipping a "Colorless Magic Crystal" grants the following effects: - The power of manifested magic increases by 80%. - Mana regeneration ability increases by 50%. The material enhancement has increased the defense power, and the attack power, which is an additional option of the magic gauntlet, has been added. ''The attack power itself is about the level of the lightweight knuckles used by fighters.'' Reed, who smirked at the thought of whether magicians could use it for self-defense, immediately tried on the gauntlet. The wide-open entrance automatically contracted to fit Reed''s hand size as soon as he inserted his hand all the way in. ''In terms of operability and movement, the one Kaitlyn made is a step above.'' It was an overwhelming talent that could be readily acknowledged, even without a critical evaluation. Now that he had confirmed the operability, what about the main ability? As a test, Reed attempted to manifest mana. He focused and sensed the mana at his fingertips. Then, a blue mana sphere began to manifest above Reed''s palm. ''It''s simr to when I used a wand or a staff.'' Manifesting mana purely with bare hands is difficult. However, if you use a medium like a wand or a staff, you can supplement the ability even if your "Mana Response" level is low. The focal point of the gauntlet is the magic crystal. By processing this magic crystal and attaching it to the gauntlet, Reed has created an object like a wand or a staff. Thanks to the "Colorless Magic Crystal" equipped on Reed''s gauntlet, he was able to show a power distinctly different from when he manifested mana with his bare hands. ''I can handle two elements.'' Fire and lightning. Among them, he imagined the shape of fire. Imagination is important for a wizard. He imagined that the blue mana in his hand would be a sphere of zing mes. Whoosh-! As soon as he finished his imagination, the pure mana quickly turned red and became a fireball. Reed turned his head. There, a straw mannequin, sent by the earthen tower owner for magic power measurement, was standing with its arms spread. Reed moved his body like a pitcher and threw the sphere towards the mannequin. The fireball that hit the head exactly exploded as soon as it made contact. Bang! An explosion urred from the head of the magic power measurement mannequin, shaking it severely. As a straw mannequin made to be hit and destroyed, it was unshaken by Reed''s attack, leaving only a burnt mark. ''What would have happened if we had missed such a talent?'' If Reed had done what Kaitlyn was doing, it would have taken more than five times as long without a doubt. ''But the quality would have been about 1/5th of hers.'' "You did well, Kaitlyn." "I only did what was expected. I enjoyed it very much." Because Kaitlyn was a natural magic engineer, even difficult and strenuous research was nothing but a pleasant thing for her. For such a remarkable researcher, Reed decided to give a reward. "I''m thinking of a bonus of 10,000 UP, what do you think?" "10, 10,000 UP?" Kaitlyn stammered at the amount Reed proposed. "Is 10,000 UP too little? Hmm... then let''s make it 20,000 UP. I''ll also give you a three-day vacation. Think about where you''ll spend that 20,000 UP and take a vacation." Kaitlyn knelt down. The situation he had witnessed once before was unfolding again. "Your grace is immense!" Kaitlyn Ramos. She obtained a vacation and a bonus. Chapter 41.1 Demonstration (3) Two weeks before the banquet. Reed was choosing clothes in his room with Phoebe. "Hmm...." Magicians typically have extreme physiques. Either very fat, or bone thin. Among them, there was a man like Helios, the Master of Sky Chamber Tower, who had arge and muscr physique, but it was extremely rare. Reed Adeleheights Roton was originally one of the extreme physiques like other magicians. However, he began to train his body to adapt to the Magnesium Gauntlet, and now he has a sturdy body like a swordsman trainee. Phoebe, who was checking Reed''s clothes, spoke with a troubled face. "As expected, none of the clothes fit." "It was okay when I wore my uniform." "Well, I always prepare your uniform." A question arose in Reed''s head at her words. "Is there a difference in preparing?" "If I think it might fit, I give you a sizerger." Reed was inwardly surprised. Preparing clothes was Phoebe''s job, but he had never imagined she would prepare so meticulously. ''I thought she only didundry...'' He wasn''t sure whether to like it or not. Phoebe, taking out clothes from the wardrobe, said. "Anyway, you should call a tailor to make a new suit." "That seems better. Rosaria will also need a suit." "Oh, is the youngdy going with you?" "Experience is important. Don''t notify her in advance. I will tell her." "Yes~." Phoebe was grinning, possibly happy about Rosaria''s participation. "I n to make a request. Do you have any specific designer or tailor in mind?" "No, I''ll trust your judgment this time." "My, my judgment...." When everything waspletely entrusted to her, Phoebe felt pressured. However, she soon shouted with a confident voice as if she couldn''t sumb to such pressure. "I will bring a good tailor, even if I have to beat them up!" Beat them up. Her words sounded odd, but it was clear she was going to give her best. "...What kind of design do you want?" It''s only natural for the protagonist of the party to draw attention. But Reed did not want to be noticed at that banquet. "Make it calm. I don''t like anything too shy." "Hmm, then shall I ask them to make a dress uniform in the style of the one you''re wearing now?" "That sounds good. For Rosaria, ask for something simr to what other 7-year-olds wear." "Understood~." Phoebe nodded her head. "And we need to make another suit." "What kind of clothes are you talking about?" "Clothes for a woman in her twenties." Upon hearing that, Phoebe''s face flushed and her mouth pped like the lid of a boiling kettle. "Could it be, that I, I have the honor of going too...?" "...?" "Phew, but... there are people who are afraid of me, and I still haven''t found someone capable of managing the tower, what if I leave my post as the tower''s deputy..." ''What is she talking about?'' Seeing Phoebe run away with her thoughts, Reed shook his head and said, "It''s not for you, it''s for the princess of the HupperKingdom, Adonis Hupper." "Ah...!" "She might not have a dress for the party, so it''d be nice to gift her one." "Ah, that makes sense...." Phoebe''s face turned bright red as she realized she had jumped to conclusions. Phoebe, patting her own face, asked Reed, "What about her dress? Should it also be subtle...." "No, make it shy. Her body is overall slim, so a dress that can entuate her figure would be good." "A dress that can entuate her figure... Understood." Phoebe remembered Reed''s words and thought of Adonis Hupfer. ''She was a beautiful woman.'' She was a woman who would suit any dress with her bright blonde hair and green eyes as if holding a forest. She looked somewhat masculine in armor, but she was a woman whose slender figure seemed to suit any clothing. Hearing Reed''s words about giving a dress to such a woman, Phoebe was caught in a strange sense of jealousy. On the other hand, Reed was thinking about the banquet. ''The banquet is filled with nobles, so manners are even more important.'' He had etiquette ingrained in his body, if not in his head, but this was the first time meeting an unspecified number of people. If he said he wasn''t nervous, it would be a lie. ''There''s music, so there will be dancing....'' Dancing is not something one does alone but with a female partner. Reed tried to imagine himself dancing with a woman, but the image wouldn''t form properly. Practice is essential to show a perfect performance! Reed turned his head and said to Phoebe, "Phoebe." "Yes....?" "Do you know how to dance?" "Huh? Oh, I remember a dance I learned a long time ago." "That''s fortunate. I was in need of a practice partner, you can help me with that." "Me?" Phoebe, whose aura of jealousy hadpletely dissipated, looked at Reed with sparkling golden eyes, asking again in surprise. It seemed like she might have misunderstood something, so Reed exined to her in more detail. "I haven''t danced in a while. If I identally step on my partner''s foot, it would be a huge discourtesy. I was hoping you, being familiar with dance, could assist me." "Can, can I really do that? I''m not that great at dancing either...." There were definitely people who were better dancers. Or there were instructors who taught the dances of the nobility, he could have learned from them. But Reed didn''t want to let other people know about this. If he had to tell, he wanted to tell only the people closest to him. Right now, the person closest to Reed, both physically and mentally, was Phoebe. Of course, excluding Rosaria. "It has to be you." It has to be you. Those words echoed in Phoebe''s head. "Phoebe?" "Uh, uh...." The clothes she was holding slipped and fell. But Phoebe didn''t care at all. It has to be you. That sentence filled Phoebe''s mindpletely. After standing nkly for three minutes, Phoebe finally opened her mouth. "Even......" "Even?" Tears rolled down Phoebe''s flushed cheeks. "Even if I die, I''ll have no regrets." Reed merely found Phoebe''s crying strange. Chapter 41.2 Reed informed Rosaria that he would be attending a banquet. Contrary to what he thought would be great excitement, Rosaria tilted her head. "What''s a banquet? Is it something to eat?" It was a word she was hearing for the first time. "It''s like throwing a party. You meet many people there, eat food, and dance." "A party! A ce where you eat and dance!" Finally, she reacted as he had anticipated. She tugged at Reed''s sleeve, throwing out the questions that were in her head without hesitation. "Will the prince be there?" "The prince will be there. He''s about the same age as Rosaria." "The same age?" "A kid just like Rosaria. You might be able to make friends." "Friends!" At the word ''friends'', Rosaria cheered and started jumping up and down. She looked like she wanted to rush to Cohen right now. "Can Rosaria be friends with the prince?" "Of course. But to do that, from now on, you have to listen well to what the other sisters say, understand?" "Yes!" Rosaria, puffing her nose, nodded her head. She had learned some manners through other magicians, but having never really applied them, she had certainly forgotten everything. And the magicians, knowing this fact, were ready to jump in and re-educate her. Those who carried the name Roton were expected to garner attention in the Silence Tower. Especially as Rosaria was the most anticipated talent and the daughter of the tower master, any critique rted to manners could impact the tower''s master. No doubt, driven by the responsibility to prevent any disgrace to the tower master''s reputation, they would be stricter in educating Rosaria than before. *** Adonis Hupperwas on her knees in the royal chamber, waiting for the king''s words. Adonis, kneeling, harbored doubts about the current situation. ''Why did he summon me?'' Indeed, it was the first personal call in several years. Simply performing her duties like any other knight, and reporting was all her life had been. Being not of royal status, she didn''t have as many conversations with her father, Morgan, as other fathers and daughters do. If there was something to report, she would report it, and they maintained a minimum distance while carrying out their respective tasks. That was the current rtionship between the king and her. Therefore, this summons was both worrying and exciting. "Adonis." At Morgan''s words, Adonis responds. "Yes, Your Majesty." "Have you heard the news of the banquet being held?" "Yes, I have. I have been informed that I will be taking up the task of escorting at the event." Then Morgan shook his head and spoke. "The escort and security will be entrusted to other knights." "Then?" "You will also participate in the banquet." "The banquet... You mean?" Adonis was a bit taken aback. She doubted her ears, wondering if she had misheard. "This banquet is the asion to introduce my proud daughter." For the first time since bing a knight, she felt a fluttering sensation. Her jade-colored eyes slowly welled up. "Thank you for bestowing me with such honor, Your Majesty." "No, I''m rather sorry that I couldn''t provide such an opportunity until now." Morgan had treated Adonis more as a knight than as his daughter so far. ''I have been recognized.'' That''s what Adonis thought. She put her hand over her heart in joy and bowed. "As Adonis Hupper, themander of the Third Knight Division, I will never disappoint you, Your Majesty." After finishing the royal audience, Adonis returned to her room, trying hard to suppress her pounding heart. Once she was back, her mind had calmed down. "Ah." The sight of her room spread out before her eyes. Sword, shield, and te armor. On the desk, there were tools and oil for metal maintenance. The only somewhat feminine item in sight was an aroma candle to remove the smell of oil. ''Looking at it... I don''t have anything a woman would normally have.'' Just a few dozen minutes ago, she could not have imagined that she would be attending the banquet. Of course, she didn''t have a dress to wear to the party. ''I need to get one made.'' Just as she thought that, a pce maid came into Adonis''s room carrying a bundle of something. "Excuse me, Commander. Tower Master Reed Adeleheights Roton has sent a gift." "Isn''t he... the Master of the Tower of Silence?" Adonis knew that name well. "He said he thought you might not have a proper dress and sent this gift." "... I see. Leave it and go." The maid left the clothes on the bed and went back outside. Adonis admired Reed''s swift action. ''How did he see my situation so urately?'' Adonis checked the item sent to her. A dress that fits her body perfectly. There were even jade essories to enhance the dress. ''How did he know that I would be attending this banquet?'' Even if he knew, why would he send such an item? The only conversation she had with the Master of the Tower of Silence was about the Starfall Vige. There were no other points of contact, so this favor was questionable. ''The banquet itself is a demonstration by the Master of the Tower, so... he may be preparing for all possibilities.'' She usually dressed like a man in armor or uniform, so he could have guessed what her wardrobe might be like. Even with these doubts, Adonis couldn''t take her eyes off the dress. The dress he sent captivated her, a knight, at first sight. ''It''s beautiful.'' She didn''t know how she would look in it, but it was a dress that would undoubtedly shine if worn by another woman. She wondered if she really could wear it, to the point where she couldn''t easily reach out for it. For now, Adonis hung the dress and essories in the closet. "Hmm?" Something she had not noticed earlier came into Adonis''s sight. It was a ss bottle of a color distinctly different from the clothes and essories sent by Reed. "Is it perfume?" She opened the upscale bottle and smelled it. A unique and soft fragrance of sharp cinnamon and gentle rose wafted out strongly. And there was a very small note attached to the bottle. -For your sessful debut. Chapter 42.1 Demonstration (4) "Hmm..." Reed looked at his reflection in the mirror. It was a ceremonial robe based on ck with a touch of red. On it was a red brooch, engraved with the emblem of the Silence Tower. ''It''s serene.'' Indeed, a first-ss designer. He captured the calm and unobtrusive feeling that Reed had wanted. "How is it?" Phoebe, who had been watching him, responded. "I want to quit." "What?" "I want to quit being the Tower Master''s deputy, quit being part of the Silence Tower, and even be a noble of the Asteriafamily to participate!" Phoebe whined like a child. Reed looked at her with a pitiful gaze. "You said you had no regrets when you were dancing, do you still have lingering feelings?" "No, but... the Tower Master is so cool..." Reed sighed at Phoebe''s behavior, which was like a child throwing a tantrum. "What about the other things? Does it look calm?" "Yes~ But maybe because of that, you shine even more." An objective evaluation seemed impossible. Deciding not to ask any more questions at the sight of her unable to control herself like a girl in love, Reed made a decision. ''This should look fine.'' He nodded, evaluating himself. "What about Rosaria''s clothes?" "She looks like a princess~ Miss likes it too, and other magicians said it''s good, so she''ll definitely get attention." "Her first social debut... I am a bit worried." Although they call it a social gathering where everyone chats, not everyone shows their true feelings. He was worried that Rosaria might not be able to withstand the atmosphere and get hurt. Phoebeforted Reed with a gentle smile. "She''ll be fine. Despite how she may appear, she''s stronger than anyone." "That''s true, thank you." Upon hearing Phoebe''s words, Reed decided not to worry unnecessarily. Even if something were to happen, she would undoubtedly handle it in a positive way. *** The gatekeepers of Cohen, the capital of the HupperKingdom, were having the busiest day of their lives. Luxurious carriages were entering one after the other, and they were busy without a moment''s rest, verifying the identities of those inside. On the day of the demonstration. Many nobles scattered across the country flocked to Cohen. Kings, nobles, high-ranking magicians, military figures, and so on. Those who were called the top 1% in all fields gathered in the banquet hall of Cohen Castle. Everyone was dressed in bold and dazzling clothes as ifpeting to see who was more morous. Everyone proudly represented their family, showing off their prestige. Life is aedy from afar and a tragedy up close. Although it was a banquet filled with music andughter, in reality, it was no different from a battlefield of warriors holding knives in their hearts. This was a social ce where all allies gathered and a battlefield where all enemies gathered. Other tower masters who were interested in Reed''s music also attended the banquet. Of course, Reed was the one who invited them, and some of them even threw a fit upon hearing the news before the invitation was even sent. They wore dresses and suits appropriate to the color of their tower and disyed an authorityparable to royalty. "Hehe, the Tower Master of the Jade Tower! It''s nice to see you here~." "Oh, isn''t this Prince Baldwin? It''s nice to see you again here." "Are you attending this demonstration?" "Of course. We''re the Tower''s magicians, it''s only natural for family members to gather, haha!" With nobles from all over the country gathered in one ce, the tower''s magicians often ran into familiar faces. Being a tower master was no different from being a leader of a country, so it was nothing new for them to blend into social gatherings. All the tower lords were wandering around with a ss of champagne in their hands. "Speaking of which, where could this banquet''s protagonist be?" "Indeed. It''s not right for the star to bete." A momentter, the door of the banquet hall opened, and a man walked in. Instantly, everyone''s gaze focused on one ce. If you didn''t see him, you didn''t. But once you saw him, you absolutely couldn''t take your eyes off him. Ashen hair with golden eyes. A ceremonial robe based on ck with ents of red. He was dressed so modestly that one might mistake him for a butler, but the aura he exuded naturally was unmistakably not that of a servant. The nobility that could be felt from his captivating expressions and movements. His very existence seemed to announce who the master of this party was. Reed Adeleheights Roton. The eldest son and thest bloodline of the Adeleheights family, the current Lord of the Silence Tower, captivated everyone''s attention as he entered the banquet hall. *** ''What''s going on?'' Reed, who had entered silently, was inwardly flustered. He waste due to double-checking the condition of the recorder''s music and how to present it on stage. Contrary to Reed''s intention to enter as quietly as possible, everyone was paying attention to him. Unable to afford to look ridiculous, he looked around with as neutral an expression as possible. However, the women were whispering about him. ''What''s the situation here?'' Was there something wrong with his clothes? Or was it his behavior? His expression? He checked whether he had buttoned his clothes incorrectly or left his zipper undone, but everything was in order. As he was contemting this, the tower lords who Reed had invited approached him. "Wow, Master of the Silence Tower! Your outfit today is quite lively!" "I thought you were someone else because you''re not wearing your usual red clothes." The tower masters of the Monolith and the Radiant, who Reed had invited,plimented Reed''s appearance. Wondering if it was just a simplepliment, Reed thanked them for now. "Thank you,Monolith Tower Master, Radiant Tower Master." As soon as theirpliments were over, the female tower masters also approached Reed with a somewhat different look and each chimed in. "You''re incredible today, Silence Tower Master?" "What do you mean by incredible?" "What should I say, the Tower Master of Silence always exudes an aura of nobility that makes it a bit difficult to approach. But now...." "Your usual noble sense isplemented by a calm vibe, making you appear even more attractive." People are drawn to extravagant disys. It''s a tactic to allure women by showcasing dazzling feathers, just like a male pheasant. But are humans that simple? The process of humans feeling attracted to other humans isplex. Especially in the world of nobles, which is full of materialism. If it''s too shy, it seems noisy and hollow. Rather, showing too much can diminish the charm. In other words, Reed had increased his charm not by showing it off, but by hiding it. ''This is unexpected.'' Reed wanted to think it was just empty words, but the way they looked at him suggested otherwise. The men were admiring him, and the women were looking at him as if they were bewitched. ''Phoebe was being objective.'' He felt pathetic for thinking he was running wild alone. Chapter 42.2 "It seems like you nned this, didn''t you?" "Well... no." "You''re pretending to be innocent. I think we''ll have to ask for a song from you, Silence Tower Master, today." "Oh no, I should go first. Isn''t it natural for water to flow from top to bottom?" "The one who eats first is the leader. How can you be a magician and not follow that rule?" Leaving the two tower lords who wereughing and childishly squabbling to themselves, Reed asked the Monolith Tower Master. "Where are the other tower masters we invited?" "Two of them are having a conversation somewhere else right now. They said they''re discussing investments since they''re meeting." "So, that makes seven in total." Six tower lords had note. He had guessed that the master of the Stony Tower and his two gang members, who did not get along well, would note. The Master of the Timekeeper Tower, who was busy every day, had politely declined the demonstration early on. Dolores had asked for understanding that she could note even before sending the invitation, and ck Sky did not even respond. Reed asked the Greenwood Tower Master. "Greenwood Tower Master." "What is it, Silence Tower Master?" "Did ck Sky Tower Master note by any chance?" The reason he asked her was simple. The Greenwood Tower Master was a master of boundary and detection magic. She was the only one who could feel the amount of mana and the signs of magic in everyone. After focusing for a moment, the Green Wood Tower master answered Reed''s question. "Yes, ck Sky Tower Master did note today." "Thank you." Reed thanked the Greenwood Tower Master. ¡®I had a feeling that she wouldn''t attend since she''s the mastermind behind this event...'' But the fact that she was not detected even in the vicinity meant that everything was prepared in advance. It meant that everything was going ording to the scenario that ck Sky and Morgan wanted, without anyone knowing. ''Adonis is going to identally kill someone.'' In other words, there was a bomb mixed in among these many nobles. Of course, it was impossible to tell who the bomb was among them with the naked eye. ''All I need to do now is keep a close eye on things.'' The target was Adonis Hooper. Since it was certain that she would be targeted urately, there was no other way to find out except through her. Reed was just waiting for Adonis to arrive. *** Meanwhile, at another banquet hall in Cohen Castle. While the adults were engaging in adult socializing, the children were having their own socializing. Unlike adult socializing, the awkward children''s socializing was carried out tantly. The children brought by the noble parents were all greeting each other in the banquet hall. Dresses as fancy as those of the adults. Since clothes represented the prestige of the family, and gestures represented dignity, they greeted each other with smiles on their immature faces, trying to appear elegant. No matter how young they were, their pride was already beyond that of the nobility. "I am Ami, the second daughter of the Heinrich family." "Nice to meet you. I am Yuria, the eldest daughter of the Frenda family." "Oh, the eldest daughter of the Frenda family, a famous magical lineage! It''s an honor to meet you." "Not at all. If anything, it''s my honor, considering the Heinrich family holds arge market in the central region." Yuria Frenda. She was only nine years old, but she had shown genius in magic from a young age. She was a girl who grew up receiving the attention and adoration of many adults, hearing that she had the potential to be an "Archmage" like Dolores. But as the saying goes, too much of anything is not good. Receiving too much love from a young age, Yuria ended up growing into a spoiled child. ''It seems there''s no one here who surpasses me.'' Yuria was arrogant, considering her elegance, status, and abilities to be a cut above the rest. She thought it was only natural for everyone toe and greet her, and that it was a privilege she deserved. Therefore, she disliked those who did note to greet her first. What Frenda spotted was a girl with white hair and red eyes, dressed in a white dress. She didn''t like the sight of the girl sitting alone, nkly looking around. ''I guess I have no choice.'' With elegant steps, Yuria approached the girl and greeted her first. "Hello. I am Yuria, the eldest daughter of the Frenda family. And you are?" "Huh? Ah!" The girl, who had been staring nkly, btedly stood up from her seat and greeted back, holding the hem of her dress. "Hello? I''m Rosaria Adeleheights Roton, the daughter of the Silence Tower''s Master. You can call me Roton." After half-sessfullypleting her greeting, Rosaria looked up at Yuria with a proud face. On the other hand, Yuria was shocked internally upon hearing her self-introduction. ''This girl who looks inadequate is the daughter of the Silence Tower¡¯s master?'' Being a girl from a prestigious magical lineage, Yuria was well aware of Rosaria''s reputation. If she hadn''t been there, Yuria would have continued to enjoy fame as the continent''s top talent. Yuria hid her disgruntled expression behind her fan. ''Roton, a tower mage of the lowest-ranked Silence tower, right?'' The head of the Frenda family, Yuria''s father, was the chief magician of the Empire''s workshop. His status should be equal to or above that of a regr tower master! Having done the math in her head, Yuria looked down on Rosaria. "Roton? I''ve never heard of the Roton family. What kind of family is it?" She intended to reply like this, regardless of Rosaria''s answer: -Oh, I see. I have never heard of such a ce, I must have been rude. It was a wicked intention to provoke Rosaria into anger. However, such wickedness couldn''t match Rosaria''s innocence. "Roton is... uh... what was it? My sisters told me to say this..." Rosaria wrapped her hands around her head, trying hard to think. Eventually, she gave up thinking. "Rosalia doesn''t know either!" Yuria, who had been smug, was taken aback in return. "Huh? You don''t even know about your own family?" "I don''t know!" Rosaria''s admission of ignorance was so confident that Yuria couldn''t think of anything else to say. After all, acknowledging one''s own ignorance was not in hermon sense. Yuria moves on to the next question. "Well, never mind. So, what do you have, Miss Roten?" "What do you mean?" "I mean, what do you own, Miss Roten? I have a pony, a crossbreed of the Empire''s famous horses, Frisian and Shire." "I have a teddy bear! Its name is Lucy, a gift from my Dolores Unni!" "A, a teddy bear?" "Yeah! I wanted to show you Lucy... but my dad said I couldn''t bring it." Rosaria looked disappointed, and Yuria looked puzzled. A horse and a teddy bear. Could they be on the same level? However, she didn''t panic this time. She continued to try to break Rosaria''s spirit. "Hmm! Alright. So, what can you do, Miss Rosaria?" "What can I do? Hmm..." Yuria was asking about magic abilities, but Rosaria was thinking about other skills. After pondering for a while, she opened her mouth. "I know how to make roses out of paper." Yuria snorted. "A paper rose? Ha! In our family, we have a greenhouse dedicated to roses. It has white roses, red roses, yellow roses, and even the precious blue roses." "Are there paper roses too?" "Huh? No. There''s no way there would be paper roses in the greenhouse..." At that, Rosaria gave a beaming smile. "Then I''ll make one for you! If there were paper roses, they would surely be beautiful!" Chapter 43.1 Demonstration (5) "Wait a minute! Rosaria will fold it for you!" Rosaria started to diligently fold a rose with a napkin, her face beaming with a smile. ''What''s with this girl?'' For the first time in her life, Yuria encountered a formidable opponent. Typically, everyone envied the possessions Yuria had, and she was proud of it. However, it seemed that no matter what she said to Rosaria, she only felt inferior. Not only did the conversation not flow as she intended, but she also found herself losing control of it. Even now, Rosaria was busily folding the napkin, humming a tune. "Oh my, the prince is here." "Let''s go greet him." Upon hearing the excited voices of the youngdies, Yuria turned her head. Among the girls was a blonde-haired, green-eyed handsome boy, Prince Morgan the Second. Of course, for Yuria who was lining up, Prince Morgan the Second was her main target. Leaving Rosaria behind, Yuria moved toward him. On the other hand, Rosaria, who was busy folding the paper rose,pleted the rose and turned her head toward where Yuria had been. "Done! I''ve finished... Huh? Where did she go?" Looking around, Yuria was nowhere to be seen from Rosaria''s view. With the folded rose in her hand, Rosaria wandered around the banquet hall. Eventually, she spotted Yuria, who was exchanging greetings amongst the youngdies. "Nice to meet you, Prince of Hupper Kingdom. I am Yuria, the eldest daughter of the Frenda family..." "Yuria!" An abruptly cut-off greeting. Yuria, who was elegantly extending her greetings, flinched at the sound of Rosaria''s voice. "Take this!" "Miss Roton, if youe in like this while I''m greeting the prince..." She was in a dilemma whether to be angry or act coy. Her face twisted as she alternated her gaze between Rosaria and Prince Morgan the Second. Upon hearing ''the prince'', Rosaria turned her head to look up at Morgan the Second. "You''re the prince?" Prince Morgan the Second, who had been observing the situation, nodded his head. "Huh? Ah, yes, that''s right." As Prince Morgan the Second nodded, Rosaria closed her mouth and silently let out an exmation, ''Oh!'' "So, can you swing a sword well?" "A sword... are you talking about?" "Yeah! Can you swing it around like the prince from "''The Brave"?" When Rosaria made a swishing motion with her eyes sparkling, Morgan the Second answered with a smile. "Haha, "''The Brave" is a story that I also really enjoy. Isn''t it a ssic tale of good triumphing over evil?" "Good triumphing over evil?" "It''s about good winning and evil losing." "Yeah! Rosaria also likes good triumphing over evil!" Rosaria nodded her head. Morgan softly smiled and introduced himself first. "My name is Morgan Hupper the Second. May I ask the beautiful youngdy''s name here?" "I''m Rosaria." "Rosaria... Ah, Miss Rosaria Adeleheights Roton?" "Yeah!" Since Reed was the protagonist of this banquet, Prince Morgan the Second was already aware of his daughter, Rosaria. Prince Morgan the Second continued the conversation with a smile, talking about Reed. "I had a conversation with the Tower Master a while ago. He seemed like a very good person." "Papa is a good person! He hasn''t been ying with me muchtely... but I still like him!" "I''m d to hear that you think so, Miss Rosaria." His behavior could be considered ill-mannered, but Prince Morgan the Second only responded with a soft smile. No, it was different from the courteous smile he had been giving while greeting the youngdies until now. It was a sincere smile that matched her innocence. As their conversation continued, the youngdies who hade to greet dispersed. All except for one. "Ugh..." Yuria, who was watching everything, began to seethe. ''Why is she casually chatting with the prince? I''m supposed to be the one showing a harmonious image, not her!'' Yuria felt like she wanted to chew on a handkerchief or something. In the middle of their conversation, Prince Morgan the Secondmented to Rosaria as if he was regretful. "But I am sorry that I couldn''t keep one promise." "What promise?" "I promised to listen to the Tower Master''s music." Rosaria tilted her head. "Just listen to it then?" At her innocent remark, Yuria snorted and interrupted. "Hmph! You call that a solution? We don''t have musical performances at our social gatherings!" "Is that so?" "Yes, as the youngdy Frenda mentioned, we only listen to the music of the invited orchestra." Rosaria, who was thinking deeply, suddenly took Prince Morgan the Second''s hand with determination in her eyes. "Then let''s go listen!" "But we have to stay here." "If you made a promise with Papa, you must keep it! Let''s go to where Papa is and listen!" Rosaria was dragging Morgan along. Morgan, grabbed by her hand, wore a flustered expression, and Yuria preached to Rosaria. "Lady Rosaria, adults have their own circumstances, and children should not go there." "But Morgan wants to listen." "Mo, Morgan? Miss Roten, it''s rude to call someone by their first name! How could you be so impolite!" Yuria spoke as if she was astounded. She raised her voice as if for Morgan to hear, but Prince Morgan the Second was quiet, thinking as their conversation continued. Finally, as if he had made a decision, he looked down at Rosaria and spoke. "Okay. Let''s go listen." "Yes!" "...Excuse me?" Rosaria''s joy and Yuria''s dismay crossed paths. Prince Morgan the Second spoke with an interested look on his face. "If a promise was made, it should be kept. And stepping out of a children''s social gathering and into an adult one. Doesn''t that seem like an adventure? I want to have such an adventure." "That''s right, it''s an adventure!" Rosaria got excited at the mention of an adventure. Yuria could not understand Morgan''s behavior. ''I thought a prince of a country would certainly prefer dignity?'' How could he be so childlike? To participate in such rude behavior of an immature girl. Yuria shook off her confusion and informed them of the reality. "Even so, you won''t be able to leave here." "Why?" "Because the banquet hall where we are has a barrier magic! It''s a solid barrier made with a spell from the Imperial Workshop!" Yuria spoke proudly about the barrier magic, which was also a feat of her father. "Hmm..." Upon hearing this, Rosaria stood at the door. The barrier on the door was clearly visible to Rosaria, who could sense mana, although it was invisible to ordinary people''s eyes. She had seen it once before. "I know this!" Chapter 43.2 With that remark, Rosaria put her hand on the barrier. A momentter, a bright light came from both of Rosaria''s hands. Whoosh. Yuria was astonished. The solid barrier slowly faded and then disappearedpletely. "H-How did you...?" This was impossible by Yuria''s standards. Even though it''s basic, it''s a barrier magic boasted by the Imperial Workshop, to make it disappear simply by touching it! Rosaria cheerfully answered her question. "Unni once said that if I absorb the mana of most magic barriers, they break!" "What an absurd..." Only Rosaria, who has"Mana Sensitivity Lv. 7", can absorb external mana. It was a shock to Yuria, who didn''t know that she was an absurdly innocentmonster. Is it me who''s strange? Or is it that woman who''s strange? Or is it the world that''s strange? Morgan, who couldn''t sense mana, confirmed the fact that the door was opening and admired it. "The barrier has disappeared, so the door is now open. The court magicians will soon notice ande here, so we should escape now." "Evil legions areing! Yuria,e with us." "Huh? No! More than that, it''s rude to call people by their names so casually!" "Can''t I?" "Of course, you can''t! Gosh! Hmph!" Yuria sharply turned her head and snorted in frustration. "Okay, then I''ll go with Morgan!" Rosaria and Morgan the Second left without hesitation. Yuria tried to re at Rosaria, who had coldly abandoned her without a moment''s hesitation, but they were already gone. "Wait, what, just a moment! Miss Roton!" Even Yuria, who didn''t want to admit that she had been abandoned, eventually followed them and started her adventure. Long before Rosaria''s grand escape from the children''s social event, at the adults'' banquet hall. The music of the orchestra stopped. It meant that someone important enough to stop the music had arrived. Everyone stopped their conversation and turned their heads. The object of their attention was an old man with sparse hair. And a beautiful woman was standing next to him. The old man was undoubtedly Morgan. However, no one knew about the beautiful blonde woman. "Oh my, who is thatdy?" "I don''t know. It''s my first time seeing her too." When all sorts of spections, starting from the rumor that she was the new queen of the HupperKingdom, were running rampant, "Ladies and gentlemen, I sincerely wee all of you who have visited our Cohen today." King Morgan of the Hupper Kingdom, started to speak, extending his courteous greeting. "And once again, I would like to express my gratitude to the Masterof the Silent Tower for enabling us to hold this banquet and demonstration." His words refocused attention on Reed, who smiled and politely greeted the nobles. "Today''s banquet will be a very precious time for me. It''s also a banquet with my precious treasure. Allow me to introduce you. This is my daughter, Adonis." Only after Morgan pointed to the woman standing next to him and spoke, did people realize that she was Adonis Hupper. "Oh my, the rumored Giant yer!" "Goodness! She''spletely different from when she''s wearing armor." Even those who knew her did not recognize that the morous woman was Adonis. The dress that boldly revealed her figure, along with the hairstyle and decorations arranged by the royal designer, vividly showcased the dignity of a princess. Adonis did not say a word, but gently touched her dress to greet everyone. "My daughter Adonis is making her debut in society again through this banquet. Everything that I couldn''t do while protecting this country for the past 8 years, I want to give it all to my proud daughter today." The touching words of a wise king. It was as if he was creating a warm atmosphere that seemed to resolve years of unresolved resentment. Standing at the center of it all, Adonis was swept up in the atmosphere without knowing anything. ''I must not be fooled.'' Adonis Hupper is going to be expelled today. Reed pulled himself together. "When the night deepens and the moon rises, the musical demonstration prepared by the Master of the Silent Tower will begin. I hope you enjoy the banquet to your heart''s content until then." With Morgan''s closing remarks, the band began to y again. The music that had been soft was now lively. As the exciting music began to flow, everyone started to clear the middle hall. "It seems they are starting to dance." "It''s the moment to pair up, huh." The Master of the Monolith Tower and the Radiant Tower approached the group of women who hadn''t paired up yet, with confident expressions. The Master of the Jade Tower and the Greenwood Tower tapped on Reed''s shoulder who was standing still, and said, "Silence Tower Master, the time of choice hase." "Which side will you choose, handsome?" They tried to appeal their charm by raising their eyebrows, but to Reed''s eyes, they just looked like two reckless middle-aged women. Moreover, the first dance partner was already decided. Reed grabbed the hand of the Master of the Greenwood Tower. The Master of the Jade Tower pouted her lips, and the Master of the Greenwood Towerughed as if to say, ''I told you so.'' Reed and the Master of the Greenwood Tower stood in the hall and melted into the dance. He skillfully led the Master of the Greenwood Tower with the steps he had practiced with Phoebe. ''Where''s Adonis?'' As he shifted his gaze, he saw that Adonis was already dancing with another man. The partner was a militarymander, famous for his loyalty to his wife. ''Even if he harbors malicious intent... it''s not him.'' The nobleman Adonis had killed was so insignificant that she couldn''t even remember his name. If she had killed a militarymander, there would undoubtedly be a record of who died. ''That''s why I chose the Master of the Greenwood Tower.'' The master of detection and guard magic. He whispered in her ear, asking for her help. "Master of the Greenwood Tower." "Yes, what can I do for you?" "Would you mind if I ask you a favor while we dance?" "Oh, I''m not an easy woman." The Master of the Greenwod Towerughed heartily. "I would like you to use a detection spell once more." "Detection? What do you want to find?" "A noble under the influence of mental magic." "That''s a strange request during a party. Okay~." "Please." When Reed asked politely, the Master of the Greenwood Towerughed as if she couldn''t refuse and concentrated her mind. Using detection magic while dancing was no big deal for her. After a moment, the Master of the Greenwood Tower whispered into Reed''s ear. "Most of them are under it." "Most of them?" "Most are under magic that resists mental magic. The high ranks can''t be vulnerable to a mage''s attack, can they?" "That makes sense." Resistance against mental magic is also a form of mental magic, so it is detected by detection magic. Reed thought so and then chewed over what the Master of the Greenwood Tower said. ''Most?'' "Did you say ''most''?" "Yes, why?" "Could you tell me how many are not under the spell?" "Well, I said ''most''... actually, there is only one person. That man." The Master of the Greenwood Tower pointed out one man with her eyes. Having memorized all the guests'' personal information in advance, Reed knew who he was. James Bren, the only son of Lawrence Bren, a founding contributor of the Cohen Kingdom. Being ofmoner origin, he was considered a lower noble in noble society. ''Didn''t Lawrence Bren, the head of the family, persistently urge Morgan to designate a sessor quickly?'' Lawrence was a man who strongly argued that Adonis Hupershould be seated on the throne next. If she cruelly kills Lawrence''s son, who would remain on Adonis''s side? He found the bomb. ''He must have intended to kill two birds with one stone.'' Chapter 44.1 Demonstration (6) A ticking time bomb. The only one who knows about it is Reed. It feels like a scene from a spy thriller, with tension building up for him alone. The first song ended and he exchanged greetings with his partner. They dispersed again until the next song, using small talk as an excuse to sip champagne. The Tower Master of Greenwood, who danced with Reed, looked quite satisfied and walked together towards where the other Tower Lords were. Seeing this, other women who had been eyeing an opportunity approached Reed''s side. "Hello, Master of the Silence Tower. I am Mandy, the eldest daughter of the Enzier family. Would you be able to dance with me in the next song?" "With me......" "No, please dance with me." Requests to dance flooded Reed. Tower Masters of Monolith and Radiant Tower, who had failed to find partners, enviously watched Reed. However, Reed didn''te here just to dance and sway the hearts of women. Such kindness and attention were rather troublesome for him. "I''m sorry,dies. I already have an appointment." "Oh my, is that so? Then, please promise me the next one." "I don''t mind being after that, please!" The women dispersed again with uncertain promises. "Oh, it seems you''ve already decided on your next partner?" The Tower Master of Jade raised an eyebrow and smirked victoriously. However, the next person Reed had in mind was not the Tower Master of Jade. "Master of the Jade Tower, I''m sorry, but may I ask you to dance with me next?" "What? I''m the one after next? I''ll be upset if that''s the case." The Tower Master of Jade squinted and red at Reed. "I''m sorry, Tower Master. Please forgive me." "Alright. In return, you have to tell me what you talked to the owner of the Greenwood Tower about." "¡­¡­." ''So she was watching that...¡­.'' Before the next song began, Reed headed towards the group where Adonis Hupperwas. Adonis was surrounded by men. Far fromughter, Adonis simply nodded to their stories with an emotionless face. With a ss of champagne at her lips, she seemed determined not to open his mouth at all. Then, the music started again. As if they had been waiting, the men extended their hands to Adonis, inviting her to dance. Adonis, with a troubled expression, looked down at their hands, wondering who to choose. ''James Bren is... not here.'' Rather, he seemed uninterested in Adonis. Or, maybe he needs to distance himself beforemitting the crime. ''The only way to know that is to approach Adonis.'' It''s a problem that needs to be discovered by approaching. It''s a problem that needs to be figured out by approaching. "Ms. Adonis Hupper, would you like to dance?" As Reed extended his hand, the hesitation on Adonis''s face disappeared. Adonis grabbed Reed''s hand in an instant. The reason Adonis chose Reed wasn''t because Reed was handsome. It was because she had talked with Reed before, and most importantly, he was the person who had gifted the dress she was wearing. As the song began, Reed and Adonis held each other''s hands, and Reed''s other hand moved towards Adonis''s waist. "Thank you sincerely for the gift, Tower Master." "Not at all, Ms. Adonis. I was worried that my narrow taste might bother you... but you look absolutely beautiful." In truth, it was Phoebe''s taste. Thinking that he would have to thank Phoebeter, Reed expressed his gratitude to Adonis. "Thank you for choosing me among the handsome men." "Not at all. Rather, I survived thanks to your arrival, Tower Master. Actually, dancing with other men is..." "Do you have any problems?" Adonis bowed her head shyly and replied. "Well, I... I was afraid my fantasy might be shattered." "Fantasy?" "How do you find my voice?" A strangely androgynous tone. As a knight who valued discipline and order, it was a great voice, but if you thought of it as a princess''s voice, it was enough to shatter the fantasy. "It''s been 8 years since I returned to social life. I''ve developed many unprincess-like traits due to my rough knight life. I have scars on my body, and my voice has be hoarse..." "So you were worried." "Yes, since I am now a ''princess''." To be concerned as a princess means to care about Morgan. If she were a princess and not a knight, everything would eventually have an impact on Morgan. That''s why she couldn''t easily engage in small talk and kept her mouth shut. ''It''s for my father... which is no different than for the country.'' Adonis admired what her father had built and wished to be a queen as great as him in the future. Reed felt sorry for that fact. That she had worked so hard yet was destined to be removed by her father without understanding why. "In my eyes, Miss Adonis is a charming woman." "Excuse me?" "Did you not give up your princess status to protect the country and rise to the rank of Knight Commander? Your sacrificial demeanor has been an inspiration to all, showing that the Hupper Kingdom is strong. It was a pure sacrifice that princesses who simply grow beautifully like flowers in a greenhouse cannot make." "Do you think so?" "If there''s a man who is ashamed of Miss Hupper''s voice and scars, please tell me. I will step up instead." Upon hearing this, Adonis''s eyes widened, and her green pupils sparkled. "Thank you... even just for your words." Adonis''s heart rate quickened. She was not in love, but his words had stirred Adonis. Adonis lowered her head and avoided Reed''s eyes. As her heartbeat quickened, the perfume she had sprayed on her wrist and neck stimted Reed''s nose. The sharp scent of cinnamon mixed with the soft aroma of roses. It was a striking smell. Chapter 44.2 ''Unique.'' And familiar. This overwhelming fragrance was not something Adonis would use. "Um, Tower Master... you''re... too close." "Ah, I apologize." Adonis quietly spoke with a troubled face, and Reed lifted his bowed head again. He had inadvertently gotten too close. "It seems to be a scent you like, Tower Master? In fact, I didn''t expect you to send perfume as well as clothes and essories." "What do you mean?" "Hehe, you''re ying dumb. After sending these clothes, essories, and even perfume." Reed had indeed sent the clothes and essories. But not the perfume. ''Perfume...'' If someone else had sent a gift, they would have revealed who they were. But they didn''t reveal themselves and mixed it with Reed''s gift to make it look like Reed had sent it. Then, could the problem be this perfume? Could they have naturally mixed it with the gift he sent and handed her a bomb? ''It''s worth suspecting.'' If the situation is set up well. Make it so that only Bren and Adonis are there, then make him smell the perfume. Bren, who reacts to the smell of perfume, will probablymit suicide in front of Adonis. ''Then what I have to do is...'' Cheerful music and steps. While leading Adonis as smoothly as water with the movements imprinted on his body, he searched for a solution. "Miss Hupper." Reed opened his mouth. "Yes." "Actually... that perfume was a gift intended for my vice tower lord. I couldn''t find it no matter how much I looked..." "Oh... it seems to have gotten mixed in." "I''m sorry." And he naturally led the situation. "A different perfume suits Miss Hupper. Unlike other women, Miss Hupper''s heart beats strongly. We should bring out Miss Hupper''s charm with a scent that is soft and subtly emanates, not such a strong scent." "...You''re not shy about ttering." Somehow it turned out that way. "I will give Miss Hupper a different perfume as a gift. So, could you please return that perfume to me?" "Understood. Can I give it to you after the party?" "I would prefer it if you could give it to me immediately. I know it''s a hassle but please." A face sincerely sorry and golden eyes. No one could refuse seeing this face. Of course, the same goes for Adonis. She nodded her head. Soon the song ended and they greeted each other. The second dance also came to an end. Following Reed''s request, Adonis went outside the banquet hall, and Reed returned to where the tower masters were gathered. "I have a favor to ask all of you gathered here." The fourth song flowed from the banquet hall. James Bren was standing still, drinking champagne, watching others dance. "Sir James Bren?" When a servant called his name, James turned his head. "Ady has sent you a message." The servant showed the napkin ced on the silver tray, and James unfolded the napkin. -Come secretly to the flower garden. I will follow you. -Adonis Hupper *** Adonis Hupper. James turned his head to find her. Adonis was taking a break, not dancing to the fourth song. "......" James didn''t say anything. He just picked up the napkin and looked around. What caught his eye was a well-sharpened steak knife. He put it in his pocket along with the napkin and went out of the banquet hall towards the flower garden. When the red sunset was being dyed in darkness, James arrived at the flower garden, which was ambiguously bright and dark. And after a moment, someone walked towards him. James turned his head to confirm the owner of those footsteps. It wasn''t Adonis. A man was leading with six men and women watching them from behind. The man who stepped forward greeted him politely. "Hello, Mr. James Bren?" "Who are you...?" "Don''t you know me?" "Yes, but where is Ms. Adonis?" Despite the appearance of the mysterious man, James continuously looked around for Adonis. "My name is Reed Adeleheights Roton." Reed sprayed something into Bren''s face. Bren was taken aback. "What is this act... ugh!" That surprise was short-lived, and soon James stiffened. His face contorted, seemingly in pain. "Gruh... grugh..." In the end, his throat muscles tensed, growling like a beast. He reached into his pocket. The Master of the Monolith Tower, who was standing behind, snapped his fingers at this sudden action. Despite his sluggish-looking body, it was a swift response. Thud! A part of the garden floor rose like slime, wrapping around James'' arm, and then hardened. James, with his eyes bloodshot red, tried to move forcefully, but he wasn''t strong enough to resist the magic of the tower lord. "Huh, bringing a steak knife! Such a poorly behaved friend indeed." "Ugh..." "Master of the Jade Tower, now''s the time." "Got it." The Masterof the Jade Tower, proficient in poison and curses, moved her hand swiftly. The Masterof the Jade Tower gripped James''s head with both hands, and her pupils began to glow purple. "Ah, ahhh...." James''s head glowed with a blue light, then the light faded out with a moan. Once all the light had dissipated into thin air, the Masterof the Jade Tower removed her hands from his head. "Is the curse broken?" "Yes, fortunately, it wasn''t a terribly difficult spell to break. It''s "Trigger Hypnosis"." Trigger Hypnosis. A spell that puts the target into a hypnotic state when certain conditions are met. "Usually, to use this spell, one has to inject mana into the target, but if the target can sense mana, just leaving a hint is enough." "A scary spell indeed." "Well, it''s a trick that only novice magicians would fall for. If he had put up a resistance spell, he could have easily resisted the hypnosis." At this, the Masterof the Greenwood Tower eximed as if realizing something and asked Reed, "Red Tower Master, did you request a detection spell from me because of this?" "You''re sharp. How did you find out?" The tower masters asked Reed with curious eyes. He knew the future, so he knew this would happen. If he said so, he might appear even more suspicious. "I organized this party, so of course I expected there would be troublemakers." It was a rather narcissistic statement. Just as the tower masters were about to say something, James, who had been hypnotized into attempting suicide, woke up. Reed looked down at the groaning James and asked, "Mr. Bren, are you okay?" "Ugh... What happened?" "You tried to stab yourself in the throat, Mr. Bren. You attempted tomit suicide right in front of us. Do you remember?" "Me? That... I''m not sure. My memory... it feels like it''s been cut off... I don''t even know why I''m here." The Masterof the Jade Tower shook her head as she looked at Bren. "It seems the caster wasn''t just an ordinary one. It appears that various spells, including a defense mechanism, have been added. Digging further won''t do any good for this man." "Mr. Bren, don''t think about anything right now. Resting should be your priority." Bren sat on the bench and held his nk head, trying to regain hisposure. "What''s happening?" A momentter, pce magicians who had sensed the unusual flow of magic came running into the garden. The Masterof the Greenwood Tower summarized the situation. "There was a victim of "Trigger Hypnosis". Silence Tower Master quickly noticed and handled it, so you can rest assured now." ""Trigger Hypnosis"... you say?" The court mages blinked their eyes as if it was the first time they had heard of it. "That''s why you can''t rely solely on textbooks..." "It''s all in the textbooks these days, and you''re saying you don''t know." The Tower Masters clicked their tongues as if it was an opportunity. Chapter 45.1 Demonstration (7) Themotion that James Bren nearly caused was suppressed by the tower masters. James Bren quietly returned home with the support of the court magicians. The solid defensive mechanism of the spell couldn''t be resolved even with the tower master''s abilities, the incident was left unresolved, not escting further. The banquet hall, unaware of what had happened, continued. Adonis, who was the target, also narrowly escaped. ''I can guess what would have happened if Adonis had been attacked directly.'' Adonis, who would not know what was going on, would panic, and this whole situation would be immediately conveyed to the nobles in the banquet. The aftermath was obvious. She would not have known that her social re-debut after 8 years would be her own grave. ''All of this is Freesia''s n.'' The fact that she cast "Trigger Hypnosis" on James Bren. And sending perfume to Adonis. There was no doubt that everything was a plot orchestrated by Freesia. ''James Bren said he didn''t know he had talent for mana, so it''s clear that she forcibly awakened his mana and put a suggestion on him.'' Awakening mana is a difficult task even for advanced magicians. However, it was understandable if it was Freesia. Before being a master of the necromancer lineage, she is one of the great magicians in history. Simply awakening the level of "Elemental Sensitivity" was something that Freesia could easily do. ''She will soon realize that this operation has failed.'' And she will also immediately realize that Reed is at the center of it. ''I need to prepare for her response.'' However, he merely kept it in his mind for now. Right now, he needed to act like the host of the party. Reed prepared the music performance that everyone had been eagerly anticipating. As the sky turned pitch ck and scattered white dots appeared. The music of the band stopped, and court magicians and workers started decorating the banquet hall again. Reed supervised the decorating of the stage location as he had prepared in advance, and finally, the stage was set after 30 minutes. Reed drew the curtain topletely hide the stage. ''The table is over here, and I have the Magic Recording Device in my hand already......'' While double-checking the n, Creak... He turned his head at the very faint sound of the door. This sound was very familiar to Reed. It was a sound he asionally heard when he was in the tower. ''No way......'' As he suspected, it was indeed. The girl with white hair, peeking around nervously, came into view. It was Rosaria. Rosaria Adeleheights Roton. Morgan Hopper the second. Yuria Frenda. These three, who had escaped from the children''s social hall, had literally started adventuring in Cohen City. They referred to patrolling guards as evil monsters and cleaning maids as devils, quietly wandering the corridors of the castle with their short legs, avoiding the eyes of their enemies. Leading the pack was Morgan the second. Since the castle was his home, he knew the structure best. "Lady Roton, Lady Frenda, this way." "Hide!" "Uh uh......" Morgan lifted up the tablecloth and went inside. Yuria was persuading Morgan and Rosaria. "Prince and Lady Roton, it''s not toote to turn back now......" "Shhh." Rosaria ced her index finger on her lips. Faced with her serious expression, Yuria had no choice but to close her mouth. Shortly after, the sound of the patrolling guard''s footsteps got closer and then faded away. Morgan the second came out from under the table and spoke to Rosaria and Yuria. "There''s not much time until the next patrol. Let''s move quickly during this gap." "Yes!" "Uh uh......" With an ufortable look on her face, Yuria followed Rosaria and red at her. ''How rude must the Lord of the Silence Tower be to have raised her this way?'' Yuria roughly imagined the appearance of the person who raised this unruly girl. He was undoubtedly a man with a protruding belly and a dull-looking face. "We''re here." Morgan cautiously opened the door. "Oh? It''s dark. I think this must be behind the stage." "Rosaria will check." Rosaria, who was sneaking her small head through the door crack, looked around and suddenly flung the door open. Then, as if she had seen a mountain of gold, she shouted with such a face. "Papa!" As if there was nothing more to be wary of, Rosaria just ran out. Morgan and Yuria, taken aback by her sudden action, went inside. "Rosaria, how did you get here?" "Papa, I missed you. And I came because Morgan promised." "Morgan? Ah, you mean the prince." At that, Reed, turning his head, saw a blonde boy with green eyes and a red-haired girl in his sight. Reed politely greeted them first. "I am Reed Adelheits Roton, the Master of the Silence Tower." Finally faced with the person who raised this unruly girl, Yuria could only say, "Ah......" She was lost for words. Ashen hair and golden eyes. A faint smile and a neat ceremonial suit. Despite being in a dark ce, he shone brightly as if he had a halo. "Ah......" Yuria couldn''t say anything. A line of poetry she once found impressive came to mind. -Love is like a meteor. Because you cannot stop it, even though you know it will fall. Yes. First love was a meteor. Chapter 45.2 Meanwhile, Reed was looking down at Rosaria with a headache. He had kept a secret back door so he could sneak things in. So if she hadn''t been caught yet, the only one who knew she was here would be Reed. ''How did she break the barrier again......'' In fact, breaking the barrier in the children''s social room wouldn''t have been difficult. Because Rosaria was an exception to the rules. She probably broke through easily. ''One is Morgan the second, and who is the other one?'' A redhead girl. Judging from her clothes, she seemed to be the daughter of a high-ranking wizard, but she seemed a little naive, staring nkly at him. "Excuse me, but may I ask who you are?" "Ah, I, I, I, I......!" Yuria, who had been standing still as if her brain had stopped, introduced herself. "I, I, I, I am Yu, Yu, Yuria, the eldest daughter of the Fr, Fren, Frenda family......" She barely finished her greeting, trembling. ''Yuria of the Frenda family...? Yuria Frenda?'' Reed was taken aback. He knew who this person was. ''Isn''t she one of the main characters who follow the protagonist?'' A girl who showed prodigious talent and awakened her mana from a young age. A naive girl who started her adventure to make a great achievement in the turbulent world and make a name for herself as a wizard of the Empire. She was one of the most promising wizard characters Reed knew of. Her "Magic" level was as high as 7, and her "Mana Reaction" reached level 6. However, she had a fatal problem. -So annoying. It was her personality. As if to prove she was a high-nosed noble, she often disregarded the party members, including the protagonist. As soon as they started camping, she would whine about the bugs and shatter the protagonist''s mental state. Of course, she still whined even when they were in an inn. She was just that kind of woman. ''I threw her away at the first ythrough because I didn''t know her performance, but she''s absolutely necessary for defeating the final boss...'' Reed recalled his past self, fawning over her and doing all sorts of humiliating things in front of her. But oveing such humiliation and embarrassment, Reed figured out how to win her over. ''She''s weak for handsome guys.'' If you put in the most handsome character among the supporting characters, and Yuria, herints would disappear. The woman who threatened to kill if bitten by a bug coquettishly asked to beforted instead. No, asked to beforted... Even now, Reed found it unbelievable. It was clear she was smitten by him, proving that nature doesn''t change. ''Being handsome sure is nice in these situations.'' He never expected to see the whiny Yuria stuttering like this. Putting his astonishment at such a rare sight aside, Reed started to lecture the two who came with Rosaria, looking down at them. "But this is a social event for adults. It''s a problem for all of you to be here." "Uh, I don''t like that..." Rosaria frowned. Morgan calmly acknowledged the fact. "That''s fine. If we were to make a scene, it would be a discourtesy to the Tower Master. We shouldn''t cause any more trouble." As Reed was pondering what to do, someone knocked on the back door and entered. Reed quickly stepped forward to prevent them from seeing the children. The one who entered was a court magician. Seeing Reed''s face, he quickly apologized. "Oh, I didn''t know this was the backstage door. I''m sorry, Tower Lord." "It''s okay. But what''s the matter?" "Oh, well... the barrier of the children''s social gathering has been broken. And......" "Yuria Frenda, Morgan Hopper II, and my daughter, Rosaria Adeleheights Roton have disappeared, haven''t they?" "Wha? Ah, yes, that''s correct." He was taken aback when Reed urately named the three missing people. "Anything else? Any other missing people or witnesses?" "None. Everyone else is carrying on with the event as usual." The court magicians must have been thrown into chaos, but if there was no problem for the others, then... That meant the people at the banquet were still unaware of this situation. Having finished thinking, Reed spoke to the court magician. "In that case, let''s not report this incident and just let it pass." "But..." "You don''t understand. If you report this, you''ll only be reprimanded. It seems the others at the children''s event haven''t noticed, so is there a need to cause a bigmotion?" Upon hearing Reed''s words, the magician''s face turned thoughtful, as if he finally understood his situation. "The three who escaped from the social event are under my supervision now. As soon as the demonstration is over, I''ll take them back, so start working on restoring the barrier. Again, this matter must be kept strictly confidential, understand?" "Ah, understood!" The court magician, grateful for Reed''s mercy, quickly ran out. With this, the disappearance of the three wouldn''t lead to an uproar. Reed, having let out a sigh of relief, turned his head to look at Rosaria. "You little troublemaker." "Hehe." He fondly stroked her cheeks that were still babyish. It was a punishment in Reed''s own way, but whether she knew that or not, Rosaria only giggled like a dumpling. Afterwards, Reed looked at Morgan and spoke respectfully. "I made a big mistake with Your Highness. I had made such a promise, but I forgot about it." "No, that''s not the case. That promise could have been kept at any time, it was my impatience that was at fault." "From now on, this escape will be as if it never happened. Please bear that in mind." "Understood. Thank you for handling this well." "Now then... I¡¯ll let you sneak in, but may I ask for your understanding on one thing?" "What understanding do you mean?" Reed spread a red cloth over the table. As he lifted up the cloth that covered even the legs of the table, he spoke. "In a way, this could be considered a VIP seat where you can hear my music from the closest point. I''d appreciate your understanding despite the tight space." Prince Morgan nodded. "We''ve already done it five times, what''s the problem with going in one more time, right?" "Yeah!" "Yes, yes... that''s right." Yuria also nodded. The three crawled under the table that Reed had pointed out. *** Meanwhile, all the nobles, excluding Reed, the host, stood in front of the stage waiting for Reed''s demonstration to begin. During the ongoing banquet, King Morgan Hupper, who had been nowhere to be seen, entered with Adonis and stood at the front of the demonstration. Finally, the red curtain slowly rose, and the spotlight illuminated the gray-haired man and the object ced on the table. "Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for waiting. We will now begin the demonstration." He finished his opening greeting simply. Reed held up a crystal sphere and said. "A record crystal. It may be a very unfamiliar object for those who can''t use magic, but it''s very familiar to magicians." The nobles, who were seeing a record crystal for the first time that day, nodded. "It''s a magical tool that records everything and can show it as is. However, those who can''t use magic can''t use this object. So, I''ve made this item for such people!" Reed put down the crystal and held up an object that looked like a timer. Unlike the simple design of the recorder that Reed had previously shown, this was covered with avishly carved golden case. Greed swirled in the eyes of the nobles. That was the reaction Reed wanted. "This object is an improved version of the record crystal that magicians use, so even those who cannot use mana can use it." "We can use it as well?" "Ho, ho..." The nobles eximed in admiration. It may seem like nothing special. But the fact that they could use something considered exclusively for magicians was extremely attractive. Nobles and bourgeois are those who value themselves. Those with wealth might think it''s easy to hire a magician to serve them, but in reality, hiring a magician was a risky and difficult task. Magicians, who understand and indulge in mysteries, were always a dangerous presence. But what if they didn''t have to bear that risk? And even though it was just a recorder if they could touch the mystery exclusive to magicians? The temptation was irresistible. And that was exactly why Reed chose magic engineering. Chapter 46.1 Demonstration (8) Reed spoke to one of the people around him. "Your Majesty, would you pleasee up?" "Are you talking to me?" "It would be an honor if Your Majesty Huppercould be the first subject of my recording." "Why are you bothering an old man like me...?" Morgan chuckled as he rose from his seat. He said so, but he didn''t seem to mind. Reed smiled and handed him the recording device. "Now, would you like to speak into this?" "Do I talk into this?" "Yes, please say anything." Morgan, after a moment''s hesitation, spoke exactly what came to his mind. "For the endless prosperity of the HupperKingdom! ...Ha, I can''t get used to this." Morgan turned his head towards the audience and grinned smugly. "Now, we''re not done yet. Could you please press here?" Morgan pressed the button Reed was pointing at. -For the endless prosperity of the HupperKingdom! His voice echoed vividly. The nobles in the audience swallowed their admiration. "Whose voice does this sound like?" "Well... whose voice is it?" People often recognize their own voice. When Morgan tilted his head, everyone in the audience chimed in. "What are you talking about? It''s your voice, Your Majesty." "Yes, no doubt, haha." "Ah, is that so?" Morgan, hearing this, smiled amicably and nodded. "Haha, since everyone says so, this voice must undoubtedly be mine." "Thank you for your cooperation, Your Majesty." As Reed bowed politely, Morgan returned to his seat. "The purpose of this device is as follows. It can hold not only music but also your voices and all sounds. You can do it directly without apanying a magician." "Being able to do it directly without a magician..." They were drawn in. The hearts of the nobles and bourgeoisie began to burn even more. Reed smiled at their reaction. "The introduction was too long. I sounded like a merchant rather than a mage, haha." Eventually, the recorder activated and the music of the elves and druids filled the spacious banquet hall. It was a music demonstration thatsted an hour, but it was so overwhelming that no one couldin about being bored. The music demonstration was sessful. The songs of the elves and druids hit the audience''s hearts perfectly. Even if they didn''t feel joy from it, just having heard the songs of the elves and druids was a huge bragging point. When all the songs ended, the audience raised their hands and asked Reed questions. "Master of the Silence Tower, do you have any intentions of selling the recorder and the music?" Everyone put their hands down, as if they all had the same thought. Reed nodded. "This device is not very meaningful to me, who can use magic. As I mentioned earlier, magic engineering is a technology for all of you, it''s pointless if only I have it." Before any additional questions followed, Reed continued speaking. "And, I will be selling the recording spheres containing all the music you heard today, along with separately recorded orchestra music and music from bards." "Ho, then we can listen to the music of the bards at any time." It''s always possible to call an orchestra if you have the money, but hiring talented wandering bards is always difficult. Their adventure stories, delivered in sweet voices, were always a source of joy as they visited only limited ces. Moreover, the price of the recording sphere containing the music of the elves and druids was not expensive. An additional fee was added to the original cost of 5,000 UP for the magic record sphere. Record Sphere with Elf and Druid Music - 8,000 UP Orchestra Vol.1 - 7,000 UP Collection of Bard Songs Vol.1 - 7,000 UP If you buy everything, you need a total of 22,000 UP. In the world of mages where information is life, a recording sphere containing information should be several times more expensive than this, but Reed was not stingy with music. Instead, he set a high price for the recorderthat yedthe music. The cost of the recorder was 30,000 UP, while the original cost was 500 UP. And the case shown by Reed had a price of 3,000 UP. Considering the retail price without the distribution process, 4,000 UP would have been an appropriate amount, but Reed boldly raised it to 26,000 UP. This was not the realm of business. ''It''s more about increasing value than doing business.'' To increase the value of the tower selling the goods and the nobles buying them, the price must be high. The nobles liked valuable items and preferred them the more expensive they were. Because they believe those things make them special. unting wealth was one of the ways to showcase their status and wealth, so they didn''t hesitate. ''Negotiating price is tantamount to tarnishing one''s own reputation.'' So, the nobles wouldn''t say anything. Like being swept away by a big wave, everyone wrote their names and the items they wanted to purchase in the reservation book. Reed ordered his servants to collect the book under the pretext of tidying up after the demonstration, and brought out the three little kids hiding under the table. "Did you hear everything?" "Yes!" "The music was fantastic." "It was, really wonderful." Morgan the Second had a satisfied face, and it was unclear whether Yuria was satisfied or not because her face was red. ''I wonder if it went in her ears.'' "Prince and Miss Frenda, it''s time to go back. Would you follow me?" "Yes, yes!" Yuria nodded and responded, but there was no answer from Morgan the Second. When Reed turned his head, Morgan the Second was staring nkly somewhere. His gaze was directed towards a gap in the curtains. And there was Adonis. Adonis, as beautiful as a delicately adorned flower. "¡­¡­Is that my sister by any chance?" Morgan the Second, who btedly noticed Reed''s gaze, asked. Reed nodded his head, and upon hearing the answer, Morgan the Second looked at her again. "That''s correct. It''s your eldest daughter, Princess Adonis Hupper." "She''s truly......beautiful." "Is that so?" "I''ve only ever seen her in armor......I never imagined she could be so beautiful." Morgan the Second''s reaction made Reed a bit taken aback. ''Does this guy have a sisterplex?'' It was indeed surprising that the beast had turned into a beauty, but it was odd to lose oneself looking at a sibling. However, Reed''s thought was mistaken. "Excuse me, tower master...... This may be a rude question, but do I resemble her?" "Whom...... are you referring to?" "People say that my sister and I resemble our mother a lot." Morgan the Second raised his head and asked Reed. There was a sense of loneliness in his eyes. "Would my mother have been as beautiful as this if she were alive?" Only Adonis and Morgan remembered the queen. Since Morgan the Second was raised by his nannies, the absence of the queen was greatly felt. Morgan the Second, who had been looking up quietly, wiped his eyes with his sleeve and turned his head. His eyes were red, but he smiled bravely and spoke to Reed. "I got carried away with my thoughts. Let''s go back quickly." Chapter 46.2 The night grewte. Those who had fast means of transportation like sky carriages returned home immediately, and those with poor transportation stayed in the reception room of Cohen Castle. Since Reed hade by sky carriage, all he needed to do was return. ''I''m tired.'' He felt like he could sleep as soon as he closed his eyes because he had to worry about various things untilte at night. At least he was able to ovee sleepiness because Rosaria was shaking him wildly with her small hands. "Did you have fun?" "Yes! A l-l-lot!" "Did you make a lot of friends?" "I made a lot. I went on an adventure with Yuria and Morgan!" "So, are you friends?" "People who go on adventures with heroes are all friends." "I see. I was short-sighted." Whether because he was out of it, Reed didn''t have the energy to say anything else. He just wanted to go and sleep. That''s when someone blocked his path. The man standing in front of him was a middle-aged man with red hair and a uniform. Seeing Yuria Frenda standing next to him, he realized that he was the head of the household, Zekeheil Frenda. ''Indeed, the magician of the Empire...'' The Empire, where all talents gather. The chief magician of its workshop isparable to the tower lords just by his aura. "Tower Master of Silence, your item was truly impressive today." Zekeheil threw the first word, and Reed pulled himself together and answered politely. "I''m very grateful that the magician of the Empire''s workshop would say so." "I''m not sure if my daughter has greeted you. The rumor is that she has the potential to be the next ''Archmage''." ''He''s bragging about his daughter.'' Being a magician of the Empire, he must have heard about Rosaria''s actions to the point of being tired. There was no doubt that it was a check against that. ''I''m well aware of your daughter as I''ve apanied her more than enough.'' He wanted to say that, but if he did, it would obviously lead to an ugly fight, so Reed simply smiled and said. "That''s truly impressive. Indeed, the Frenda family is a renowned magical lineage." "I''ve heard that the Master of the Wallin Tower asionally supervises your daughter''s studies. She may be a genius of the century, but I''m not sure if there will be growth with just one visit per week." "I don''t mind if my daughter doesn''t be an Archmage. I just hope she can find her own path." "An education that is free, not typical of a noble. Less strict than a rigorous education, but not bad." Zekeheil nodded his head as if to admit easily, but his words contained the nuance that his own method of education was superior. Reed understood his sentiment that his own daughter was prettier, but as a father, he felt a bit annoyed. Reed smiled gently and looked down at Yuria. Yuria, who had been quietly looking up at Reed, quickly bowed her head as their eyes met. "Miss Yuria, are you okay?" "Huh? What do you mean?" "Your face is very red." "What, me?" Yuria covered her face. She felt her cheeks burning hot the moment her cold hand touched them. "The night wind is cold. Be careful not to catch a cold." "Ah, that, I, that, that....." Yuria, who had been stuttering, could no longer continue her words, and she hid behind Zekeheil. He thought he would undoubtedly be embarrassed at his daughter''s awkward appearance. "Heh, our daughter is quite shy." "......I see." He was a tougher opponent than expected. Zekeheil, with a satisfied smile, stroked the head of his daughter hiding behind him. Not wanting to be outdone as a doting father, Reed couldn''t hide his annoyed expression at his actions. "The night breeze is cold. Make sure your daughter doesn''t catch a cold either." "Thank you." The demonstration ended sessfully. Rosaria, who climbed into the sky carriage, fell dead asleep in the sky carriage. *** A few dayster, in the office of the 3rd Knight Commander of the HupperKingdom. After the banquet, Adonis Hupperresumed her duties as the Knight Commander. "Salute! Squire James Bren hase to see Sir Adonis Hupper." "Come in." Wondering why the squire hade, Adonis raised his head and asked James. "What''s the matter?" "I submitted my withdrawal confirmation today. So, I came to greet you, Commander Adonis Hupper." "You''ve decided to withdraw?" "Yes." Adonis didn''t understand why he came to greet him, but what concerned him more was his face. "You seem relieved." Most of those who faced their limits and decided to quit being a knight had faces as if their world had copsed. Especially James Bren, who belonged to a noble family that had be nobility due to its founding contribution to the country, had to seed to maintain his family. James exined the reason. "That''s it. I found out at the banquet that I have a talent for mana." "You''re referring to yourself?" "Yes, I was always worried because I wasn''t strong enough to perform as a squire... ''Trigger Hypnosis'', is it? They said it forcibly brought up thetent mana in my body." "I don''t know the details... But it won''t be easy to follow the path of a magician thiste, right?" "Still, I think this is my path. And I told my father yesterday. Although I can''t glorify my family as a knight...." James hit his chest and spoke proudly. "I''m really fortunate to be able to show my loyalty to the HupperKingdom in this way." James Bren spoke with a smile. Adonis, who knew nothing, simply admired his loyalty. "Anyway, congrattions on finding your own path. I hope to see you at the magic workshop." "Thank you, Commander!" James, who was about to leave, turned back and spoke again. "Oh, by the way, I''ll return this to you." "What are you talking about?" "It''s the napkin that was in my pocket. It has themander''s name on it, so I thought it might be yours." ''A napkin?'' Adonis looked at the napkin James handed over. On that napkin, there was a message written along with his own name. -Pleasee out to the flower bed secretly. I will follow. "Ah." Adonis let out a short exmation. "So it wasn''t themander who sent it after all." "Was there a problem?" "I''m not sure. When I woke up, the Tower Masters were there. It seems the Tower Master of Silence saved me." "I see." Having finished what he had to say, James saluted again and left the room. Left alone in the office. Adonis lowered her head again and looked at the message. It wasn''t a problem that someone had impersonated her. No, it was a problem, but she didn''t care. The style of this message that Adonis was looking at. It was a very familiar style. Chapter 47.1 What a Family Is (1) Over a hundred wizards were bustling about, busy with various tasks. The Silence Tower was busy regardless of whether it was a weekday or a weekend. Naturally, they were upied with the production of the magic recording deviceorders. However, even setting aside the task of crafting the spheres, it was difficult to meet the daily quota just by the wizards taking turns squeezing out mana to copy the recorded contents. The busiest person amongst them was undoubtedly Kaitlyn. She had finally received a mountain of bonus money and returned from a vacation, only to find a fire at home. Without even a moment to regain herposure, she was thrown back into theb. As the most skilled technician, it was no exaggeration to say she was burning her soul, taking on the final inspection and production of the recording device at the same time. On the other hand, Reed, who did not participate in the production, was having a headache in other ways. ''Why the hell are there so many letters?'' Reed''s desk was full of letters. They were all letters from the noblewomen who had attended the banquet. ''I''m going crazy.'' Having too many letters was a headache, but the bigger problem was that he couldn''t just brush them off with vulgar words. In the world of nobles, replying to letters was mandatory. In proportion to the amount received! And making sure that the content is not simr to the letters sent to other nobles! ''I should have be a novelist instead of a tower owner.'' The most terrible was the letter from Yuria Frenda. With an astounding number of six pages, she had written a densely packed love thesis, front and back, as if she was worried she might not have written enough. As expected of a girl in love, she was rambling on and on. "Love is a meteor? What does that even mean?" Upon reading a phrase that implied love approaches as a disaster, Reed began to wonder if she actually disliked him. In the end, he decided to leave Yuria''s letter forst and quickly started to get rid of the other letters. "Tower Master~." Then, Phoebe''s drawn-out voice came, sounding like the grim reaper. "Did you get more letters?" "That is... yes...." What Phoebe shyly pulled out were five love letters. His energy drained instantly upon seeing them. "Phoebe." "Yes?" "Don''t you feel like burning all these letters?" Phoebe, looking down at the letters, tilted her head. "Why? They''re fine." "Really?" "Well, they have to write letters to see you, but I get to see you in person like this~." "......" "And you even gave me perfume as a gift!" Phoebe wiggled her body lightly with a triumphant expression on her face. With her movement, the scent of the perfume Reed had given her wafted faintly. It was a perfume made of a hundred roses. It was the perfume he had said he would give to Adonis again, and while he was at it, he had prepared one for Phoebe as well. ''I''m d she likes it.'' If Phoebe liked it, there was no doubt that Adonis would also like it. Reassured, Reed asked Phoebe. "How''s Rosaria? Is she having fun with the Master of the Wallin Tower?" "Yes, with the Master of Wallin Tower''s guidance, it seems like her magic skills are improving rapidly." Although improving skills was a good thing, he couldn''t shake off the feeling that he had left her alone for too long. I should y with her at least once.... As he was thinking about this. Knock, knock. Speak of the devil. A small white-haired head peeked through the door gap and called out to Reed. "Papa!" "Hmm? What''s up?" Rosaria approached with quick steps. She tugged at Reed''s sleeve. "Dolores unni and I are doing something fun, and she said you could join too! Let''s do it together!" "Something fun?" "Yes! It''ll be fun if we do it together!" Then, Phoebe crouched down and spoke to Rosaria. "Miss, I think the Tower Master is busy today and won''t be able to join us. Would it be okay if I go with you instead?" "Uh, I wanted to do it with Papa...." Rosaria lowered her head in disappointment. The look she had when she went to the elf''s territory with Phoebe. Reed stroked her head and spoke. "No, Papa will go and join you." "Really?" "Yes, let''s go now." "Wow!" Rosaria jumped up and down with both hands in the air. "Let''s go fast! Let''s go fast!" "Okay, got it. Sorry, Phoebe." "No, it''s fine. I''m happy if you have fun with the miss." Phoebe smiled as if she were in a good mood. Leaving Phoebe behind, Reed was led by Rosaria''s hand toward her room. In the room, Dolores was sitting in the middle, looking dignified. Upon seeing Reed, Dolores turned her head and her eyes widened. She seemed to have not expected him to actuallye. "Ah, you really came? Please sit here." Dolores patted the seat next to her. Reed took a seat next to her as she suggested. "Do you remember this?" "...I''m not sure." "It''s a tower-building game you taught me a long time ago." Like I would remember. "I''ve been so busy these days that I can''t remember." "You taught me when I was having trouble handling mana. You said it would be fun. Well, since you taught me, I''ve only done it alone... so it''s understandable that you don''t remember." Dolores was disappointed that he couldn''t remember, but she epted it in her own way. She showed him how to do it, starting by crossing two sticks in an X and using magic to fix them together. Then, another X-shaped stick is ced on top of the ends of the first X. Reed immediately understood the purpose of this game. ''Mana control is the key.'' The purpose of this game was to improve "Mana Sensitivity". Since the already built structure also needed mana to maintain, the difficulty increases exponentially as the tower gets higher. Reed concentrated and tried to build it as high as he could. Cross the X and stack it, cross the X and stack it... When he reached the 20thyer. Crash. It copsed. He had built it up to the point where he felt he was at his limit. Chapter 47.2 Wondering whether this was good or bad, Reed nced at Dolores. "Well... you stacked a lot more than you used to." There was no doubt that she was being polite. Wondering how much others could stack, Reed asked Rosaria, who was sitting across from him. "How many floors did you build, Rosaria?" "40yers! Isn''t it amazing? People usually can''t stack this much on their first try!" She spread three fingers on her left hand and clenched her right hand into a fist, showing them while giggling. "That''s impressive." "Heehee." He praised Rosaria with a smile mixed with admiration and surprise. Then, out of the blue, Dolores, who had been sitting next to him, opened her mouth. "I can stack up to 60yers." "...Really?" "...Yes." At his hesitant response, Dolores quickly turned her head away. She cooled her blushing face with the coldness of her hand, as if she was embarrassed by her own words. ''I feel like a fool forpeting with a child...'' Reed remained silent, regretting that he should have reacted more kindly. In such an ufortable atmosphere, Rosaria turned to Reed and said, "Should I show you how I stack them?" "Yes, please show me." "Okay!" It was her time to show off, so Rosaria began to stack the sticks one by one with a determined face. Dolores and Reed quietly watched her. After about 10 floors, Rosaria''s speed started to slow down. In the meantime, Dolores started a conversation. "I thought you were quite busy, but I guess not?" "I am busy, but I am busier due to other tasks." "Why? Did you receive a lot of letters?" That was the correct answer. Dolores narrowed her eyes slightly and red at Reed. "I heard from the tower masters of the Jade Tower and the Greenwood Tower. They said you were amazing at the banquet?" "I didn''t intend to stand out. But things got messed up." "I''m envious. The Tower Master of Silence is too popr with women." She said it was envy, but it was closer to sarcasm. Dolores was on bad terms with Reed. So, this situation wouldn''t be pleasant for her. "If the Tower Master of Wallin was there, you would definitely have attracted attention." "Why?" "Because you''re a beauty." "Of course. As an archmage... B, be, beautiful?" People looking to expand theirwork would line up to meet an archmage. So, it was like a surprise attack for Dolores, who thought he would say something along those lines. Seeing her reaction, Reed regretted and added. "I mean you''re a woman of many talents. You''re proficient in many ways." "Appearance too?" Unlike Reed who was trying to step back, Dolores was taking another step closer. He had no choice but to nod. "Yes." "Have you always thought so?" "......" "Ahem! I overstepped. Let''s forget about this question." Dolores did not have the confidence to continue this strange atmosphere. She felt like she would be knocked down before she could corner the other. So, she quickly ended the conversation, turned her head, and fixed her eyes on Rosaria. In such an awkward atmosphere, someone knocked on the door like a savior. Phoebe slightly opened the door and said, "Master, I''m really sorry to interrupt your y, but someone came to see you." "Who is it?" "It''s the Third Knight Commander." "The Third Knight Commander?" *** It was Adonis Hupper. When Reed entered the reception room, he saw Adonis. She was dressed like a knight in te armor. "Wee, Ms. Hupper. Or should I say, the Third Knight Commander?" At the banquet, she was a princess, but now she came as a knight defending a country. Considering her status, it seemed inappropriate to address her casually, so he quickly corrected his words. "......Please feelfortable, Tower Master of Silence." A polite greeting. But her face told a different story. ''Hostility? No, it doesn''t seem certain enough to be hostility.'' She looked like she was at a crossroads of choices. Reed realized that this situation was not light at all. Cooling his head, he sat opposite her. "May I ask what brings themander of a knight division of a country to the tower of magicians?" "There is one thing... I want to ask." "What is it?" "Do you know a man named James Bren?" "I do." He was the bomb that Morgan nted to eliminate Adonis. "James Bren resigned from his knighthood today and left this to me." Adonis took something out of her pocket and showed it. The napkin from the banquet, the very napkin that Reed used to lure James. "When James Bren came to his senses, he said that the Tower Masters were around. So I asked around, and they said this phrase was written by you, the Tower Master of Silence." The Tower Masters talked about that napkin. ''Well, I didn''t explicitly say it was a secret.'' Exining why they shouldn''t tell Adonis would eventually reach not only Freesia but also Morgan Hupper. So he had to gloss over it, but he never expected to trip over that napkin. ¡®Lie?'' There''s no doubt it would backfire. He was already stepping on its tail to some extent. Trying to escape would only make him sink faster into the swamp. Reed decided to affirm the letter. "Yes, I wrote it." "Then did you also write this?" This time, what she pulled out was the anonymous letter Reed had written. The fact that she brought it out meant that Adonis had alreadypared the handwriting. Brushing his chest with the affirmation that his decision not to lie was right, he nodded. "Yes, I wrote that too." He thought that would be the end of the questions. But there was one more thing left. "Then, may I ask why you changed your handwriting when you sent the perfume?" "Perfume?" "This." This time, she showed a small note. -For your sessful debut. He couldn''t recognize whose handwriting it was. No Tower Master used such handwriting. But Reed knew who wrote this sentence. ''It''s Freesia.'' It was clear that she had subtly adjusted the intensity to avoid being caught. ''There''s another problem here.'' Lie. He could say that Phoebe had written it for him. It would be hard to tell the Tower Master''s deputy¡¯s handwriting, even if the Tower Masters'' handwriting could be recognized quickly. But Reed chose the truth again this time. "The phrase I used when sending the perfume wasn''t written by me." "Then who wrote it?" "Those who are trying to nder you." Reed told her the truth with a clear voice. "The perfume you used was a poison that would lead you to death." Adonis lowered her head and covered her face with her hands. James Bren, the napkin, the perfume, and even "Trigger Hypnosis". When she connected all the situations, Adonis could finally understand. ""Trigger Hypnosis"... The trigger condition was that perfume." She had no choice but to know now. Someone was targeting her. And Reed intervened in that situation. To save her. Then who would be targeting her? Knowing the n, Reed would undoubtedly know the target as well. However¡­ "......I won''t ask. It will undoubtedly be hard for me to ept. But I would like you to answer this." Adonis''s brow furrowed. For the first time, the doll-like woman revealed her expression to Reed. "Why did you help me?" Their first encounter was merely a minor issue. And all they did was dance together at the banquet. On the other hand, Reed knew a lot about her. He had observed her from afar. He saw her dedication to the country as a knight, alongside Freesia. He had seen her perfect debut as a princess. The things she had done were acts of selfless devotion that could only be done by someone who loved their family. Such a woman falls into ruin due to the betrayal of the family she loved. Thus, bing the third cmity, Adonis, leaving with only despair and eventually meeting her demise. Reed answered Adonis''s question. "Because you don''t deserve to be unhappy." Chapter 48.1 What Family Is (2) You don''t deserve to be unhappy. It was a strange thing to say. How could someone she barely met tell her that she doesn''t deserve to be unhappy? But. Adonis found those words piercing her heart. A drop of water fell on her hand. "Ah." Adonis, who realized itte, bowed her head and apologized to Reed. "I''m sorry...." "You can cry if you want to. I''ll pretend not to know about this." "No, that''s not it." Despite her words, the tears welled up. She wanted to make some excuse, but even that, she couldn''t do. "Ugh, uh...." Adonis tried to calm her heart, but it was difficult to manage the emotions that were welling up. She knew very well that she couldn''t stop it and had to let it out. However, she couldn''t cry. Because she was not a princess, but the Third Knight Commander, Adonis Hupfer. As the face of the Hupper Kingdom, she always had to be an inspiration to others. She couldn''t be crying pitifully like this. Adonis pressed her tear nds hard with her finger. Despite being a woman known as the "Giant yer" and possessing such traits, she was woefully inadequate to block her tiny tear nds. She swallowed her tears and her sorrow for a while. Reed waited patiently for her to control her emotions. Once she had calmed down a bit, Reed stood up from his seat and quietly handed her a ss of water. After drinking all the water, Adonis, stroking her chest, opened her mouth again. "I am.... a disgraceful woman." It was a shockingly frank confessioning from a knight. However, Reed listened to her words calmly. "Why is that?" "Whenever I see my younger brother, I think of our mother... I miss her terribly, and also, my heart turns bitter... I start to hate him without end. Even though he didn''t kill our mother, even though he is not at fault...." Queen Elizabeth Hupper, Adonis''s biological mother, had to make a choice when she gave birth to Morgan II. And Elizabeth chose Morgan II, sacrificing herself in the process. It was a gesture of a great mother''s love and a wound as well. At the end of her teenage years, at 17, Adonis lost her mother in that way. "I knew from a long time ago that His Majesty the King dotes on my younger sibling. No doubt he intends to ce him on the throne." She wasn''t a fool, so she had some idea. "That''s why I''m afraid to look at my little brother¡¯s face. I was afraid that my wicked heart might be exposed to his innocent eyes, so I had no choice but to keep my distance from that child." The Giant yer, Adonis Hupper. She, who was praised by everyone, also had the heart of a delicate girl. But she, who had no one to rely on, could not reveal her true feelings. She had been living a life thoroughly for the Hupper Kingdom, wearing the mask of a knight. Reed listened carefully to Adonis''s words. He too felt it. That she was revealing her inner feelings for the first time. "Commander of the Knights, no, Miss Adonis." Reed spoke to her in a gentle voice. "I understand that family matters can be difficult. But you are not disgraceful." "Why is that?" "Everyone has desires. There are even people who kill their own family due to their desires. But you have tried to protect your family. Even though you''ve avoided your sibling, it''s probably because you were trying to suppress the evil emotions that well up even without your knowledge. Just by this fact alone, you are a knight and an older sister who is nobler than anyone else." Reed approached her and handed her a handkerchief in his left hand. "So, you don''t need to me yourself. You don''t need to make yourself unhappy." His golden eyes showed a warm smile. She couldn''t stop it. Even though she tried hard to block the tear ducts. Even though she bit her lips hard and tried to hold on, everything fell apart because of this man who spoke kindly. In the end, Adonis cried out loud. Adonis looked down at the handkerchief Reed had handed her. The red handkerchief embroidered with golden threads was soaked with her tears. Adonis blushed with embarrassment at the handkerchief and carefully put it in her pocket. No, it would be more urate to say she hid it. "I will... wash the handkerchief for you." "You can throw it away or burn it on your way. It''s better than having a rumor going around that you received a handkerchief from the owner of the Silence Tower." As Reed said this, Adonis looked up at him with her moist emerald-like eyes. "You are kinder than the rumors, Tower Master." "Rumors?" "I heard that the owner of the Silence Tower used to be an authoritative person. Cold and jealous of those who are superior to him." "......I think it''s quite inappropriate to tell you this." "But because you are not like that, I can say this." Reed turned his head as if embarrassed. Seeing his expression, Adonis almostughed unwittingly. Adonis, who was about to smile, touched her face and returned to a nk expression. She had returned to being the Knight Captain Adonis Hupper, but she could not hide her reddened eyes. "How can I help you with those who are trying to defame me?" She couldn''t just stand by when she heard they were nning to ruin her. But Reed decided to just ept Adonis''s feelings. "Please, Knight Captain, just act as usual. This matter is for the wizards." "The wizards'' matter... I see. My involvement wouldn''t be helpful." Just as a wizard doesn''t understand a knight''s battle, a knight doesn''t understand a wizard''s battle. Wizards, who value information, never reveal their secrets. Adonis had been educated to never trust anyone since she didn''t know their true intentions. Recalling her training, Adonis looked at Reed. Was it right to trust this man? ''I have no choice but to trust him now.'' Reed had been honest with her so far. His honesty allowed Adonis to express her feelings, and Reed epted them as they were. So, for now, she decided to trust Reed. Chapter 48.2 "Did you tell anyone else that you were going to the Silence Tower?" Reed asked Adonis. There was a need to be cautious, as just their meeting could allow someone to make certain predictions. If necessary, he even considered creating a new alibi. Adonis shook her head. "No. There have been increasing attacks on travelers in the small viges within the Hupper kingdom, so I went out under the pretense of patrolling." "Alone......you say?" "Yes." She''s bold. But thinking about it further, Adonis had the ability to bend even a giant''s spine, so what would she fear from bandits? She could probably turn bandits into blocks and stack them neatly. Anyway, it didn''t seem necessary to make an alibi. "For now, I''ll pretend I don''t know anything. If there are any signs, I''d appreciate it if you send them through a bluebird or a dove, not a letter." "Understood." "Thank you, Tower Master." Adonis courteously greeted him. "Oh, and Miss Adonis." Before parting, Reed stopped her. He took out an item he had prepared in advance and handed it to Adonis. "What''s this?" "It''s a substitute for the perfume I mentioned before." "But that perfume wasn''t yours, was it?" There was no need for Reed to give her this item, as he had lied to protect himself. "It doesn''t matter. Shouldn''t a man keep his word? It''s an item I''ve already chosen, so please ept it." Adonis took the perfume. And she immediately ripped open the box. It wasn''t polite to open a gift in front of the giver, but Adonis had something she wanted to confirm enough to overlook such rudeness. The scent that suited her. She felt she had to confirm that scent in front of herself. She took off her gauntlet, ced it between her legs, and sprayed the perfume on her slender wrist. As she smelled the faintly rising scent, she responded. "It really... seems to suit me." She spoke with a straight face, but Reed could tell. He could hear the joy in her voice. *** The Capital of the Kingdom, Cohen. Someone was anxiously wandering around. Right now, they couldn''t focus on anything else. The most important part of their grand n had failed. "If you keep running around like this, do you think things will be solved magically? Then world peace must have been achieved already." Freesia taunted Morgan with a mocking voice. Morgan responded with a disgruntled expression. "Didn''t you say that no one would find out about this?" "Of course, I didn''t expect someone to catch on.. I''m not a prophet, how was I supposed to know all that?" "You really didn''t reveal this n to anyone else, did you?" At that, Freesia scowled. She got up from her crooked position and approached Morgan. "Are you doubting my abilities? You of all people?" As soon as she finished her words, someone grabbed Morgan''s throat. A ck hand was choking him. It was a hand extending from Morgan''s own shadow. If Freesia had made up her mind, Morgan''s neck would have already snapped. Freesia''s eyes glowed red like a demon emerging from hell. "Listen, wise king. It seems like the blood isn''t flowing to your headtely, making you lose your nerve. Just because you teamed up with me doesn''t mean you''re in a position to order me around. If anything, you should be the one apologizing to me." "I did as I was told." "If you did as you were told, then why did it fail? My n was perfect. Undoubtedly, your pathetic acting ruined everything. You showed your daughter your pathetic desire to prolong your life, didn''t you?" "If you continue like this..." "What? What are you going to do? Void the contract? I can throw away the book you gave me anytime. And the moment I discard it, I can expose the fact that you gave me the book. The wise king who bowed his head to the worst tower master, doesn''t that sound funny? If it''s proven true, who would stand up for you?" No matter how much he thought about it, he was the one with more to lose. If it became known that he was pretending to be good while clinging to a viin, he would lose everything. That''s why Morgan immediately backed down. "I apologize. I dared to doubt your ability..." "Don''t do that next time. A dog should act like a dog, got it?" "...Yes." "Good." As soon as Freesia finished speaking, the ck hand around Morgan''s neck returned to its original ce. "What should we do now?" "Anyway, the ceremony has not beenpleted yet. Trying to rush will only lead to loss. Let''s take our time and find a way to torment your daughter." "Of course I will... but the problem is who figured out this n. It''s obvious they''ll interfere again... Do you have any idea who it could be, Tower Master of the ck Sky?" Freesia replied with a sullen face. "I don''t know. I didn''t bother to think about it." "Understood. Then I will think about it." But Freesia already knew who had intervened. ''Reed Adeleheights Roton.'' The only man she called by name among the Tower Masters and among all the people alive. It had to be him. When she was causing a ruckus in the Cohen Castle under the name of Brosa, he was with her and she told him about her n. If the n to harm Adonis without anyone knowing had gone awry, the most likely suspect would be him, who knew a little about the inside story. ''He figured out the trigger was the perfume, and with the help of other tower masters, he seeded in helping...'' Freesia''smethod was clever. Her n to awaken mana and imnt ''trigger hypnosis'' in a person was hard to detect unless heard in advance. Freesia was extremely curious as to how Reed figured it out one step ahead. ''Does that mean he knew in advance what was going to happen to Adonis Hupper?'' Is he colluding with the wise king? What she was most curious about above all was. ''Did he do that knowing that this was a plot devised by me, Freesia?'' *** Tower of the ck Sky. She was the second-ranked Tower Master, but the gap between her and the third-ranked was as wide as heaven and earth, and she didn''tg behind even Helios, the chairman. If he opposed her despite knowing her identity, it would have been quite an audacious act. If it had been her original personality, she would have set up a magic circle around the Tower of Silence and destroyed everything from the nearby vige to the forest and the mountains. She had shown her true colors to everyone who dared to oppose her. But when it came to Reed, she simply broke into a smile. A wicked smile that was unbelievable for a child. ''You''ve always been a fascinating one.'' Chapter 49.1 What a family is (3) -People began to pay attention to magic engineering. No one dislikes attention on themselves unless they havemitted a crime. In fact, most of the magicians'' projects were secret, and it wasmon to disclose them only inside the tower. Therefore, this demonstration by Reed was special. The tower master took the initiative to show everyone the results of their project. -Various military factions and merchants from all over, and even the aristocrats of the empire, want the recording device of the Silence Tower. His bold behavior, which deviated from the usual behavior of a magician, breathed life into the tower. No one disliked the tower operating dynamically. Rather, most people were pleased that the tower, which had been stagnant, was working properly again. Also, magicians who were originally interested in magic engineering thought this was an opportunity, and the magicians who had been skeptical started to look at magic engineering from a new perspective. However, you can''t satisfy everyone. It was unpleasant for the chief magicians of the tower. The Silence Tower, which is passionate about magical engineering. They didn''t like the magicians who surrendered themselves to the waves of change. ¡®The perception of is changing, indeed......¡¯ Today, three apprentices of the chief magician changed their major to magical engineering. A chief magician, who had 30 disciples, now only has 20 disciples left, and the footsteps of applicants who wanted to join him havepletely stopped. As a senior magician who majors in and researches pure magic, he couldn''t help but hate Reed. Reed had promised not to interfere with them, but as public attention turned to , the apprentices'' interest also leaned that way. The chief magician looked up at the bulletin board as he walked. The board, which had always been quiet before the advent of magic engineering, was suddenly full. -Recruiting for ''Understanding Magic Engineering'' study group. -Seminar on ''Products Applying Magnesium'' in progress. -Competition for Magic Engineering invention and theory ideas underway. There were so many posts rted to magic engineering that the recruitment notice for the chief magician''s disciples looked pitifully small underneath. Even though he wanted to vent his frustration, he couldn''t me anyone for this. ''And it''s not like he didn''t keep his promise......'' Reed respected their pure magic and always immediately approved anything worth researching. He never discriminated against them just because their path was different from his. It was just that the results he showed changed people''s minds, that was the problem. He knew well that asking for more here was like a child''s tantrum. ¡®He might as well suggest switching to magical engineering......¡¯ It''s hard for a magician to swallow his pride first. Moreover, it was difficult for the chief magician, whose head had hardened with age, to umte knowledge again. No one said it, but the chief magicians knew very well that they were at a crossroads of fate. Either they adapt to the suddenly changed environment or they be obsolete. In order to survive in this situation, the chief magician sought Reed. He went up to the top floor of the tower and walked up to Phoebe, the secretary and deputy tower master. Golden long hair with threatening horns protruding. Eyes were half-closed as if she were sleeping. At first, he had a hard time adapting to such a figure of Phoebe, but now it didn''t matter much. In fact, he was one of the people who were surprised every time he saw Phoebe''s golden eyes, so he rather liked her half-closed eyes now. "Hellooo~." Phoebe greeted the chief magician with a bright smile. Although called the Guardian of Silence Tower, Phoebe was always kind to her family members. "Is the Tower Master in?" "The Tower Master is on holiday today. He has been very busy replying to letterstely. So, he took a day off to y with the youngdy." "With the tower being so busy, I wonder if he is sane... Well, never mind." He couldn''t belittle the Tower Master''s holiday, as the sess this time wasrgely due to the Tower Master, who nned and presented the recorder himself. "But he always works hard. Please don''t think too badly." "I''m sorry, I didn''t mean to nder the Tower Master. It''s just that I''m having a hard time too......" As the chief magician sighed, Phoebeforted him. "By the way, I''ve heard there are no apprentices wanting to do pure magic these days. Don''t worry too much, both the Tower Master and I are considering measures for that." The chief magician felt somewhat relieved. She may seem slow and dull due to hernguid tone, but she was capable enough to handle all the tasks of the tower as the deputy tower master. ''She would have made a suitable next tower master...'' She handled magic and mana well, and her public image was sufficient to elevate the stature of the fallen tower. However, the former tower master, Jude Roten, chose Reed over Phoebe. Phoebe, devoid of ambition, did not resist this choice and instead sincerely congratted Reed. In the end, since Reed elevated the tower''s stature, it turned out Jude was right. As the chief magician, who had been nodding his head, turned to leave, there was a fragrant smell that tickled his nose. It was the smelling from Phoebe. "You have a pleasant scent." At the chief magician''s casual remark, Phoebe beamed. "Oh, isn''t it nice? It''s the smell of perfume. The Tower Master gave it to me as a gift~." She swayed, wafting the fragrance around her. The chief magician grimaced at her disy. "That''s odd. I thought you didn''t like perfume?" "Huh?" "Didn''t you dislike strong scents because of your sensitive sense of smell?" Phoebe is a half-dragon. She stood in a position superior to humans but inferior to dragons. She had better senses than anyone, so her sense of smell was also more sensitive. Naturally, perfume, which affects the sensitive sense of smell, was one of the things she avoided. Even if the perfume was made with the faint scent of roses as its purpose, it was nheless a concentrated rose scent, which could only be very strong to Phoebe. Interpreted maliciously, the gift could have been Reed''s way of pranking Phoebe. Of course, Phoebe never interpreted it maliciously. "But the Tower Master gave it to me." "So you would ept anything if the tower master gives it?" Phoebe cheerfully showed the perfume bottle that Reed had given her. "He never gave me anything like a gift before. Even if it''s something I dislike, I''ll happily ept it~." "But what about the smell?" She spoke as if it were simple. "I just have to start liking it~." The chief magician couldn''tprehend her words. Could one possiblye to enjoy something that irritates their senses? In stark contrast to his furrowed brows, Phoebe was standing with a genuinely happy face. "You really follow the Tower Master a lot." To the chief magician''s words, Phoebe responded like this. "He is the only one I have." The only one she had. Although she spoke that way, the reality was different. Reed was everything to Phoebe. He was a precious existence that no one could rece. Chapter 49.2 The tower master''s meeting resumed after the demonstration. Although there was a suicide incident using during the demonstration, it was not of significant importance to be discussed among the tower masters. "It''s about that time, isn''t it?" "Do you mean the Academy''s graduation?" "And the entrance ceremony as well." Graduation and entrance ceremonies. Even though there were still three months left, preparations had to be made in advance to recruit good talents. In reality, each tower was in apetitive rtionship, but because the characteristics of each tower were different, most found a ce that suited their nature. Therefore, their goal was always the same. Even if the talents they had their eyes on went to other towers, they should not be taken by the kingdoms¡¯ workshops! Everyone rallied with this in mind. "Let''s set aside time tomorrow to discuss strategies against the workshops." "Yes." "Understood." The meeting ended smoothly, and they were about to part ways after exchanging greetings. Reed pulled out a prepared item and showed it to them. "This is a gift for the Tower Masters." What he took out was a magic recording deviceand a magic recorded device in which music had been recorded. The Tower Masters were surprised by the unexpected gift. "Oh, weren''t you going to distribute this a weekter?" "I did, but I thought I should first give them to the Tower Masters. We''re all one family, and you''ve given me Rosaria''s educational materials, so this is a token of my appreciation." "Wow, thanks!" "Thank you, Silence Tower Master. You''re as cool as they say." Although he had taken their orders, he did not charge the Tower Masters separately. Winning their favor was the first priority. Neither Helios, the chairperson, nor Dolores refused his gift. "Thank you, Silence Tower Master. I''ll make sure to listen." "Thank you, Master of the Silence Tower." Dolores'' formal voice came through softly. There was no reason for the Tower Master of Danseok, and his group who were wary of Reed to refuse, so they epted Reed''s gift. After distributing them to everyone, there was one set left. ''It must be for Freesia.'' As she was currently the one he was most conscious of, Reed felt tense. ''Should I just not give it?'' He had given it to all the tower masters who were keeping their distance, so if he didn''t give it to her, it would look too suspicious. So he had no choice but to calmly pass on the gift. As he was thinking this, he heard a voice from behind. "Oh, Reed, why aren''t you leaving? Were you waiting for me?" Freesia approached him warmly. ck hair, red eyes, and a charmingly evil smile. She might look like a 12-year-old girl, but the smile she wore showed she was far from a child. A terribly wicked smile that carries 131 years of experience. Reed handed the remaining box to Freesia with a smile. "This is for you, Tower Master." "A gift? Oh, is this the thing you showed at the demonstration?" "Yes, it is." His heart sank at the word ''demonstration,'' but Reed nodded calmly. ''She seems to be reacting as if she doesn''t know I interfered with her ns...'' While he was thinking this, Freesia muttered. "I like such gifts, but there''s something else I want." "What do you mean?" While Reed was momentarily off guard, Freesia made a surprise move. "The perfume you took." She knew after all. She knew that Reed had secured Adonis and that he had ruined her and Morgan''s n. Freesia took a step forward, lifted herself on her toes, and smelled Reed''s neck. At the same time, Reed could smell her scent. It was the scent of cinnamon and roses. "You didn''t use it?" "......" "It''s my favorite scent. The scent of cinnamon and roses, it''s like abination made for me." Freesia lowered herself from her toes and smiled. Her red eyes sparkled unpleasantly. ''But she doesn''t seem to intend to fight.'' Reed was puzzled by her behavior. He had thwarted her ns, so why was she not showing any hostility or desire to kill him? It was beyond the realm of simply tolerating him because he was handsome. There were plenty of extraordinarily handsome men on the continent. If she was chasing after good-looking men, there would already be rumors about it. There must be a reason why she''s acting this way. An important reason. ''Finding out that important reason is the key...'' It was likely to be an important means of winning over the ''Undead Empress'', Freesia. Reed swallowed his question and spoke politely. "I will return it to you." "When?" "When the time is right." He did not specify an exact date. But both Freesia and Reed knew. That the day was not far off and would surelye. *** Cohen Castle, Office of the Third Knight Commander. After opening up with everything to Reed, Adonis found her usual office looking different. Having shed tears and released her pent-up emotions, things she hadn''t considered before started to be clearer. ''The city is peaceful, but there are thieves springing up outside.'' He had thought that as Cohen became increasingly wealthy, bandits had moved in search of plunder. However, the reports did not show a lot of movement from the bandits. Considering everything, it meant that bandits were naturally springing up somewhere. So, where would the hole they''re springing from be? ''The vige...'' It was the small viges beyond the fence. Small viges whose names she couldn''t even properly remember. Chapter 50.1 What is a Family (4) She checked the poption of the Small Viges. Unlike Cohen, Small Vige reports its poption quarterly, so it was impossible to know how many people had disappeared so far. However, adding up the number of people caught stealing and the number of witnesses, it was about half of the vige. Adonis couldn''t understand why the people of Small Vige had started to steal. It was hard toprehend why people who had been doing well suddenly turned to crime. Then, she suddenly remembered that day. ''The Starfall Vige.'' During the collection of promissory notes, the master of the Silence Tower intervened, and because of that, Adonis had a conversation with the tower master as a king¡¯s representative. ''Looking back, the Starfall Vige was very peaceful.'' Since she had made a promise with Reed, Cohen paid all the money without a word, and even gave all the promised wheat at once, so there would be no problem with the onset of winter. ''They reced wheat and money with promissory notes... No way.'' It can¡¯t be. Adonis stood up from her seat, denying it. She couldn''t believe it unless she confirmed it with her own two eyes, so she moved her steps without hesitation. She walked to the finance department of Cohen Castle and requested documents from them. "Hello, Commander of the Knights. What brings you here?" "Could you show me the promissory notes and verification certificates issued to Soma Vige?" Upon hearing these words, the finance director answered with a troubled expression. "I''m sorry, Commander of the Knights. No matter how much you''re a hero of Cohen, we cannot ept that request." "Why not?" "If the Commander of the Knights interferes with administrative affairs, it will be a problem for both you and us." Each department had its own power, as each was specialized in different areas. In short, they would not tolerate their authority being vited. However, Adonis asked him without batting an eye. "Is the problem that I''m a knight?" "Yes, that''s right." Upon hearing his words, Adonis took off her armor. When she even took off her armor, her white underwear was revealed underneath. There was no exposure of skin, but everyone in the finance department was taken aback. Adonis spoke with a strong face, without a hint of embarrassment. "Then, I will request it as a princess, not a knight." A knight represents the power of the army, but a princess is different. Moreover, although Morgan Hupper did not appoint the next king, she is the most likely candidate for the next king due to her character and reputation. The finance director could not refuse any further. Usually, Adonis would have backed off at this point, but she was more aggressive than ever. The finance director nodded his head in resignation. Now, he had no choice but to provide the documents she requested. *** King Hupper¡¯soffice. "No matter how much you''re the Commander of the Knights, you cannot just barge in here..." Adonis ignored their words and flung open the office door. The guards holding the windows followed her in with flustered faces. Morgan raised his white eyebrows and looked at Adonis''s face. At the same time, he gestured to the guards to step back. "What is it? It''s customary to request an audience first." "I apologize, Your Majesty. But there was something urgent I needed to ask." "Well, what is it?" "Are you aware that the number of thieves has been increasing recently?" "Yes, I''m aware." Morgan had ordered patrols for public safety, so there was no way he wouldn''t know. "I''vee up with a measure for this public safety issue." Adonis said, showing Morgan a bundle of papers. "You have to repay all the promissory notes that have been issued." "What good would the promissory notes do?" "The people of Soma are all living day to day. If you do not give them money to buy the necessary items for the winter, they will have no future. Hence, they resort to thievery to secure their future." Morgan responded coolly to Adonis''s words. "We haven''t yet received all the harvested goods. We will repay them soon, so don''t worry." "Then shouldn''t we at least send the wheat in the national treasury to them first?" "That''s a separate issue. Moreover, it''s not right to distribute materials that need to be reserved, and all this is happening because they do not trust the nation. I have no intention of negotiating with such disrespectful people." "How can the people trust the nation when the nation hasn''t shown any trust in them?" Morgan''s face turned grim. But Adonis did not back down and pleaded with her hand on her chest. "I, Adonis Hupper, before being the Commander of the Third Knights, am a princess of the Hupper Kingdom. If you care about the people, please tell me a valid reason why I am wrong, Father." She stated her conviction clearly without wavering. Seeing this, Morgan furrowed his brow further, his beard twitching. In the tension that seemed like an outburst was imminent, what burst from Morgan was a cough. "Cough, cough..." Whether a wise king or otherwise, no one can withstand the passage of time. Morgan was still showing his vitality, but he was clearly a dying man. He was well aware of it, and it was time to designate a sessor to prevent internal strife. Morgan covered his mouth with a handkerchief to prevent his saliva from sttering on the documents. "Cough, cough! Commander of the Third Knights, suddenly you''re interested in things you didn''t care about before. Have you fallen for the devil''s scheme?" "......" "All the actions you take are out of line. You just need to fulfill your duty as the knightmander. I will not allow any further oversteps, third knightmander." "......" In the end, the conversation ended ufortably. Adonis came out without even greeting him, her fist clenched tightly. ''Even my daughter... things aren''t going my way anymore.'' Morgan closed his eyes in despair. Time was of the essence. Morgan wrote a letter to be sent to Freesia. -I need that magic. As soon as possible. Chapter 50.2 ''Why! Why won''t he say anything?'' Adonis knew that she was overstepping her bounds. But she wanted this issue resolved. A ''wise king'' would certainly lend an ear to the opinion of an ignorant knight. So, she went to see Morgan in one swift step, but... Adonis felt the situation bing more tangled, as Morgan hurriedly hid his true feelings. The image of the king and her father, Morgan Hupper, as Adonis knew him, was bing increasingly distorted. ''Devil''s scheme.'' Was this a devil''s scheme? Was Reed Adeleheights Roton the devil trying to drag her into the abyss? She thought about Reed objectively, he was not a bad person. He helped her without saying a word. If Reed had any expectations of her, he would have appealed to her long ago. ''If Reed is not the devil...'' It''s often the ones calling others devils who are the devils themselves. Her own father, Morgan Hupper, was exactly that devil. A devil wearing the mask of a king, trying to dry up the small viges for some reason and kill them. And then, Adonis felt all the pieces of her puzzle fall into ce. ''Could it be...'' The sudden invitation to the demonstration. Her father, who was unusually sweet to her. Being treated like a princess for the first time in eight years. And the mysterious power that tried to kill her that day. They had nted a bomb among the nobles that would change Adonis''s fate with perfume as the switch. Reed knew about this malicious force but did not tell Adonis. Then what could be the reason? All the clues are connected into one sentence, leading to a conclusion. "Ah!" Suddenly, Adonis''s legs gave way. She felt like vomiting and covered her mouth with her hand. A cold chill pervaded her body, causing Adonis to shiver. Biting her thumb, Adonis swallowed her sorrow. Unable to utter a single word, she repeated only one sentence in her mind. ''It can''t be. It can''t be....'' She could understand why Reed didn''t tell her about the malicious force. Could it be that this malicious force was her own father? That the person she had admired and protected was her own enemy? She didn''t want to believe it. Her heart fiercely rejected it. But the more she did, the more reality clung to Adonis, tormenting her. ''If I can''t even trust my own blood... then who on earth can I trust?'' Adonis despaired. *** The first customers of "Project: Sound of Music" were nobles. They carefully wrapped the items to be sent to them and sessfully delivered them to each address through the merchant guild. The magicians, who had to finish all their work within the set time, were all exhausted, but they celebrated their achievements together. Starting tomorrow, everyone except those on duty could take a day off, so even though they were tired, some people decided to y games and drink. However, the research of Kaitlyn and Reed was not over yet. Kaitlyn was not the type to enjoy parties from the beginning, and as a magic engineer, it was only natural that she loved research. So as soon as the delivery was all finished, Kaitlyn began her research on Reed''s gauntlet. Reed also sneaked into theb while everyone was resting and helped Kaitlyn with her research. -Regarding magic absorption using Magnesium (Research progress: 10%) "Ugh...." Kaitlyn, who had been drinking and brainstorming, folded the paper into a rose. Contrary to her deathly expression, her hands moved without hesitation, and a paper rose more delicate than the ones Rosaria had made was neatly ced on the desk. Just one more rose and she''d have a bouquet of 108 roses. Kaitlyn nkly stared at the rose and then said, "I guess I won''t have to worry about a wedding bouquet soon..." "What you should worry about is not the wedding, but the research." Her shoulders jumped like a surprised cat. Only then did Kaitlyn remember that Reed was there. "Ah, I''m sorry.... It''s a rare research project with you, Tower Master, and I''m ashamed to show you such ack of progress." Kaitlyn mmed her head onto the desk with a dispirited face. Reed fully understood her situation. Having taken on the final inspection and production, her stamina was already at rock bottom. She had been thrown into the research immediately after returning from her vacation, like a house on fire, so the bacsh was bound to be huge. With both focus and magic energycking, Reed would like to tell her to take it slow, but he didn''t have enough time to afford such luxury. ''I can''t afford to let my guard down.'' Freesia already knew that I had ruined her ns. If she has a n, she would elerate her research on possession magic to enter Morgan''s body. In order to confront such Freesia, he needed the magic absorption ability of the gauntlet. Only then would they have at least a fighting chance. That''s why, even though it was selfish, he had no choice but to push Kaitlyn. "Do your best to the extent that you can. If you need anything, I''ll supply it immediately, so please put in a little more effort." "When Tower Master says so, I must gather my strength! I will strive to meet your expectations." Kaitlyn pped her cheeks to snap herself out of it. Just then, Whoosh! A blue bird flew into the research building with a cry andnded on Reed''s shoulder. ''It''s Adonis Hupper''s bluebird.'' The bluebird was used tomunicate with Adonis, and there was a note tied to its leg. -Please help. My younger brother has disappeared with the king. The situation had escted quicker than expected. Chapter 51.1 What Family is (5) Morgan and his son, Morgan II, have disappeared. By now, Cohen City must be in chaos. After all, the king and the prince have disappeared without a word. However, Reed knew that this incident was not a kidnapping. ''The research on possession magic is over.'' The magic that Morgan requested Freesia to research. As a reward, Freesia turned Cohen City upside down with the ''Desire Massacre'' and enjoyed her game. ''I thought it would bepleted soon... but it waspleted too quickly.'' At least, he thought it would end around the time when the magic reaction gauntlet waspleted, but Freesia''s abilities exceeded his imagination. "What''s the matter?" "...Nothing. You should take a break today." "Huh?" "There''s no need to hurry now. Rest well today and tomorrow." There is no meaning now. Kaitlyn nodded and went back to her room, and Reed sat down with a serious face and looked at the note. ''It would be hard to stop Freesia, even if we are fully prepared...'' If a battle breaks out, it will end with Freesia''s overwhelming victory, and the Silence Tower will fall. Reed knew well that anyone who opposed Freesia always met such a fate. ''But I can''t back down.'' Running away after bluffing loudly was something Reed couldn''t ept. The situation was urgent, so he moved first. Reed walked towards Phoebe, who was waiting in front of his office. "Tower Master, what''s wrong?" Seeing his unusually serious face, Phoebe''s face also hardened. "Can you check where the Master of the ck Sky Tower is now?" "The Master of the ck Sky Tower? Understood!" Phoebe manipted the panel and contacted the ck Sky Tower. A momentter, Phoebe, who received the response, nodded at Reed. "Yes! The Master of the ck Sky Tower is currently in the tower." Her deal was only developing the possession magic for Morgan and Morgan II. She didn''t participate in the ritual. For a moment, he wondered if she intended to take power by seizing Morgan''s weakness, but what she wanted was, after all, only the magic. "Phoebe." "Yes." "Tell the ck Sky Tower this. I will visit her to return that item today." "...Understood." Phoebe contacted the ck Sky Tower once more. "Can I ask you onest thing?" Then, Phoebe smiled and answered. "There''s no such thing as ''thest'' for the Tower Master. As long as I am alive and breathing, I will fulfill all your requests." The loyal servant of the Tower Master. In the original game, she was dreadfully loyal to Reed. Although she failed to protect the final boss, her loyalty was so high that she even performed self-destruction magic against the protagonist''s party. Reed knew of Phoebe''s loyalty well, so he couldn''t help but hesitate about the request he was about to make. Anxiety crept in, wondering if he might be using her loyalty to bring her to ruin. "Join me, Phoebe. I need your help." *** The eternally floating ck sky and barren earth. Reed, who stepped out of the sky carriage and parked it nearby, felt fear as if his blood was being drained from his body. Reed''s pupils shone golden. He drew mana to resist the poison emanating from thend of death. ''But this is merely a warning.'' It was courtesy of ck Sky, a warning to not approach rashly as this ce was truly dangerous. If that warning is vited, it moves on to the next stage. Reed looked down at his feet. ''Death Knights and skeleton soldiers are sleeping beneath this.'' A two-tiered defense to protect the ck Sky Tower. In case of emergency, the undead soldiers sleeping underground are awoken to ambush intruders. Exposed to the poison and gradually weakened, the intruders'' lives are cut short to create new undead soldiers, and everything is cleanly erased as if nothing happened when they are sent back underground. Even if theye back alive, the probability that everyone will survive is 0%. You should not approach the tower for any reason if you are hostile to the ck Sky. ''But I must approach.'' Reed, who showed hostility to Freesia, set foot on thatnd today. Thend where the souls that could not die are asleep. Reed looked up at the huge gate. A metal door decorated with dragon skulls. Reed nced at Phoebe standing next to him. As expected, she was looking up at the dragon''s bone with an unfazed expression. Shortly after, the dragon''s head split vertically and the gate began to open. "Wee, Master of the Silence Tower." The one who greeted him was a man known as the secretary of Freesia,monly called the Ma-gun. The man was not particrly skilled as a magician, but he became Freesia''s closest aide solely through his ability to handle tasks. And he was the most normal person who didn''t fit in this ck Sky Tower at all. "This way." He led Reed and Phoebe to the reception room. The inside was filled with fresh air, making the poison that hovered outside seem insignificant. ''It really is magnificent.'' The ck Sky Tower was so luxurious and dignified in every detail that it made the Silence Tower look shabby. The ce where Reed and Phoebe went up was the top floor. This ismonly where the tower masters'' offices are located. "Do you not have a separate reception room?" "I was instructed to bring you to the office. I understand it''s impolite, but please understand...." Ma-gun bowed respectfully and apologized. "And since only the Master of the Silence Tower is allowed, the deputy tower master must wait here with me." At his words, Reed and Phoebe exchanged nces. Her face was full of anxiety. "It doesn''t matter." The most tense one was Reed, but he walked towards the door pretending to be calm. The door to the office opened, revealing the inside. A room where darkness spread out like a watercolor painting. A long red carpet stretched out on the obsidian floor. A ck throne that signified the king of this ce. Freesia was lying there. With one armrest as a pillow and the other one as a footrest. "Wee, Reed. Is this your first time in the ck Sky?" "I can''t remember." "Neither can I. But judging by the fact that I don''t remember, you must have been quite boring back then." Reed stepped on the red carpet and entered. Freesia, who had been lying down, snapped her fingers. Then the door slowly closed. There''s no need to check it out. It will never open unless Freesia orders it. ''I could be trapped here.'' But Reed was prepared for that. Chapter 51.2 Reed appraised her abilities with his "Talent Appraisal". Name: Freesia Vulcan Darksider upation: Master of the ck Sky Tower Age: 131 years old Alignment: Chaos ¡¤ Evil Health: 1,067/1,067 Stamina: 550/550 Mana: 31,900/31,900 [Attributes] "Undead Empress", "Shadow Master", "Master of the ck Sky Tower", "Broken Ring that Defies Fate", "Lineage of Vulcan" [Skills] , , , , , [Undisclosed Attributes & Abilities] As expected from a woman who has lived for 131 years and held the position of tower master for 100 years, her abilities were monstrous. Her stats were so overwhelming that the magnesium gauntlet he had brought with him just in case seemed foolish. ''Even if I had made a magic responsive glove, I wouldn''t have stood a chance.'' Moreover, this ce is Freesia''s home ground. But Reed didn''t lose heart. ''There''s a reason why Freesia won''t kill me.'' Therefore, he walked confidently. Reed, who arrived in front of Freesia, took out an item and showed it to her. "I''vee to return this." It was the perfume he had promised to return someday. Looking down at the perfume, Freesia curled her lips into a cat-like smile. "I didn''t think I''d get this back. Actually, I wished you would use this perfume." "I don''t want to use it because I know what kind of malice you''ve infused into it." "Then shouldn''t you have smashed it instead of returning it?" "I promised to return it, so that''s what I''m doing." Reed ced the perfume on the armrest. Watching his action, Freesia started tough delightedly. "You''re so gentle, it''s too cool~. Reed, are you sure you don''t want to live here with me?" Reed did not get swept away in her atmosphere. "Where are Morgan and his son now?" At Reed''s straightforward question, Freesia''s face, which had beenughing like a young girl, returned to its original state. "So, you intend to interfere with them, Reed?" "Didn''t you know that from the beginning?" "I knew. But I didn''t think you''d have the guts toe and say it directly to me. I thought you''d y up to me more, lower your head. No, that''s the normal course of action." She is Freesia Vulcan Darkrider. Master of the ck Sky Tower and the terror of all wizards and the continent. Even if one were a tower master, there was no one who dared to openly oppose her. "Give up on the father and son. Even if I overlook you saving the girl due to your youthful spirit, I can''t let this slide." "If Morgan takes over his son''s body, everything will be meaningless." "I made a contract with Morgan. He fulfilled his part of the contract faithfully, so I need to keep mine." It was true. If she broke the contract, she couldn''t ignore the penalty. In other words, it meant that Freesia could not use the possession magic. And the fact that she firmly stated she wouldn''t break the contract meant that she needed the magic Morgan gave her. "Is that magic so precious to you?" "Morgan gave me what I wanted. Unlike you, Reed, who came straight to me, he asked very politely." "I can''t understand why a mage who has nothing to envy others would cling to that magic." "¡­ Nothing to envy?" Freesia''s expression twisted, her eyes beginning to glow red. He had touched the trigger of her trauma. Her magic was unpredictable. That unpredictability always started with a surprise attack. "Ugh!" The shadow behind Reed wrapped around his body and moved on its own. Reed tried to focus mana on his gauntlet to neutralize its ability, but... Before the light could circle in the mana crystal, the shadowpletely covered Reed''s right hand. "Don''t resist. If you resist, I''ll kill you right away." Freesia rose from her seat, and Reed was thrown onto the ce where Freesia had been lying. Freesia climbed on top of him. Reed, who had been looking down at Freesia, now looked up at her. Her red eyes were staring at him. As red as the red moon when vampires appear. "Do you envy me, Reed? Envy being in this body that can''t even age? I noticed it when you couldn''t give up your daughter, but you really have a trashy taste, don''t you?" She sneered and mocked, but the main emotion was anger. Reed said nothing and just stared straight into her eyes. After a moment, she, whose anger had subsided, grabbed Reed''s cor and whispered in his ear. "Fine, I''ll give up that magic. But if you gain something, you have to lose something." "What do you want?" "Your little one." The ''little one'' was Rosaria. From the moment Reed crossed over to this world and first confronted Freesia, she had her sights set on Rosaria. She was asking for her again. "Hand that little one over to me, Reed Adeleheights Roton. Then I will listen to you." She corrected herself. "No, I''ll do whatever you want. If you want, I''ll hand over the ck Sky, and I''ll even be your lover or a dog. I''ll do whatever you want." It was an extreme condition, iparable to the initial proposal. But Reed immediately responded to her demand. "No matter what you offer, I cannot give you Rosaria." Freesia''s face contorted fiercely. Power filled the hands of Freesia that were holding Reed''s cor. "You''re selfish, really selfish! That selfishness of wanting to gain everything without losing anything! The arrogance of expecting me to understand that! Do I look so easy to you!" "I''m refusing because your demand is absurd. Why do you think such an extreme condition could be met?" Then Freesia responded to Reed in a moreposed voice. "The ability that child possesses is what I want. That little one will be thentern that will show me the way to beplete." Freesia did not back down any further. "Choose. Either hand over the little one or leave quietly. There will be no further negotiations." Lose Rosaria or lose Adonis. ''I don''t want to lose anyone.'' At the crossroads of choice, Reed tried hard to think. ''How can the possession magic and Rosaria be the same?'' Possession magic. Rosaria. Freesia Vulcan Darkrider. What she ultimately wants. She wants Rosaria enough to give up the possession magic. No, she wants Rosaria enough to give up even herself. Why? He had to think. No one knows her background. Recalling her status window and the events of the future, he desperately tried to figure out what she ultimately wanted. He remained silent until Freesia could no longer bear it, thinking about what she wanted. Finally, Freesia''s limit came. Her mouth slowly opened. "Alright." But Reed was one step faster. Freesia swallowed back what she was about to say. "Are you saying you''ll hand over the little one?" "No." "Are you trying to y word games again?" "No. I''ll give you what you truly want." With a fierce expression, Freesia asked with herst ounce of patience. "What do I want?" "......Death." Chapter 52.1 Long live the king (1) Death. The word resonated clearly. Freesia''s pupils dted drastically. At her surprise, the shadows enveloping Reed''s body returned to normal, and the strength of the hand gripping his cor loosened. ¡°What you desire¡­ is it notplete death?¡± No matter how much he thought about the reason for her obsession with possession magic, he couldn''t find an answer. Because possession magic did not appear in the future Reed knew. However, her obsession was too intense to simply call it curiosity. ¡®The condition to give up possession was strange, too.¡¯ Moreover, he didn''t understand why she suddenly mentioned Rosaria. She was a promising talent, but asking for Rosaria as a condition for giving up possession didn''t make sense. The ability that Rosaria possessed was exactly what she desired. It meant there was something superior to possession magic. Then, what was she trying to gain through possession and Rosaria? Completeness. It was to gain thepleteness that Freesia could not achieve. Reed pondered on what kind of perfection he could provide withoutbining the two. Power? Rosaria could be a better magician than Freesia. Perhaps she was thinking of breaking the promise and cast the possession magic on Rosaria. However, given her character, she wouldn''t wish for something like power. Then, a word suddenly popped into Reed''s mind. ¡®Death.¡¯ The ck Sky Tower, studying death to create undying soldiers. At its pinnacle stands the "Immortal Empress," Freesia Vulcan Darksider. [T/N: Changed ¡°Undead Empress¡± to ¡°Immortal Empress¡±] Perhaps she was studying for her own death, just as people study medicine to live? However, he could not ponder any further. The moment Freesia''s patience ran out, Reed spoke his spection with a desperate feeling. And it turned out to be the correct answer. Freesia remained silent for a long time. "How much do you know about me, Reed Adeleheights Roton?" What Reed knew was Freesia''s future. He knew nothing about her past. "I know that you possess the traits of ''Empress of the Immortals'', ''Shadow Master'', and the ''Broken Ring that Defies Fate'' which you have not revealed to anyone." Reed himself didn''t know what those traits meant. But he deduced that the unfamiliar ''Broken Ring that Defies Fate'' was the reason she could not die. Freesia''s pupils, who had been testing him, dted again. "¡­How exactly do you n to do it?" Freesia asked. "The very thing I couldn''t find with over 100 years of searching in my head is my death. How will you solve that puzzle?" If she asked for an immediate solution, Reed had nothing to offer. Reed knew. Freesia disliked uncertainties. "I don¡¯t know." But what she hated more than that was lies. Reed told the truth. "But one thing, I promise on my life." Reed brought his hand to her neck. Freesia did not resist Reed''s hand. Like a cat waiting for its master''s touch, she instinctively moved cautiously following Reed''s hand. Reed''s hand was around her slender neck. "With this hand... " He pressed gently on her neck with his thumb. With sincerity, he said to her, "With this hand, I will surely give you death." It was a promise without guarantee. Unless she was a fool, there was no reason for her to ept it, so Freesia intended never to believe his words. That''s when it happened. Freesia noticed a strong scent pricking her nose. The scent of cinnamon and roses. When she had roughly seated Reed on the throne, the bottle that had been ced on the armrest broke, and the perfume rose. A promise without a guarantee. But Reed returned the perfume to Freesia. Freesia opened her mouth. "Tell me." *** Freesia, left alone in the Tower Master''s office of the ck Sky Tower, was looking into a mirror. She had never looked at herself before, so it felt utterly unfamiliar. ''Freesia Vulcan.'' That was her name before she took on the ''title'' of a Darkrider. A 12-year-old physique. Her hair and nails grew, but her youthful face and height did not grow. Her appearance remained the same for over 119 years. If she was injured, it would recover. If her neck was cut off, it would reattach. If she was burned, the ashes would reunite to form her shape again. No matter what was tried, it was impossible to leave a mark on her, let alone kill her. ''Broken Ring that Defies Fate.'' Half-removing her tightly wrapped robe, Freesia looked at her back in the mirror. Eternal Hole. It''s called the legend of the magicians. Many people coveted this "Eternal Hole" because they would gain the ability to rule the world once it manifested. If it didn''t naturally ur, they thought, couldn''t it be created through human capability? Eventually, they realized it was not an area that could be artificially created, but when Freesia was young, most of them were those who were burning with a spirit of challenge. Even if it meant trampling on the life of a young girl. Broken Ring that Defies Fate. Unlike the "Eternal Hole" that glows brightly when mana manifests, her back looked as if dark mist was trickling down. And unlike the perfect ring-shaped "Eternal Hole", the upper part of the ring looked as if it had exploded, with fragments sttered up towards her neck. She was a failed product of the "Eternal Hole". In exchange, she obtained twisted immortality, and Freesia loathed this immortality every single day. That''s why when she saw the girl who had the legendary "Eternal Hole", she couldn''t help but covet it. ''But I couldn''t take her away.'' Despite her desire more than anything, her tyrannical nature did not listen. Freesia didn''t know either. Whether it was hesitation stemming from the uncertainty that the girl might not be able to provide her respite. Or because she empathized, knowing the plight of those born with the mask of a genius. She thought she knew a lot about herself as much as she hated herself, but there were still parts she didn''t know. And that was revealed when that man appeared. ''Reed Adeleheights Roton.'' That man certainly influenced her actions, directly or indirectly. Freesia was sure of this much. And this fact excited her more than anything else. "Master, you''ve been silent for a while, so I came up... What are you doing?" "Nothing much." A hand stretched out from Freesia''s shadow, adjusting her disheveled clothing. "Destroy the possession magic that I got from Morgan." "Really? But I thought you''ve been looking for that¡­" "Stop the chatter and destroy it. It''s not ours anymore." "Understood." Now that the secret is out, she should not use that possession magic. Freesia sat in her usual spot and spoke to her servant. "And congrattions, Ma-Gun." "For what?" "I finally found a man who will kill me, that''s what." "Weren''t there always people trying to kill you, Master?" From the very bottom of the ck Sky''s Tower to the time she was designated as the next Master, she lived amongst magicians filled with hostility. Those craving for power, unable to drive Freesia away with their abilities, used all kinds of methods to try and kill her. Whenever she seemed even slightly vulnerable, the assassin''s dagger was at her back, poison was put in her food, and bombs were even thrown into her room. But such pathetic assassination attempts couldn''t kill Freesia. Rather, everyone who showed hostility lost their lives. That was the bloody life of Freesia, who stood at the apex of the ck Sky. "Yes, they always have been." She smiled. "But this time, I think I might really die." Reed will aplish it. The ''salvation'' that no one else could give, her very own. Chapter 52.2 After getting the location from Freesia, Reed, and Phoebe left the ck Sky Tower. "Do you think you know where it is?" "I''ve figured out the location. However, not only is the speed a concern, but it''s also going to be hard to find a ce tond the sky carriage." Morgan and his son were held in a mountainous area not far from the HupperKingdom. If the sky carriage didn''t have a proper ce tond, not only the chariot but also the people inside it could be in danger. Phoebe sighed. "It can''t be helped..." She frowned and exerted her strength. Thump! Something bulged out from her back. Bang! It exploded right away. Pieces of her clothing scattered and somethingrge unfolded. It was a huge pair of wings. They were so huge and fierce that it was hard to believe that they came out of her small body. Reed realized once again that she was a half-dragon. "I wanted to undress if possible, but I can''t dare to show such a pathetic body... Please understand!" Phoebe blushed and stuttered. Understanding her meaning, Reed nodded. "Master, um... I''m going to hold you." "Alright." "You absolutely must not open your eyes now." "I got it, let''s move quickly." "Yes!" Phoebe went around to his back and hugged Reed tightly. "Ah... Master''s back..." "Phoebe, focus." "I''m sorry..." Along with her voice, which was longer than usual, a faint moan echoed in Reed''s ears. Despite her slender wrist, he could feel an undeniable strong power. p. Her giant wings spread out, blocking the sky. Half-dragon, Phoebe leaped in an instant. Her enormous wings pushed against the earth and sliced through the sky. Feeling the air pressure that seemed to tear his skin, Reed opened his eyes again to find everything pitch ck. Phoebe and Reed were already flying above the clouds. "We''re off!" Phoebe and Reed''s bodies disappeared from that spot. Where they disappeared, only a trace of a bullet piercing through the clouds remained. At that time, in the mountains not far from Cohen City. There was a ce in the mountain range that was particrly not steep and was gentle enough to easily make a path. People called this ce the "Beginner''s Hill," saying if one couldn''t cross it, they shouldn''t start an adventure. In that Beginner''s Hill, there was a cave that no one knew about. Inside the narrow cave, if one went deep enough, a cave wide beyond imagination appeared. This was a secret ce that Morgan had secretly created to conduct rituals. Six magicians were concentrating on the ritual, leaning on the candlelight. At the center of mana, Morgan and his son, Morgan II, wereid on a b. The leader of the magicians shouted. "Everyone, focus. This matter must be kept absolutely confidential, and no one should make a mistake!" "Yes!" Magicians responded in a spirited voice. Moving their wands, they controlled the gathered mana. The magic they were using was a spirit possession spell for family members. They were in the process of transferring Morgan''s soul to his son, Morgan II. If it were Freesia, she could perform it alone, but it was a high-level spell that required six magicians to barelyplete. Then, it happened. Rumble! They felt a vibration as if a meteorite had fallen. Dust fell from the ceiling, disrupting the magicians'' concentration. "Concentrate! It''s not our business!" Seeing the flow of mana disturbed, the leader quickly redirected their attention. Although the leader was bothered, the spell was crucial at the moment. ''It''ll be okay.'' Then, he heard the sound of a thread breaking in his head. It was the breaking of the boundary magic he had set up. ''Impossible...'' The second boundary magic and the third one were also destroyed. It was confirmed. There was an intruder heading here. The leader could no longer concentrate and turned his head to look at the entrance. Clip-clop. The sound of hoof steps, clearly audible even on the dirt floor. With the eerie footsteps, a man revealed himself. A man with grey hair and golden eyes. "Found you." It was Reed Adeleheights Roton. "It''s, it''s the Master of the Silent Tower!" "How, how did you find this ce?" Given that King Morgan had been nning this for a long time, there were few who knew of this ce. Even the magicians who knew about the n in advance only found out about the existence of this ce today. How did the Master of the Silent Tower find out about this ce? The concentration of all the magicians was disrupted. Eventually, the spirit possession spell for the family members failed. Now that it had already failed, the leader changed the n. ''The opponent is a tower master. Even if he''s the weakest tower master, his magic will be exceptional.'' If he, a level 4 in , and his members who are level 3 or lower engage in battle, the odds of the tower master winning would be higher. "We can''t let this go easily... everyone, prepare for battle!" "Yes!" The magicians tore out the scrolls they had been keeping. The spell sealed in the scroll was activated. Boom! A shockwave urred, and the mana floating around the area began to disperse. Just in case, Reed concentrated mana at his fingertips. But there was no sensation of mana gathering. ''This is magic jamming.'' It was a tool used by knights when engaging in closebat with magicians, and it wasn''tmonly used by magicians. The opponent was a tower master. Knowing that they would lose no matter what they did, they had taken out their secret weapon first. "Kill him! He must be killed! No one who knows this ce can be left alive!" The magicians drew their daggers. 6 versus 1. Without mana, a magician is no different from an ordinary person, so the numerical advantage had no meaning. However, Reed wasn''t flustered and briefly nced over the daggers they were holding. "You''ve set up a suicide mission." Once a magician gives up magic, they be less than bandits. And Reed still had another card to y besides magic. "Phoebe." When Reed called the name, someone came walking from behind. The magicians could only agree bitterly with Reed''s words. Her golden hair was like a dog''s fur, and her horns were threateningly protruding. Asteria''s Mad Dragon, infamous as the watchdog of the Silent Tower, walked in with a smile. Chapter 53.1 Long Live the King (2) Phoebe Astheria Roton. Her notoreity was widely known, but very few had experienced her in person. From the moment Reed became the next tower master and Phoebe was appointed as his secretary and deputy tower master, she had be a docile half-dragon who couldn''t defy Reed. Because of this, some were lulled intocency, but those standing before her now couldn''t afford to smile. It was literally a self-destructive act. None of the magicians could open their mouths. Phoebe, who stepped forward, spoke to them with a smile as if she was in trouble. "Everyone, please surrender. We didn''te here to harm you." Her dragging voice. At a nce, it sounded frightened. What''s the human psychology like? Even if they know they''re going to lose, humans think they can win the moment they see a chance. Phoebe sincerely asked for surrender, but the magicians who heard her voice were rather energized. "Don''t, don''t be scared! That girl is also a magician! Kill them all!" The magicians with daggers rushed toward Phoebe. "Um... I did ask politely..." Phoebe let out a sigh with a regretful face. They still didn''t know. She is a half-dragon. The reason she became the Mad Dragon of Asteria had nothing to do with magic. Phoebe disappeared. At the same time, one of the charging magicians disappeared as well. "Huh, what?" "What?" The magicians, who had yet to grasp the situation. The magician standing in the center discovered hisrade had vanished and began to look around. Phoebe was standing behind them with the missing magician. Only, the disappeared magician was unconscious, and Phoebe was looking at them with an indifferent face. Was it magic? No. She was within the range of magic jamming, so she couldn''t have easily used magic. But no matter how they tried to rationalize it, they were only filled with terror. Because it meant that it didn''t take her even a second to knock one out. "Does anyone else want toe?" "This, this devilish girl!" "I definitely warned you... You''re the ones who ignored it!" Although it could be seen as mockery, Phoebe felt she had given a proper warning. "Then let me make it clear for you!" Phoebe picked up the dagger of the unconscious magician. The magicians, seeing her pick up a weapon, hesitated. But it didn''t seem like Phoebe was going to use the weapon. "Now, everyone, if you try to swing something like this at Phoebe, this is what happens!" Phoebe held the dagger between her index and thumb. "Look! Eiii!" Crack! She broke it. Contrary to her cute speech, she easily broke the steel dagger with two fingers. She did it as effortlessly as if she were splitting a biscuit in half, without a single sign of struggling. "You understand now? It''s dangerous." Phoebeughed heartily, resembling a safety instructor giving a demonstration. The magicians who saw the dagger break in two dropped all the daggers they were holding, feeling the difference in strength. "Please... please just spare our lives!" "I just followed orders! Please! Spare my life!" They began desperately begging for their lives. Phoebe looked down at them and then asked Reed, "What should we do with those who surrender?" "Knock them out. They pointed a knife at me, so we should at least do that." "......Understood." Phoebe, realizing the situation a bitte, exuded apletely different aura than before. Attempting to harm the tower master was an unforgivable crime in her eyes. With her aura, Phoebe struck each of them on the head with the palm of her hand, one by one. Bam! With a grotesque echo, the magicians fell down as if they had all been switched off. Being proficient at controlling her strength, knocking them out was no big deal for Phoebe. "Wait! We came under the order of King Morgan! Every single one of us is under hismand!" "Be quiet!" Bam! After making even the leader unconscious, Phoebe turned to Reed. "What should we do now?" "For now, tie them all up." Killing them would be a headache. Phoebe turned their robes inside out and tied them with their own belt, making it appear as if their upper bodies were bound in a sack. The so-called ''pumpkin binding¡¯. Exposing everything from their toes to their groin was the best way to suppress a magician. Usually, robes were enchanted with magic resistance spells, making it difficult to sever them with magic. Attempting to forcibly cut them with high-level magic could backfire. ''This is a rather malicious method.'' Despite not aiming to embarrass them, it was an excellent binding technique to induce a sense of shame. The magicians had all been subdued and the family possession spell had failed. Now, only Morgan remained. "Ugh....." Morgan, who had been on the b, woke up. Pain surged through his heavy eyelids with every movement. Everything was as it was before. "Why......?" Morgan hurriedly looked at his hand. Arge, wrinkled hand. Clearly an old man''s hand. It had failed. The magic had failed. Morgan shouted in a voice filled with anger and betrayal. "Why! Why did the magic fail! Commander! What the hell is this......" Morgan, who was about to continue his words, stopped talking when he saw the person who entered his eyes. A man with gray hair and golden eyes. He was leaning back and staring at him. "Nice to see you again, wise king." "The Tower Master of Silence... how did you...?" Even as he spoke, Morgan''s eyes swept the surroundings. All the magicians had already been subdued. Chapter 53.2 "How do you think I got here?" Reed smiled and responded politely. "I knew you were trying to swap bodies with your son here." But Morgan didn''t blink an eye. "What are you talking about! I was kidnapped and brought here! I know nothing! Uh, hurry up and get out of here!" The sight of him hurriedly standing up and acting nonchnt already made Reed nauseous. That''s why he became calmer. "It''s already toote for you to y innocent." "Toote for what......" "The Tower Master of ck Sky has spilled everything. In exchange for giving up your spell." "......" "I''ve heard everything, from your attempts to trap your daughter during the demonstration to the fact that all the incidents that have happened in Cohen City were all done with your approval." "I, I......" "Did you do nothing? Really?" Morgan, still wearing a benevolent face, was taken aback. He tried to make an excuse, but his mouth did not open easily when facing Reed''s eyes. Reed had already seen through everything about him. But Morgan still tried to squeeze out a lie somehow. Then, his mask crumbled first. "Damn, that little wretch....!" Morgan showed hostility as if there was nothing more to hide. Reed greeted him once more. "Hello, Wise King." "How dare you! You dare to spoil my ns?" Morgan pointed his finger at Reed with a sizzling sound. "So you''re not denying it now. That you tried to kill your own daughter and son." Then Morgan chuckled and said. "They are my children who I loved and raised. What''s the problem if I decide to do as I please with them? Every king, every nobleman does the same!" Children are political tools. This is a ce where it ismon to arrange marriages and send daughters off to marry in order to establish friendly rtionships. "But you crossed the line. Do you really think that trapping my daughter in a trap and taking over the body of your son is what a father should do?" "All this is for the kingdom of Hupper. What I''ve achieved, what I''ve created, only I can understand!" Reed quietly looked at him. He asked him in a calm, unemotional, and in tone. "Do you really think others will understand what you''re saying? Do you think your people will praise you as a wise king when they find out that you''ve stolen the life of your own son?" "Wise ones prevent things from happening, while fools clean up after things have happened. Even though the chaos was caused by me, I was the one who cleaned it up! What''s the problem if I use foolish methods to lead foolish people!" Foolish and wise. He was a very wise king when it came to leading the fools. "You remain calm, Morgan Hupper." "The fact that you came in here means that the barrier magic has undoubtedly been broken. If the barrier magic was broken, then the knights will being here." It was a secret move that Morgan had prepared. If an intruder who could break the barrier magic came, it was clear that he would be threatened, so he had prepared to get help from the outside somehow. About an hour had passed since Reed invaded. It wouldn''t be strange if the knights were to rush in right now. Soon, the knights will surround this secret ce ande in. The only ones present were Morgan and his son, Morgan the second, and Reed. It was already decided who they would listen to. Undoubtedly, it would be advantageous for Morgan. "Master of the Silent Tower, I''d appreciate it if you''d stop opposing me any further. Let''s live as if we don''t know each other." Morgan proposed, as if granting mercy. He thought that if he was in the position of the tower master, he would ept it. "That''s good to know." However, that was just Morgan''s thought. Reed spoke,pletely unfazed. "Isn''t this the perfect moment to expose the true nature of human trash like you to the world?" And as if pulling out a trump card, he brought forward the hand that he had been hiding. Morgan''s eyes widened at the sight of what he was holding. Click! -"For the endless prosperity of the Hupper Kingdom!" Undoubtedly his voice. The voice that Morgan had recorded during the demonstration. -"Whose voice does this sound like?" Reed''s voice followed, asking Morgan. The real Morgan couldn''t answer. Knowing already what he had said, he could only tremble. -"Haha, since everyone says so, this voice must undoubtedly be mine." Morgan confirmed. His kind voice turned into a beastly shout a few secondster. -"Damn, that little wretch....!" At the vividly heard shout, Morgan was startled. There was no need to y any more. Regardless of what Morgan might say, his voice would have been very well recorded. "Let''s see if your foolish people understand all of this." Morgan couldn''t speak anymore. Who would have known? That the Master of the Silent Tower had recorded this entire situation with that device. "But..." Morgan managed to utter with difficulty. "Do you think... the knights... will just sit there and listen to that?" "......" "To them, loyalty is everything. Regardless of what I say or what atrocities Imit, they are entities that obey mymand!" He was right. Knights didn''t need logic in their loyalty. Even if hemitted evil deeds, the knights would follow the king. Although he spoke confidently, Reed was not entirely at ease. T/N: Busy with IRL stuff, expect irregr updates. Chapter 54.1 Long live the king (3) Leaving minimal forces in Cohen, the majority of the troops were ascending the initial hills. Soldiers holding torches ascended the mountain, surrounding it gradually. Although the leader of the country was in a dangerous situation, they couldn''t move recklessly. At the forefront were themanders of each knight order and the tacticalmanders. "Hello, everyone." A dragging female voice echoed from the front. Some heard that voice for the first time, while others recognized it. "I am Phoebe Asteria Roton, serving as the secretary and deputy of Silence Tower." "Why is someone from Silence Tower here?" While moving under the guidance of the magicians who had detected the location of the king. They found a person from the Tower of Silence at the crossroads. Given the circumstances, it was natural for them to be suspicious, not knowing the full context. Doner Russelos, themander who had met Phoebe before, approached and shouted. "Deputy of Silence Tower! Nice to meet you! I am Commander Doner Russelos! I was the one came previously regarding the collection issue!" "Oh, Commander Donner, it''s nice to meet you." Phoebe politely greeted, but Donner red at her as if he didn''t intend to ept the courteous greeting. "If it''s not rude, can I ask what is behind you, since you are standing in the way of our army?" In response to Donner''s question, Phoebe answered without concealing anything. ¡°Behind me is a cave. Inside, we have the king and prince of Hupper Kingdom, as well as the Master of Silence Tower." Donner and the knightmanders grew tense. "Then... can I ask if you are involved in the kidnapping incident?" "Of course. The answer to that is ''no'', so it doesn''t matter how many times you ask." "Then there shouldn''t be a problem letting us pass." "Um... that''s a separate issue." Phoebe followed up on that statement by carrying out the order she had received. "The only one who can pass through here is Adonis Hupper, the third knightmander and princess of the Hupper Kingdom." Upon hearing those words, Donner secretly sent a signal while leaning back. "You may not know, but I have better senses than anyone." She said. "The rattling sound of arrows in the quivers, the sound of swords being drawn from their sheaths, and even the heartbeats escting before battle - I can hear them all." In fact, the soldiers who had been preparing their swords and arrows stopped at her words. It wasn''t voluntary. Everyone staring at Phoebe came to aplete halt. Everyone was focused on Phoebe, not even realizing they had stopped themselves. Phoebe smiled. Her smile, illuminated by the moonlight, was as sacred as a devoted priest. "All of you are prepared to sacrifice your lives. You are all ready to face any danger to preserve your light." Phoebe ced her hand on her chest. "I have a light as well, just like all of you. I may not have recited the oath and worn fancy armor, but I have the confidence not to let my light be extinguished by any of you. The person who came to me and became my light when you took it away..." Reed. No matter what suffering or hardship she encountered, Phoebe would smile at the thought of his name. "I follow my light, my master. So if you try to take away my light..." Her tone and the atmosphere of the area changed drastically. "I will not stand idly by." Her golden hair, which looked like fur, floated in the air, releasing the tightly wrapped aura. Everyone could see her eyes, regardless of the distance. Despite the golden pupils, they could feel her eyes narrowing sharply, staring at them. An oppressive feeling that it wouldn''t be strange if at any moment she came closer and thrust her ws. That was the "Dragon Fear." A final boss-level monster skill that lowers the opponent''s ability just by making eye contact and growling. If it were real, their legs would have given out and they would have wet themselves immediately, but Phoebe, a half-dragon who only possesses half of a dragon''s power, couldn''t fully manifest that ability. However, her "Dragon Fear" was enough to suppress the spirits of those weaker than her. If they fought like this, they wouldn''t stand a chance and end up dead. Themanders had to retreat, but they couldn''t help but hesitate in this situation. At that moment, a knight stepped forward and took off his helmet. "Please withdraw your aura, Deputy of the Tower." It was Adonis Hupper, the third knightmander. So, Adonis spoke to her politely. "We also want to avoid unnecessary conflict. We hope that His Majesty and the prince are safe." At her words, Phoebe withdrew her "Dragon Fear." "I will go in alone." Then, Doner, who was standing next to her, grabbed her arm and said. "Are you out of your mind? If the princess goes in as well, everyone from the Hupper family will be captured." "The Tower Master of Silence is not such a cowardly person." "People naturally hide their intentions until they achieve their goals. He might be hiding his intentions as well." "Didn''t I tell you? I can hear everything." Phoebe red at Donner, as if she couldn''t stand him treating Reed like a liar. The scattered aura targeted him more intensely, and Doner had no choice but to let go of Adonis''s arm and step back. Adonis walked towards her. ''He might be hiding his true nature until the end.'' She didn''t ignore Doner''s words. Reed is a foreigner and a tower magician opposing the workshop. If it were the her before the demonstration, she would not have trusted Reed. However... Now she was in a situation where she couldn''t trust her own father, the king she should serve. Moreover, when she thought about what had happened so far, it didn''t seem like Reed had kidnapped the king and prince, no matter how she thought about it. "I will go alone. Please forgive themander''s slip of the tongue." Phoebe''s half-floating hair returned to normal. Phoebe smiled and gave Adonis a polite expression of gratitude. "Thank you, Knight Commander." Her gentle tone had returned. The soldiers who had been holding their breath all sighed in relief. Adonis passed Phoebe and entered the cave. Her eyes widened as she passed through the narrow cave and arrived in the spacious interior. ''What is this ce?'' It wasn''t an borate ce, but it was undoubtedly a cave prepared for a long time. There, Reed was waiting with his back leaning. "Wee, Miss Adonis." "What is this situation? And this..." Adonis looked at the bound magicians, and Reed waved his hand as if it was nothing. "They are magicians. All of them fainted, so you can think of them as useless rock." She no longer had any doubts about the magicians. The two stone tablets in front of her, Morgan lying on top of them, and the prince were what mattered. Adonis cautiously asked. "Can you exin what''s going on?" Reed nodded and exined everything to her. The fact that the King had been researching possession magic in coboration with the tower magician. And the fact that he tried to continue his life by borrowing Morgan the Second''s body - he revealed everything. Adonis was greatly shaken. "There''s no way... His Majesty, no matter what, would not have dabbled in such dark magic." As a family member and the king she served, Adonis''s first priority was to deny the facts he had told her. She was a knight and a daughter, so Reed understood that point as well. "Let''s do this then." "What do you mean?" "Miss Adonis, please step back. Stay in a ce where the light doesn''t reach and watch quietly." "And...?" "When His Majesty wakes up, I will talk to him. I will ask if everything I''ve said is true. When the conversation is over, you can appear. No, you cane out whenever you don''t need to hear any more of the conversation." "..." Adonis, who did not fully understand and wanted to know the truth, had no reason to refuse the conditions. "Understood." Adonis nodded and retreated to a ce without light, as he had said. Shortly after, Morgan groaned and got up. Chapter 54.2 The knight''s mask was broken. Adonis, who had heard everything, didn''t know what expression to make and just looked down at Morgan silently. Morgan clenched his fists, thinking of only one thing: Could it be that the Knights arrived sooner and Adonis heard everything?!¡¯ "Is everything... true?" Adonis asked in a trembling voice. "Is it true that you tried to take away my brother and my life?" "It''s not. It was just a moment of excitement that made me say something strange. How could I want to kill you? How would I try to kill your sibling?" He pretended not to know, but Adonis wouldn''t fall for that obvious lie. Her pent-up frustration finally burst. "Why? Why are you still lying? Why! Why is the father who raised me lying to me!" Adonis clutched her chest. Her pounding heart felt as if it would burst at any moment. "If you didn''t like me, why didn''t you tell me? If I couldn''t fill the void with my abilities, I would have stepped down for the sake of the Hupper Kingdom. But Father... Father, why didn''t you even say that when I devoted everything to you!" Morgan replied to her words. "I just did what I had to for my country. This country can only survive if I lead it." "So, you tried to use my brother, who mother gave birth to at the cost of her own life, as a tool to extend your life?" She used to be jealous of her younger brother ¡ª the brother that made her loathe herself ¡ª but all of it was a scheme set up by their father. The betrayal of her family. She felt a sense of loss, as if her soul had been torn into a million pieces and scattered like fog. Morgan Hupper stood up abruptly and shouted. "I am Morgan Hupper! The first king of the Hupper Kingdom, the king who made it an independent country! How can I entrust everything to inexperienced people like you when the foundation has not yet been properly established!" "How can you say such foolish things? For your reputation, Father, I''ve faced every kind of danger! Did you n to use me like a hunting dog and then discard me?" "How would you understand my will?" Communication was impossible. As Adonis listened to his words, she realized one thing. There was no longer the wise king she knew. The father she had admired and served was gone. "I... I was betrayed by the person I was trying to protect." "What, what are you doing?" Adonis drew her dagger and approached Morgan. Morgan faltered in his ce. "If I was inadequate as a princess and a knight, it''s certainly my fault. So..." Adonis handed Morgan her dagger. Then she knelt down on the spot and closed her eyes. Clear tears streamed down. "Kill me right here, right now." He thought it was insane. However, Reed couldn''t move easily. ''Adonis wants to believe until the end.'' She wants to believe in her family even to the point of risking her life. Holding her breath, she waited for Morgan''s choice. For a while, Morgan looked down at the dagger and muttered to Adonis. "This is... all for the Hupper Kingdom." He raised the dagger above his head. He aimed at Adonis''s neck. "So I have no hesitation in my actions!" At the moment when he was about to strike Adonis''s neck. "Cough... cough..." Morgan Hupper dropped the dagger he was holding and clutched his chest. "Cough..." Morgan sat on the stone b, trembling all over. It was a heart attack. He was so frail that it wouldn''t have been surprising for him to die at any moment. Cornered in this situation, his heart failed. No one helped Morgan as his eyes began to dim. Foaming at the mouth, Morgan died pathetically. Adonis cautiously opened her eyes. "Until the end... you didn''t even hug me." If he had thrown away the dagger and hugged her. If he had sincerely repented and apologized for his mistakes. Perhaps she would have felt her father still alive in her cold heart. Adonis realized that her father was really dead and cried silently. With one hand, she pinched her lips to hold back the sorrow, and with the other hand, she wiped away the tears. Someone approached Adonis like that. A very small hand gently hugged her back. "Sister..." It was Morgan the Second. "Don''t be sad, sister." Adonis carefully stood up and looked at Morgan the Second. His own golden hair, just like hers. Green eyes, just like hers. A face just like their mother''s. "Morgan..." And the only treasure she had. "My one and only... brother." Morgan the Second gently smiled and wrapped his arms around Adonis''s head. Buried in the chest of her brother, Adonis shed tears. "I''m still here, sister. I, Morgan, am on your side more than anyone else." "I''m sorry. Please forgive me for hating you, for being so jealous of you." "We bothmitted great sins against each other. Neither of us is in a position to forgive the other for the huge sins we''vemitted." Morgan the Secondforted her, holding her head like an egg. Time passed for a moment like that. Adonis got up from his embrace. As the whirlwind of emotions subsided, Reed stepped in. "Lady Adonis, Prince Morgan, what will you do now?" Adonis looked down at the dead Morgan with calm eyes, flushed red. In their heart, a desire for vengeance against their father red up. Chapter 55.1 Long Live the King (4) Adonis, biting her lips and clenching her fists, opened her mouth. "I will inform the people of all the wrongdoingsmitted by the king." The chaos caused for the sake of the title of a wise king. The n to drive herself out in the demonstration. And even the use of ck magic on the prince. She will reveal all the things she hadmitted for his own honor and greed. It was enough for Morgan''s honor to be trampled to the ground. "You can''t do that, sister." Morgan the Second opposed her opinion. Adonis doubted her ears. Her anger surged, but she managed to stay calm and asked him. "Do you still say that knowing what kind of wrongdoings hemitted?" "I heard everything. The conversations between the master of the Silence Tower and the king, and all the conversation you had with him." "Even after hearing that story...are you not angry?" Adonis couldn''t understand the calm Morgan the Second. Right now, the one most scared should have been Morgan the Second, who almost lost his body, but he stood even more calmly than himself. "Although father spread chaos in Cohen for the sake of the title of ''Wise King'' and tried to kill us, revealing his wrongdoings would ultimately lead the Kingdom to ruin." "Do you mean...you will continue what he has done?" "If we reveal his wrongdoings, the people of the Hupper Kingdom, as well as the surrounding areas, will be threatened. If division urs, everyone will suffer in the end." "..." "You have to remember the people you wanted to protect. Think about the people, not the king." At Morgan''s gentle persuasion, Adonis realized that her reasoning was not rational. It was true. The one whomitted the crime was Morgan alone. It had nothing to do with the people. "But... I can''t forgive him. I..." "It''s not about forgiveness. This is revenge, sister." Morgan looked up at Adonis with serious eyes and said. "We will take away everything he ever wanted. By cherishing it and leading it on the right path, we will bring prosperity to the Hupper Kingdom. We will show that he was wrong." "Do you think... that will be possible?" Adonis was anxious. She had always been afraid of seeding the throne. How would she march the achievements of previous king? Maybe she would not be able to do anything obscured by the glory of her predecessors. "If it''s you, sister, it''s definitely possible." Morgan the Second smiled. *** The cold wind came down from the north. Winter had arrived. Reed, wearing a warm coat, adjusted Rosaria''s white fur coat cor. Half-asleep Rosaria asked Reed with half-closed eyes. "Where are we going?" "It''s a coronation ceremony." "Coronation ceremony?" "It''s the event where we go to see the next king. Doesn''t it sound fun?" "It sounds fun." Rosaria rubbed her sleepy eyes and giggled. Reed tightened her scarf to prevent her from catching a cold in the chilly wind. He held Rosaria''s hand and walked. They were heading to the main street of Cohen. There, many people were climbing up the road towards Cohen Castle. Despite the early hour, there were already enough people gathered in the central square of the castle to fill half of the square. Two months had passed since Morgan Hupper''s death. Now, the people of Cohen and the surrounding small viges were waiting to watch the coronation ceremony. "It''s crowded." Rosaria puffed up her cheeks and looked up. "Do you not like it?" "I can''t see where the kinges out from here." Rosaria tried to look up by tiptoeing and jumping, but she was far from being able to surpass the height of adult men. Reed grabbed such Rosaria and lifted her up to sit on his shoulders. "Alright, up you go!" "Kyahaha! I can see well!" Rosaria burst intoughter as she could see clearly ahead. Borrowing the height of tall Reed, Rosaria could see clearly ahead. Rosaria murmured as she ced her hands on Reed''s head. "There''s no horns like Phoebe Unni." "You won''t fall as long as you don''t move." "Okay." Reed quietly looked up at the terrace. He saw the figure of a trumpeter holding a long horn to his mouth. "Rosaria." "Huh?" "Watch carefully. This is the perspective people look up to see the king." Shortly after, the horn sound echoed from the terrace overlooking the square. The thunderous cheers of the people filling the square resonated, filling Cohen Castle. Soon after, the future king appeared on the terrace wearing a crown and a red cloak. It was the still 9-year-old Morgan Hupper the Second. -People of Cohen! People of the Hupper Kingdom! The voice was so majestic that it was hard to believe it was from someone so young and small. -My father, the king, sacrificed everything for me and returned to the arms of Althea! Although the golden age of the Hupper Kingdom has not yete, no one can deny that he dedicated himself more than anyone else for the Hupper Kingdom! With a clear, resonating voice, he continued to praise Morgan Hupper. -I will follow the will of my father, who was praised as the wise king! I will dedicate myself to the prosperity of the Hupper Kingdom, fight for the weak, and act ording to the will of the light! Morgan the Second clenched his fist. -People of the Hupper Kingdom! Follow me! My strength will bee through your voices! Shout out loud so that no one can ignore the Hupper Kingdom! And he shouted towards the sky. -For the endless prosperity of the Hupper Kingdom! At the same time as the young king''s cry, everyone gathered in the square raised their fists towards the sky. "For the endless prosperity of the Hupper Kingdom!" "For the endless prosperity of the Hupper Kingdom!" "Oh, Althea, watch over our king!" "Oh, Althea, watch over our king!" The heat of the square burned without cooling down in the cold winter. Morgan Hooper is dead. The six wizards who practiced ck magic also died. At first, he suspected that Phoebe might have failed to control her power, but they were already poisoned. There was no doubt that Morgan nned to discard them after the ritual was sessful. In the end, only the Hupper siblings, Reed, Phoebe, and the supportive Freesia knew the truth behind the self-kidnapping incident. Yet, nobody mentioned the truth. For a more perfect revenge, they lied about the kidnapping incident. Chapter 55.2 Morgan loved his son. He secretly conducted ck magic with the magicians to share his remaining life for his dying son, and because of that, both the magicians and Morgan lost their lives. There were those who doubted his death, but no one stepped forward to investigate it. It was because Morgan II''s health, which had always been poor, miraculously started to improve. Because of that, Adonis realized that Morgan had a hand in her brother''s health as well. However, it didn''t matter now. Everything he tried to take away was in the hands of the siblings. In the end, Morgan''s fame was elevated even more through his death. But does fame have any meaning to the dead? Morgan the Second. He was a boy with a calmness and uniqueness that was hard to believe for a 9-year-old. Morgan''s sudden death raised the issue of session. He had not written a will during his lifetime. Thus, many people expected a struggle between the siblings. However, contrary to everyone''s concerns, the wise king, Morgan''s throne, was taken by Morgan the Second. The one who strongly insisted on putting him on the throne was Adonis himself. Unlike her who was engulfed in anger, Morgan II remained calm. She saw the qualities of a king in him when he chose revenge by taking away everything Morgan wanted, not a futile outburst towards a corpse. Morgan epted her suggestion and proposed one thing. -Although I will inherit the throne, I am still only a 9-year-old child. Surely other kingdoms will underestimate us. Therefore, please, sister, help me lead this country together with me as a regent. Adonis was like a deep-rooted tree, and Morgan was like a reed. She had a strong personality, but her tender heart could break in the face of unbearable winds. On the other hand, Morgan had a gentle personality, yet he possessed a resilience that allowed him to bend without breaking in any wind. In the end, the future of Morgan the Second bing king did not change. However, it was a future created by the Hupper siblings. *** Cohen Castle reception room. Three people sat at a table with beautiful refreshments. "How was the coronation ceremony?" The young king with blond hair and green eyes, Morgan Hupper the Second, sitting on the opposite side, asked Reed. "It was very impressive. My daughter also followed along and cheered." "For the endless prosperity!" Rosaria shouted once again. The snack she had in her mouth dribbled out. "Rosaria, didn''t I tell you not to talk while eating?" "Oops." Reed wiped the spilled snack off his clothes. Morgan the Second smiled as he watched. "You could have watched by my side as I had invited you." "It didn''t seem right for someone who is not a citizen of the Hupper Kingdom to watch from a ce where close associates should be, so I stepped back." "What are you talking about? Aren''t you the benefactor who gave me first aid?" Morgan the Second smiled. Now, the Master of the Silence Tower was the protagonist of a heroic tale. He was the first to rush to the scene upon sensing an anomaly in mana, corrected the almost failed ck magic, and dramatically saved Morgan II. In fact, it was half-true since he did save Morgan the Second from almost dying. Reed sipped his tea and asked Morgan the Second. "What are your ns for the future?" "I have to make amends for everything my father has done. I have repaid all the promissory notes and sent priests to calm the unrest among the people." Morgan the Second spared no effort to clean up the chaos that Morgan had induced. Those who had attempted robbery were forgiven, and those who hadmitted robbery were treated leniently ording to their crimes. ''It would be perfect if we could release the people who were only intended for research.'' Although she couldn''t release everyone, Freesia promised to release all the people who were not used in the experiments. As Freesia, who knew Morgan''s despicable side, kept her mouth shut, the Hupper Kingdom also didn''t question her right or wrong. "Still, I''m worried." "What are you worried about?" "I feel like I understand how easy it was for my father to create intentional chaos and fix it afterward. It seems difficult to gain support just by implementing good policies." "You must not fall into a bad path. If you repeat the same mistakes as the wise king, you will fall into the abyss." Reed cautiously warned. At the bitter words, Morgan the Second smiled and looked at Reed quietly. "As expected, you are a good person, Tower Master." "Suddenly, you''re giving me embarrassingpliments." "My subjects always warned me to be wary of the magicians of the tower. However, no matter how many times I think about it, you don''t seem like someone who would harbor ill intentions towards us. You must be a good person since you saved my sister and me." "You''re right!" Rosaria, who swallowed the snack, agreed with Morgan''s opinion. There was a reason why she suddenly praised him. "So, I have a suggestion. Why don''t our Hooper Kingdom and the Silent Tower form an alliance?" "An alliance... you say?" "It''s a matter approved by all the magicians of the workshop." The HupperKingdom had its own magic workshop. Requesting an alliance with the magicians of the tower, instead of the magicians of such workshops, was unprecedented, if not the first. "Magic engineering is a study for the people, not the magicians. I believe it is the way for the welfare of the people, and it will undoubtedly be the basis of my support." "I see." "Of course, it''s not just about us gaining benefits. We will support everything you desire, Master of Tower." Reed listened to his words and thought about what he could gain. ''Not only knowledge, but we could also obtain minerals from the mountains and the carcasses of subjugated monsters.'' The Hupper Kingdom could exert influence where Silence Tower¡¯s didn''t reach and quickly secure research resources, so it was a good suggestion. "As it involves both the tower and the workshop, we should have a conference... If there''s no leakage of information, other magicians would undoubtedly approve as well. Let''s try to persuade them." "Thank you. And..." Morgan the Second, who had been talking smoothly, suddenly hesitated with his lips. And his eyes turned back to Reed. "By any chance... do you know about strategic marriages?" Upon hearing those words, Reed was taken aback. Chapter 56.1 Children will say anything (1) A political marriage. There''s no way he doesn''t know about it. Isn''t it about using children as a tool to solidify one''s position? The world view of was basically a medieval-based fantasy, so political marriages weremon. Yes, it''s a verymon thing. Thunk. Reed roughly put down the teacup he was holding. He was so shaken that If he had even a little bit of tea in his mouth, he might have spat it out. Morgan II didn''t notice his agitation, and Reed cautiously asked him with a trembling heart. "Do you happen to be interested?" "Well... I''m a bit embarrassed to say, but I am." The smile on Reed''s face disappearedpletely. The world must being to an end. A 9-year-old kid is interested in political marriage. Rosaria, who was munching on a snack, turned her head quickly and asked. "What is a political marriage?" "It means getting married. A man and a woman be a pair." "Marriage!" Rosaria''s eyes sparkled at the word. On the other hand, Reed became very serious and worried. ¡®Could it be about Rosaria?'' They had met once at the demonstration, and it wasn''t unreasonable for him to fall deeply for Rosaria''s energetic charm. At least, that''s what Reed thought. But it still is ridiculous. Reed decided to draw a firm line with him, putting strength into his eyes. "I''m sorry, Your Majesty. My daughter is too young and has a lot to learn. More than anything, she''s still a young child who can''t properly express her own opinions, so it seems unreasonable for me to do such a thing on my own." "Huh? Oh, I see." Morgan II blinked his eyes with a puzzled expression. Then, realizing the meaning, heughed and said. "I did say it was a political marriage, but I have no intention of marrying Rosaria. So, you don''t have to worry about that happening." "¡­Is that so?" Reed felt even worse when he heard that there was no interest, and it was somehow unpleasant in its own way. What''s wrong with my daughter that you say such a thing? Unknowingly, Reed''s eyes filled with strength as he looked at Morgan II. [T/N: What a doting father lol] Morgan II corrected his words again, seeing Reed''s reaction. "Well... to put it another way, I think of her like my younger sister. A cute younger sister. I want to cherish and support her, but she''s not someone I want to marry. Don''t you have such feelings? That''s what I mean." "I see." Reed sighed with relief. If it''s not about Rosaria, why did he bring up that story? "Then, whose story is it about political marriage?" "It''s about my sister." "Sister... you mean." There was no need to think further. It was not Rosaria and Morgan II, but Reed and Adonis. ''My head goes nk when it''s about me.'' When it was about Rosaria, there was shock, fear, and anger swirling. But now, it felt like a literal typhoon was raging. "I know you are unmarried." "There''s a reason for that." "I''ve heard that mages don''t start families to focus on their research. But since you have Rosaria, it seems like you have thought about having a family." "There are still many things I haven''t done for this child. Moreover, I''ve already broken off an engagement in the past... Please understand." "I suppose I''ve overstepped my bounds. I apologize, Tower Master." Morgan II raised his cup with an apologetic face. Seeing him, Reed suddenly had a doubt. ''Is this child... really 9 years old?'' His face was filled with innocence, but his words were frighteningly mature. ''He will surely be a great politician in the future.'' Reed was convinced that he would be an even more outstanding figure than the former king, Morgan. As Morgan II looked at his tea, he casually threw out a question. "Is my sistercking in some way?" Reed quickly exined in response to his question. "No, that''s not the case. I just don''t know much about Lady Adonis yet, but I''ve never thought that her charm wascking." "Well, they say that a man and a woman can understand each other''s charm at a single nce. Do you think my sistercks femininity?" Femininity. Reed was well aware of Adonis''s femininity, having already seen many of her charms. Morgan II spoke with a confident expression. "Then let me tell you about my sister''s femininity." "I don''t think that''s a good idea." "What could be wrong with a story about my sister? If you hear this story, you''ll undoubtedly think differently about her." What could be wrong? The reason was, of course, Adonis standing behind Morgan. Adonis Hupperwas looking down at him with ghostly eyes. Morgan, unaware of such facts, continued his story about Adonis. "Everyone used to call her the ghost of the Cohen Kingdom, but she''s really scared of frogs. Once, when she saw a frog, she jumped back in fear, and when I caught it for her, she stepped back. How feminine..." "Morgan." Morgan flinched at the sound of his name being called. It was purely because he was startled by the sudden call, not because he was caught talking bad about her. Morgan II looked at Adonis with an innocent face and said. "Sister! I was just telling a story about you!" "That''s a nice story. But now, would you please step aside so that the adults can continue talking?" "There''s still a lot to talk about..." "Will you not step aside?" Her terrifying power weighed down on his shoulders. Unable to resist her pressure, Morgan got up from his seat. "Alright. Rosaria, would you like to go to my room while the adults continue the conversation?" "What''s in the room?" "I don''t have any toys, but I heard that you like books, Rosaria. Let''s read a fairy tale together." "Fairy tales! Great!" Rosaria, tired of eating snacks, wiped her mouth and got up from her seat. Seeing her walking hand in hand with her brother-like Morgan, Reed couldn''t help but worry if he really didn''t have any feelings for her. Chapter 56.2 As they disappeared, Reed looked up at the woman with green eyes, just like Morgan. "Miss Hupper." "Tower Master." They exchanged light greetings, and Adonis sat down in Morgan''s seat. The first thing she took out was Reed''s handkerchief. "This is the handkerchief you lent me before." "I told you that you could throw it away, but you ended up keeping it with you." "How can I throw away something that belongs to my benefactor?" Reed put the neatly folded handkerchief in his pocket. Then he noticed a change in Adonis. "You''ve grown your hair." "Is it noticeable? It hasn''t grown much yet." It was impossible not to notice. Before, her hair was like a man''s long hair, but now it was styled into a fresh and feminine bob cut. A beautiful woman with bright blonde hair and green eyes. Reed, who liked long-haired women, thought that the short hair didn''t look bad on Adonis either. "How long do you n to grow it?" "At least long enough not to be embarrassed when I''m with the king. I''ll be seen a lot in public." "Are you quitting being a knight?" "I''ve be a regent leading the country, but my ultimate goal is to protect my brother. I can''t neglect my training to fulfill my duties." Hearing Adonis''s words, Reed took a look at her status window. Three unreleased traits. "Sura''s Sword", "Magic Swordsman", "Sword Master". "Sura''s Sword" is the path to her bad ending. "Magic Swordsman" or "Sword Master" would be the path to her normal or happy ending. ''How is her magical talent?'' Her Mana Sensitivity and Magic levels are not very high, but if her incredible strength and magic arebined, even Sword Masters who are known for their swordsmanshipwould run away crying. ''There''s no need to tell her now.'' It wouldn''t be toote to talk about it after the political situation bes stable, and she steps onto the path of a sword master. "Um... " Adonis carefully opened her mouth. "Please don''t think too deeply about the marriage. He''s still a young king and makes many slips of the tongue." "Young children tend to say everything they know. How scary innocence can be." "I believe you are an attractive man, Tower Master, but since the situation is unstable, but ignoring your thoughts and forcing you would be ufortable for both of us..." "I understand what you''re saying. Don''t worry, I wasn''t offended." Adonis finally closed her mouth. Marriage. Both Adonis and Reed avoided each other''s gaze and only drank their tea. Having run out of topics to continue the conversation, they remained silent for a while before Reed finally spoke. "¡­Are you afraid of frogs?" "¡­" ''I messed up. Why did I bring up this topic?'' Adonis, who had been expressionless, bowed her head and hid her face behind her hand. "I had a lot of nightmares about frogs when I was young. Even though I''m not scared of them now, but... whenever I see their smooth skin and bulging cheeks, it still creeps me out." "I understand how you feel." "Fortunately, a knight''s job isn''t to catch those disgusting creatures, but to kill monsters." The woman who could snap ogres in half was still afraid of frogs. It was a somewhat human and cute side of her. "Only my brother and you know about this. Please don''t spread it anywhere." "Of course, Miss Hupper." "Please call me Adonis." "Miss Adonis." Reed smiled to reassure her. "Come to think of it, you didn''t be a king." "I made such a promise." "I''m sorry. I couldn''t keep the promise." "There''s no need to be sorry. It was my decision to refuse. If I had be king forcibly, I wouldn''t have been able to forgive myself." If that''s what Adonis wanted, Reed epted it willingly. Reed stared at her quietly. "Miss Adonis, are you happy?" At the same time as Reed''s question, a faint rose scent wafted in. It was the first time he realized. That the always expressionless Adonis could smile so beautifully. "I''m more than happy." *** The weekend at the Silence Tower. The magicians took maintenance time and umted mana in the mana pir. In Rosaria''s room, the once-a-week education session was underway. Dolores Jade. A genius magician who became the youngest Archmage and the Tower Master of the Wallin Tower. Under the pretext of a hobby, she came to the tower every weekend and conducted Rosaria''s studies. "Do you understand what I taught you today?" "I still don''t know very well." "I''ll give you homework based on what you learned today. You don''t have to solve everything, but you have to solve it alone without asking others." "I don''t like homework¡­" Rosaria puffed up her cheeks. Doloresughed and poked Rosaria''s cheek with her finger. Although she was undoubtedly a child, Dolores still couldn''t fully grasp Rosaria''s abilities. ''She''s still weak in calctions and such...'' She wasn''t proficient in handling numbers, only knowing addition and subtraction. ''But her magic is on par with mine...'' The problem was that she could solve college-level mathematical forms with just addition and subtraction. At first nce, she seemed like an ordinary girl, but within hery the dormant potential of a genius among geniuses. The world of magic is like mathematics. Rather than relying solely on intuition, one must understand and derive the form to be a stable magician. ''I have no choice but to figure it out quickly.'' To make Rosaria an excellent magician. That was Dolores'' current goal. "Hey, Dolores Unni." "Yeah?" "Papa said¡­" Papa. That''s what Rosaria called Reed. Rosaria tried to talk to Dolores about many topics. Especially about Reed. Whenever that happened, Dolores felt her heart tighten. And a strange sense of anticipation, like scratching a lottery ticket, enveloped her. What story would it be today? What did Reed do? Did he talk about me, perhaps? Even trivial stories didn''t matter. As long as it was rted to Reed. Still, if it was a story about herself, that would be so nice... If he thought of her even a little bit, Dolores felt there would be nothing happier. Feeling a strange excitement, Dolores unknowingly twirled her hair with her finger. She waited for Rosaria to speak, and Rosaria smiled brightly and said, "Papa is getting married!" Dolores'' eyes trembled. [T/N:- Emotional Damage] Chapter 57.1 Children will say Anything (2) Dolores blinked her eyes and looked down at Rosaria. Then, she smiled awkwardly. However, she couldn''t get rid of that awkward smile. "Uh, um... what did you say?" Dolores asked Rosaria again, thinking she might have heard it wrong. "Daddy''s getting married to Adonis Unni for political reasons!" "A, a political marriage? Not the young prince and Rosaria?" "Yeah! Morgan said if Adonis Unni marries Papa, they''ll be wealthy!" "Oh, I see..." Dolores, who was about to finish her private tutoring and get up, couldn''t easily lift her hips. She kept her gaze far away and nkly mulled over Rosaria''s words. "Unni, what''s wrong?" "Uh... huh? Oh, nothing. Just make sure you do your homework." "Ugh..." Dolores got up from her seat, and Rosaria reluctantly saw her off with a displeased face. When Dolores came out of the room, she leaned against the door and nkly looked up at the Mana pir again. An indescribable emotion. Dolores tried to calm her emotions by cing her hand on her chest. ''Is it... betrayal?'' That''s how she felt when she first heard it from Rosaria. She imagined Reed finding a new nest right after breaking off the engagement. Dolores herself had never even imagined being connected to another man, yet Reed was recing his partner as if flipping the back of his hand. Even if it was a political marriage, how could he do such a thing while his former fianc¨¦e was right next to him? ''I don''t want to get married again, but I don''t want to see him go to another woman¡­'' Dolores knew that she was being selfish. But the sadness that came from deep within her heart... "No, no..." Dolores shook her head vigorously, trying to shake off those distracting thoughts. "There must have been a misunderstanding. Children say anything." Young children don''t know how to filter properly, nor do they know how to speak. Rather than misunderstanding like this, it would be better to hear it from the person himself. Dolores went up to the top floor, pping her reddened face with her hands. She found Phoebe, who was working in front of the Tower Master''s office. "Excuse me, Deputy Tower Master?" Upon seeing Dolores, Phoebe greeted her with a warm smile. "Oh, the Tower Master of Wallin! Have you finished tutoring the youngdy?" "Yes, is the Tower Master of Silence inside?" "Oh, the Tower Master went to Cohen today. If you have a message to leave, I''ll pass it on for you." Cohen is the capital of the HupperKingdom. Being intelligent, Dolores knew that much. However, the fact that he went to Cohen weighed heavily on Dolores'' heart. "No, it''s really nothing... I can talk to himter." "Is that so? Alright then." Phoebe smiled brightly, and Dolores headed back to the elevator. Then, she approached Phoebe to try to ease her mind a little. "Um... It''s about Adonis Hupper, themander of the Knights of Hupper." "Oh, you mean the Knight Commander?" "Do you know what she looks like?" "Yes~. I have a portrait of her." "Why do you have a portrait... Nevermind, can you show it to me?" Dolores was curious about the face of this Adonis. Phoebe handed her a piece of paper with a smile, and Dolores unfolded it. Bright blonde hair, green eyes, and an elegant short cut. Despite her position as the Knight Commander, she had a subtle smile on his face. "Hehe..." From her facial features to below her neck, there was no denying that she was a beautiful woman. Dolores tried not to see her as she was. ''When drawing a portrait of a woman from a royal or noble family, they always add some retouching...'' When it''s difficult to meet face-to-face due to distance, they send portraits to boast about their daughter''s beauty. There are more than a few men who shed tears at their first meeting, deceived by the retouched beauty. Dolores thought this portrait was also retouched and tried to find a w in it. There must be some awkward part somewhere. Then she felt pathetic for her ugly jealousy and tightly closed her eyes. She returned the portrait to Phoebe and asked her. "What do you think?" "She''s really beautiful. The Tower Master gave her a dress and jewelry as a gift, and I heard that men lined up to ask her for a dance~." "Is that so? He gave her dress and jewelry as gifts?" Dolores blinked at the words she couldn''t ignore. Phoebe tilted her head at her reaction. "Yes, is there a problem?" "No, there''s no problem. I mean, it''s not my money, and it doesn''t matter who he bought it for..." It really didn''t matter. If Dolores were her usual self, she would have either said ''Is that so?'' and moved on, or given a light jab like You''re quite brazen.'' However, since the word "marriage" was swirling in her head, the words were anything but light. ''Does buying her a dress mean... they went shopping together?'' She inadvertently imagined Reed walking around with the short-haired beauty. And even the sight of herself watching them from afar, looking utterly pathetic. ''It''s not like that. It won''t be.'' Dolores denied it once more. She closed her eyes tightly and shook off those distracting thoughts again. Worrying alone can be frustrating. Dolores nced down at Phoebe. Chapter 57.2 Phoebe Asteria Roton. She was more loyal to the Tower Master than anyone else, and anyone with a bit of sense would know she had feelings for him. ''I''ve never really worried about the Deputy Tower Master...'' Their rtionship was closer to that of a pet than person to person, and they both acknowledged it, so she had never imagined them being together. So she wondered if she was being too sensitive and asked Phoebe. "Deputy Tower Master." "Yes, Tower Master of Wallin." "What would you think if the Tower Master... got married?" Hesitation. The pen that had been writing smoothly came to a sudden halt. A beatter, Phoebe lifted her head and answered the question. "As long as the Tower Master is happy, I don''t mind." "Is that so?" Seeing Phoebe''s calm demeanor, Dolores wondered if she was being too sensitive. But looking at Phoebe''s face, she knew. She was just as shaken as herself. "I don''t mind~." "I see." "As long as the Tower Master is happy, that''s my happiness, and with that happiness, I''m happy, and even if I can''t be happy, seeing the Tower Master''s happy face will make me happy again, and with that happiness, I''ll be happyyyyyyyy..." [T/N: ¡­.] *** The red sky carriage descended from the sky andnded on the tiled floor. The door of the sky carriage opened, and out came the Tower Master of Silence, Reed. Today was the day of the regr Tower Master''s meeting, so he was on his way to the conference hall. Reed casually checked the standing carriages. ''It''s not there.'' Confirming that the carriage was not there, Reed breathed a sigh of relief. As he walked towards the conference hall, "Hey, Reed." As soon as he heard that voice, Reed''s face contorted. Reed thought about speeding up his pace to avoid it, but he knew that doing so would only cause his ankle to be caught by a shadow, so he stopped. Turning his head, he saw a cheeky little girl dressed in a Goth-loli dress. ck hair and red eyes. A youthful face that was hard to believe was of a 131-year-old. It was Freesia Vulcan Darkrider. "Look at your face. Did you eat something wrong? Don''t tell me you''re making that face just by seeing my dragon''s eye?" "¡­Are you at peace?" "I''m not at peace. Every day is painful." "¡­I''m d to hear that." "What?" As soon as he said that, Freesia kicked Reed''s calf. It wasn''t a full-power kick, but it was enough damage to irritate Reed''s nerves. "When will you keep your promise?" "¡­Didn''t I say I would keep it?" "Hurry up and keep your promise. I''ll keep kicking you until you do." "Stop it. It''s not appropriate for Tower Masters to behave like this." Even when told to stop, she didn''t. Reed had made a contract with Freesia to stop Morgan. -Give up the Bloodline Possession technique, and in exchange, grant her the death she desires. Since it was an urgent situation, no penalty for the contract was discussed. Although it wasn''t thorough, there was no choice since the situation was urgent. Freesia was capricious and ruthless in character, but she was always thorough when it came to contracts if she wanted something. She even strictly followed any penalties for contract termination. The penalty sheter set was this: -Allow physical contact with the other party if they do not sincerely fulfill the contract. At first, he wondered what that physical contact would be. He thought it would be a safe matter since the master of ck magic said she wouldn''t use magic, but she tormented him in a different way. Every time she found Reed, she would approach him menacingly, smirk, and kick his calf with her foot. She acted like a primary school student, making it hard to believe she was a 131-year-old woman. What''s strange is that she always managed to find Reed one step ahead and appear by his side. He had to endure such brutal assaults with her wicked face. ''This is the most cruel.'' Her actions caused physical damage, but the psychological damage was the greatest. He felt so embarrassed that he wanted to die. Helios, the chairman, looked at Reed pitifully. ''Maybe this is her true nature?'' It was far from her image in . Although she showed a capricious and whining attitude like a child, she had never approached Reed in this way and yed the role of an annoying brat. ''She''s really an unpredictable person.'' He regretted making a useless contract. Butining is a foolish act. He nurtured his hatred for killing her and hoped for a future where he could do so. As he entered the conference hall while being assaulted by Freesia, there was an unexpected person standing there. It was Dolores. She greeted him politely first. "Hello." "Hello." "Hi." The greetings alone were strangely awkward. Dolores nced at Reed and Freesia, and then asked Freesia for permission. "I''m sorry, Tower Master of ck Sky, but I have something to talk to the Tower Master of Silence about. Can you give us a moment?" Despite such a polite request, Freesia tilted her head and ignored it. "I don''t want to." "It''s a private matter." "Whether it''s private or public, sticking to it is my choice. He has a contract with me, so I can do as I please. Like this, he has no choice but to stay still, right?" Freesia poked him with her fists and feet. Reed sighed and asked Dolores for understanding. "Let''s talkter if it''s not urgent." "Um¡­" Dolores fiddled with her fingers. She had been agonizing over this question for several days. She hade earlier than usual with the determination to ask him as soon as she saw Reed. ''It''s probably nothing important anyway.'' So Dolores decided to ignore Freesia and ask. "Do you know someone named Adonis Hupper?" "Adonis Huper? Oh, are you talking about Adonis?" "Ah, Adonis¡­" He called her by her name, not by her title. Dolores felt her lips getting dry. As Reed was about to answer her, Freesia interrupted him. "Adonis? It''s been a while since I''ve heard that name." "Do you know that name, Tower Master of ck Sky?" It was unusual for Freesia to know someone''s name. She nodded her head. "I know." Freesia patted Reed''s back as she answered. "The reason this guy has been so botheredtely is because of that woman." "¡­What?" "Well, he was trying to help her brother, but ultimately, it''s no different than making a contract with me because of that woman." Reed looked down at Freesia and said, "Why are you saying such things?" "Isn''t it true?" "It''s true, but if you say it like that, won''t I look like a strange guy?" "What do I care?" Freesiaughed, and Reed sighed once again. He tried to exin himself as he looked up at Dolores, but his words were stuck. Dolores was staring at Reed with a shocked expression. Chapter 58.1 Escolleia (1) "The Tower Master of Wallin?" Reed cautiously called out to her. "No... it''s not." Dolores swallowed her breath and bit her lips tightly. Then, without listening to the rest of the conversation, she turned around and walked away. A bewildering situation. Even Freesia raised her eyebrows at Dolores'' behavior. "Why is she acting like that? Did you do something wrong?" "I don''t know." "Did you cheat on her?" "What are you talking about? I didn''t do anything." "That''s exactly the face of a man who cheated." "Have you ever met someone like that?" "Why do you keep pushing it?" Freesia kicked Reed''s calf again. "Well, I thought it was getting boringtely, but it''s getting interesting again." *** Returning to her seat, Dolores despaired. Three words floating in her head. Marriage, Reed, and Adonis. He must have feelings for that woman too...'' In a way, it was obvious. There was nothing left between her and Reed except that they were both Tower Masters. He had called her beautiful before, but it must have been a slip of the tongue, and he probably thought of her as just a tutor. ''I feel like I''m the only one struggling... How foolish.'' Her clenched fists trembled. Although it was her own fault for falling into the illusion of getting closer, she began to hate Reed again for creating this situation. "Bad person..." If you''re going to do that, don''t be nice. Dolores took a deep breath and calmed her mind. Soon, the Tower Masters'' meeting began. *** "Today, as nned, let''s discuss the recruitment of academy graduates and freshmen." As Helios, the chairman, mentioned the topic, everyone showed a tense expression without exception. The Magic Academy holds its events in early spring when the cold winter winds blow. The graduation ceremony takes ce first, and the entrance ceremony for the freshmen is held the next day. Over the course of two days, polished gems enter the world, and raw stones gather. It was an indispensable time to secure talents, as they couldn''t afford to miss out. The magicians dispatched to the academy stay there for a total of three days. During the days before graduation, the graduation ceremony, and the entrance ceremony, magicians have time to scout for their talents. In order to gather talented individuals, the extent to which they could appeal to the Tower entirely depended on the abilities of the people they dispatched. "First, let me tell you who will be dispatched to Escolleia." Escolleia Magic Academy. Being thergest Magic Academy in the central region, it was a top priority when it came to recruiting talent. Even if they took someone with poor grades, they could still serve as a magician, so it was essential to prioritize them. "As always, the Tower Master of Wallin, who receives the love of the principal." Everyone nodded as if they silently agreed. Dolores was the valedictorian of Escolleia. Though there are top graduates every year, Dolores was special. Dolores was personally chosen as a disciple by Archmage Anton, who had held the position of principal for decades, and he generously passed on all his knowledge to her. Even when she expressed her intention to be a magician of the Tower, Anton kindly understood and let her go. The picky Principal Anton longed for a talent like Dolores every year, but so far, no one hase close, so he appointed her as the representative magician of the Tower during graduation and entrance ceremonies. The remaining spot was where the magicians from other towerspeted. "And the other person." Helios continued the highly anticipated announcement. "Let''s have the Tower Master of the Silence Tower go together." Everyone was shocked. The same was true for Reed. "Are you talking about me?" "This year, the principal specifically asked for you. He may have be curious about your daughter''s reputation." "It makes sense, given that she''s the daughter of the Silence Tower Master." "They say she has so much potential..." None of them had yet properly met Rosaria, but Dolores, who had seen her up close, praised her potential. The Tower Master of Danseok and his group on the opposite side clicked their tongues and turned their heads away, full of dissatisfaction. ''Escolleia is an important mission...'' Escolleia, where all the geniuses gather. Obtaining talent from there was the most important mission. The weight of that responsibility made Reed''s shoulders heavy. ''But I have to move for the sake of the Tower as well.'' The field of magic engineering was still a blue ocean. If they wanted to study technology more or had a deep interest in inventions, the Silence Tower was the perfect ce for talent, so it was also a chance to appeal directly. ''More importantly, I have to think about Rosaria''s future.'' When sending a child to college, a parent wants to send them to a prestigious university if possible. Rosaria had the skills and qualifications for it. ''But...'' Reed''s mind was caught in an unexpected ce. Reed turned his head and nced at Dolores. As soon as their eyes met, Dolores frowned and red at Reed. Her gaze contained a hostility even stronger than their first meeting. ''What did I do wrong to be looked at with such eyes?'' Reed couldn''t figure it out at all. Justst weekend, she had fun studying with Rosaria, but she suddenly changed her attitude when she asked about Adonis? "Hmm..." I don''t know. He decided to ask herter after everything was over. The Tower Masters'' meeting concluded with everyone deciding where to go. Dolores stood up from her seat, half-nervous, and Reed tried to catch her. "Silence Tower Master." But he couldn''t stop Dolores from going outside at Helios''s call. "What''s the matter?" "You''re going to Escolleia for the first time, so there are a few things we need to discuss..." Reed wanted to say, ''Let''s do itter since there''s something more important now,'' but the situation wasn''t that rxed. "I understand." Reed decided to talk with Helios first. When Reed tried to get up and leave, the sun was setting. Chapter 58.2 "Youngdy, this matter is important. How should you call the Tower Master?" Rosaria replied energetically. "Dad!" "Right. You shouldn''t call him ''Papa'', okay?" Unlike simply ying and eating at the demonstration, this matter concerned Rosaria''s future and Reed''s reputation, so Phoebe stepped in to correct some of Rosaria''s habits. "Phoebe won''t be with you, so always dress neatly, listen well to the Tower Master''s words, and stay close to him, okay?" "I''ll stick close!" Phoebe clenched her fists and narrowed her eyebrows, speaking with a determined voice. "Great! Now, it''s time for you to chew up and spit out those ordinary people with your abilities!" "Chew them up? Won''t that hurt?" "Then just lightly bite them like this, ''ang!''" "Okay!" Phoebe yfully bit Rosaria''s cheek with her lips, and Rosaria burst into giggles. Phoebe stood up and looked up at Reed. She, who had been treating Rosaria like a yful younger sister, looked at him with a somewhat worried atmosphere. "Master..." "Don''t worry." "Yes, you must take care." Receiving her farewell, Reed got on the sky carriage with Rosaria. Reed knew why Phoebe was worried. Escolleia was a nightmarish ce for Reed. During his time at Escolleia, he lost his parents, and only Reed was left in the Adeleheights family. The death and its aftermath tormented Reed when he should have been focusing on his studies. ''Talent.'' Perhaps he had been longing for it since then. In a good way, that is. He had tried to extend his abilities in various fields and find his aptitude. ''If the real Reed had gone there, he might have been in pain.'' However, he graduated as the runner-up without discovering his talent, so it might have been a curse. ''Now that I don''t remember, it might be better.'' The past is the past, and the present is the present. Thepetition to secure magicians was a serious matter. In detail, it was not a simple fight between towers and workshops. ''Towers and workshops... and the alliance of churches and merchants?'' In the case of churches, they had their own priests to nurture, so they merely looked around to see if there were any talents. The merchants'' alliance was not influential enough to be considered an enemy. It was always called a fight between towers and workshops because they were major yers. Whether major or minor, the skills of magicianse first. ''So, I have to proceed with a 1 vs. 3 mindset.'' As Reed thought so, Rosaria pulled on his clothes and caught his attention. "Dad, Dad! Look at that! There''s an ind!" She pointed beyond the window. Escolleia Magic Academy. A ce where schools and buildings were built on an ind floating in the middle of thergest artificialke in the entire continent. The essence of education, boasting irond security using various magic barriers and geographical features. To enter Escolleia Magic Academy, one must cross a long bridge without exception. It was a long-standing tradition that could not be ignored, even for the most prestigious families or Tower Masters. So, they parked the sky carriage in front of the bridge and Reed and Rosaria got off. "Watch your step." "It''s cold!" "It''s still winter, so it''s quite cold. Let''s put on earmuffs and masks tightly." "Okay." As it was the day before graduation, workers were cleaning and doing maintenance work. "It''s been a long time since I''ve been here." It wasn''t a stretch to say that it had been a long time since he had visited while ying the game. As Reed was about to walk along the bridge, he saw something flying towards them from the sky. ''It''s the Empire''s sky carriage.'' There was no mistaking it when looking at the emblem proudly ced in the center. He wanted to avoid them and go with just Rosaria, but they had already caught his eye, so he couldn''t pretend not to notice. The Empire''s sky carriagended, and the magician inside revealed himself. Zekeheil Frenda. The red-haired middle-aged man, the chief magician of the Empire''s workshop, came out. But it wasn''t just him, as someone''s grumbling voice echoed from inside. "Dad, I told you to change the carriage! The seat is hard and it hurts my butt." "Was the seat hard? Oh dear, I''m sorry, my daughter." "I don''t like it, really! Humph!" Yuria frowned and turned her head sharply. Although it was a situation where he could scold her, Ziegheil gently smiled and appeased her. ''She''s the same whether she''s young or old.'' No, has she evolved as she got older? When she was a child, it was easy to overlook since she wasn''t his child, but when a growndy does such a thing, it appears annoying. As Reed was thinking that, Ziegheil noticed him standing on the bridge and greeted him. "Oh, isn''t it the Silence Tower Master?" "Eh? That''s the Silence Tower Master?" Following Ziegheil''s gaze, Yuria''s eyes saw a young man with gray hair and golden eyes. Yuria quickly brushed her red hair with her hand, turning her head sharply. When she turned her head again, her face had be softer and more mature. Walking beside Ziegheil, she gracefully greeted him. "Ah, hello, Silence Tower Master. I''m Yuria Frenda, pleased to meet you." A 180-degree change in attitude. Thinking he hadn''t heard the conversation just a moment ago, Reed went along with her pretentious demeanor. "It''s been a while since the demonstration, Chief Magician." "That''s right. You''re bing more and more impressive." "You seem to be getting younger, Chief Magician." "Ha ha! That''s because I''ve been applying a cream made from snailstely. Silence Tower Master, you should try it too. They say it improves your skin." "Thank you for the good information." While the adults had a trivial conversation, the children continued theirs. Rosaria waved her hand and said. "Yuria, hi!" "Hmm! Lady Roton, as I always tell you, it''s rude to call someone by their name without permission." "Rag? Why is it a rag?" "No, it''s rude! ''Rude!''" "I don''t get it!" "Ugh!" With a smile on her face, Rosaria contrasted with Yuria''s blushing face. Worried that a fight might break out, Reed cautiously spoke to Yuria. "I apologize, Miss Frenda. My daughter is still ignorant of many things, so please be understanding." "Ah! I''m not, not angry! How could ady be angry at such trivial things? Ho ho!" Yuriaughed like a well-mannered woman. Either way, Reed looked up at Ziegheil. "I didn''t expect you toe with your daughter." "She''s 9 years old and has learned some magic, so shouldn''t we show her to the headmaster in advance?" Ziegheil stroked Yuria''s head and smiled. Listening to his words, Reed guessed one thing. ''This isn''t just a simple talentpetition.'' Yuria and Rosaria. He was sure that a match between the two would also take ce. Chapter 59.1 Escolleia (2) Reed walked across the white marble bridge with Zekeheil and Yuria. In the distance, they could see a group of men and women gathered. Two bishops sent from the church. Two chief magicians dispatched from the merchant union. One chief magician sent from the workshop. And finally, the tower owner of Wallin. Seeing Zekeheil and Reed approaching, the magicians came forward one by one with greetings. "Hello, Chief Magician." "Nice to meet you, Tower Master of Wallin." "Hello. Yuria Frenda gives her greetings." "I am the lord of Wallin Tower. Nice to meet you, Ms. Frienda." Dolores greeted them in return. When it was Reed''s turn. "......Tower Owner of Silence." "......Tower Owner of Wallin." Reed felt a particrly piercing gaze. "Hi, Unni!" "Hello, have you been well?" "Yes!" As Rosaria waved both hands in greeting, the woman weed Rosaria with a smiling face. It was too clear to say that he felt wrong... the temperature difference was too obvious. Dolores looked around the group and said. "Time-wise... We''re 10 minutes early, but since everyone seems to be gathered, let''s just move right away." "Go ahead." "Time is money." "Do magicians use the phrase ''time is money''?" "Well, I apologize. You bishops only eat grass.¡± The rtionship between the merchant union and the church was hostile, like that of the tower and the workshop. Minors fought psychological battles with each other, and majors fought psychological battles with other majors. Like an unspoken rule, such division automatically happened. With Dolores in the lead, they began to move somewhere. The ce they arrived at was the top floor of the academy''s main building. Dolores knocked lightly on the door and said. "Archmage, Anton Eclipsys. The Tower Master of Wallin, Dolores Jade, and nine others havee to see you." A momentter, therge door opened, revealing the interior. Inside, a hunched, short old man was standing. He was the Archmage, Anton Eclipsys. A schr and professor of Escolleia, he was a renowned figure as an Archmage and a pioneer. ''Wasn''t he called the Professor of Awakening?'' The Professor of Awakening. Although Anton didn''t teach many sses at the academy, his sses were sopetitive that people had to line up a month in advance to attend them. He had a notorious reputation for not giving good grades, but giving up his grades allowed students to raise their other scores. Thepetition was tough, but things changed when Reed attended school. He epted a request to allow all students to attend lectures in exchange for building an orchestra theater. People called him the Professor of Awakening because he opened their eyes to things they had never seen before. His personality was cold and rational befitting an archmage, and he despised geniuses who werecent without effort. And when he met a true genius, he became apletely different person. The prime example was Dolores. His attitude towards her was almost unrecognizable from his usual behaviour. "Our Dolores! Our baby is here!" He weed Dolores as if a grandfather was seeing his granddaughter. Dolores smiled and epted his hospitality. "Nice to see you, Master. How''s your health?" "Of course, of course. You have no idea how happy I am to see my disciple on a day like this!" "I''m always grateful, but... it''s difficult for me when you show favoritism like this." "Can''t we even show affection in a public ce? Ha-ha! Now, now, you guys sit down quickly." When Dolores was absent, the atmosphere was always tense. However, after Dolores graduated and visited, the conversation always went smoothly. All the magicians were always grateful for that. Anton happily brushed his beard. "Ha-ha, this time you brought even the little ones." Anton looked down at the girls next to Reed and Zekeheil. "Who is this lovely youngdy here?" As Anton pointed to Yuria first and asked, she elegantly greeted him, holding her skirt. "I am Yuria, from the Frenda family. It''s an honor to meet you, Principal." "This is my daughter Yuria. I brought her to visit Escolleia, my alma mater, as she''s old enough." "Ha-ha, a lovely littledy." "Thank you, Mr. Principal." As Yuria''s introduction ended, Rosaria sensed that it was her turn and stood up from her seat. "I''m Rosaria Adeleheights Roton. Nice to meet you!" It was a lively greeting rather than an elegant one. "Her name is Rosaria. She''s not my biological daughter, but I''m raising her like one." "Hmm..." Anton''s demeanor changed quite differently from when he was looking at Yuria. Did he not like it? ''No.'' Reed knew the reason for the change. Archmage Anton knew how precious the information he held was, and he had a deep curiosity about knowledge. In other words, seeing Rosaria immediately sparked his intellectual curiosity. ''Still, it would be nice if he said she''s pretty...'' As he casually looked up, he saw Zekeheil smiling proudly. It was just annoying to hear him say that his daughter was prettier. He calmly nodded and said. "Hmm, a very cute little one." "Thank you, Grandpa!" "Ahem! Ahem!" At the title of ''Grandpa,'' Dolores quickly coughed and turned her gaze away, fumbling with Rosaria''s words. "How do you think this year''s graduates are, Master?" Anton shook his head and replied. "They''re nothing special. They''re about the same level asst year. There''s no outstanding talent. They''ll be an embarrassment wherever they go." Reed didn''t know howst year was, but he could guess from the expressions of the people around him. It meant that at least they were above average. While scanning the documents, Anton noticed the magical engineering majors and spoke to Reed. "Speaking of which, Tower Master of Silence, I heard you recently switched to magical engineering?" "Yes, Mr. President." "There are... 10 magical engineering majors this year." It was a non-mainstream major with only 10 out of more than 300 magicians graduating each year. ''It''s not something to be discouraged about.'' He always thought that he couldn''t be satisfied with the first try, so he took it positively. In a way, those 10 could be strong allies in thispetition. It''s essential to remind this year''s graduates of what kind of people the tower''s magicians are. Reed''s appeal was directed at the freshmen. ''Because of that, I practiced a lot...'' He practiced countless times, assuming there was an actual audience, until his voice was exhausted. It was a more important ce than the demonstration, so there was no room to worry about anything else. "Well, since they''re simr tost year, what we''re going to talk about will also be simr. While we''re here, let''s take a look at the graduating ss''s lessons." "Are they still having sses even after taking the final exams?" "There''s no end to learning." It meant that he didn''t intend to let them have an easy time since they were nothing special. Chapter 59.2 At Anton''s words, the magicians got up and looked for a ssroom to attend. Since everyone was from Escolleia, finding the way wasn''t difficult. Reed moved with Dolores. No, rather than moving with Reed, she was moving with Rosaria, and Reed felt more like being dragged along. Arriving at the ssroom where the seniors were having ss, Dolores warned Rosaria. "Rosaria, from now on, we''re going to watch your dad¡¯s and unni''s sses, so you have to be quiet. Got it?" "Yes, shhh..." Dolores smiled as she saw Rosaria pretending to cover her mouth with her index finger. Then, ncing up at Reed. "......" She didn''t say anything and just went straight into the ssroom. Reed, having no time to say anything, followed her in. The magic academy was a four-year program, like a university. The senior students at the academy were worn out from being pushed hard for their graduation preparations. ''It must be hard.'' Would they really be motivated to teach students who are graduating tomorrow? The professor, who was conducting the ss, noticed Reed and Dolores standing behind them, paused the ss for a moment, and then began writing something on the ckboard. The professor, who filled the upper part with numbers and forms, said to the students. "Behind you are the tower masters who will pass on advanced magic to you and help you find your path." Only then did the students notice Reed and Dolores. Dolores smiled, and Reed simply looked down at them, ending his reaction. "This problem wasn''t on the final exam, but it''s one of the problems I was going to use for the final exam, so take a good look." The students, who were dozing off, woke up at the mention of the observation. Their eyes began to burn with enthusiasm, tired as they were. It was theirst moment at school, and as soon as they left, they would be first-year members of society. To survive in a world of endlesspetition, they had to focus more than anyone else. "Rosaria, do you want to try solving it?" "Can you solve it?" "Yes!" Could she really solve it? It was probably impossible, but Reed asked the professor for a pen and paper. Rosaria''s enthusiasm was no less than that of any college student with a pen and paper in hand. Unlike the students, Reed began to solve each problem mentally. ''It''s difficult.'' He had studied hard not to be ignored at Escolleia, but solving the problem written on the ckboard mentally was difficult. While struggling to find the answer, someone''s head touched his side. It was Dolores. She was also concentrating, trying to solve the problem with great focus. Her eyes narrowed, and her lips pursed as she concentrated, then her face brightened like a blooming flower. "It''s 3. 3......" Upon hearing her answer, Reed was able to find the solution to the part he was stuck on. ''Last time, I didn''t praise her, did I?'' Thinking that he should do it this time, Reed whispered into her ear. "Good job." Dolores flinched at his very soft whisper and backed away. "No, I didn''t do it for praise. I just found the answer to be 3." "Is that so?" "Yes, it''s just 3, 3." Dolores kept her distance again. No, she moved even further away. She was like a cat on guard after touching a forbidden spot. A momentter, a few people raised their hands and offered the solution to the problem. However, all of them gave wrong answers, and only after waiting a bit longer did one person finally get the correct answer. It took Dolores one minute to solve the problem. For them, it took over 15 minutes to finally get the right answer. It was a moment when he understood why Anton favored her. The professor''s ss ended with that math problem. The students moved to their next ss. The only ones left in the ssroom were Reed, Dolores, and Rosaria. Rosaria was lying down and sleeping as if under a sleep spell, having put down her pen and paper. Dolores opened her mouth, pointing to Rosaria with her chin. "Let''s wake her up before we go." Just as Dolores was about to leave, Reed grabbed her hand. "Wallin Tower Master,e out, let''s talk for a moment." "......" Dolores looked down at Reed with angry eyes. She was nervous, thinking he was trying to provoke her, but she chose to suppress her anger. "What... do you want... to talk about?" Her grumbling tone softened a bit. "You''ve looked quite upsettely." "It''s just my mood." "Is it rted to Adonis?" "......No." Yes. 100% yes. It was definitely there, but she was trying to brush it off because of her pride. "I''m talking about your recent behavior. It seems like you have some negative emotions?" "So what?" "I''m asking if you have any grudges against Adonis." "I don''t have anything like that." Dolores answered immediately. "Then it must be my problem. If you have anyints about me, tell me." Dolores didn''t open her mouth for a while. She looked up at him with hatred in her eyes, only biting her lips inside her mouth. As Reed waited for a few minutes without an answer, he began to get irritated. "Fine. If you want our rtionship to remain twisted... I''ll dly do so." "It''s not that!" Dolores raised her voice. "No... that''s not it." She lowered it again. Fortunately, Rosaria didn''t wake up. After hesitating for a while, Dolores finally opened her mouth. "You said... you''d have a strategic marriage." "Strategic marriage?" "Rosaria told me. You''re going to marry the princess of the Hupper Kingdom." "What did Rosaria say..." Strategic marriage. Reed recalled the stories he had long forgotten. However, they were vague stories. "What exactly did she say?" "She said you were going to have a strategic marriage¡­ and that you and Adonis, that woman, were going to get married." "......" Upon hearing that, Reed covered his face. ''It was because of that misunderstanding.'' An unexpected misunderstanding. To be honest, Reed couldn''t even imagine that Dolores would think that way. ''I thought it was a problem between the tower master.'' He thought it was more technical, political, andplicated, not simply a story between a man and a woman. As Reed looked pained, Dolores felt a sense of unease. "That reaction... Did I misunderstand something?" "Unfortunately, you''re right. It was just something Morgan II suddenly brought up. We''re not that close, and we decided long ago to treat it as if it never happened." "Really? Wait... what about shopping?" "Shopping?" "I heard you bought her a dress and jewelry." "That was all chosen by Phoebe. I can''t pick such things with my taste." "What about going to Cohen on the weekend?" "Since we became allies, we went to discuss if there was a cooperation project we could do. Since we were busy on weekdays, we made time on the weekend." "What about what the Master of the ck Sky Tower said? She caught your weak spot when you went to ck Sky Tower because of that." "Did it seem that way?" "Everyone thought so." Since it came up, Reed told her about the Hupper siblings. As she listened, Dolores'' eyes grew deeper. What she liked was a story of good oveing evil. Though it was a clich¨¦ story, she always enjoyed the happy endings. The conclusion of his story was simple. He helped Adonis simply because she was unhappy. Feeling sorry for her, who had been yed by her father''s scheme and hated her sibling, he helped them. As a result, he gained benefits and obtained resources as allies. There was no loss, both morally and materially. "That''s... what happened." Dolores'' sullen eyes softened. She could feel that the misunderstanding had been somewhat cleared. Even if there was still some left, it would be at the level of sticky gum stuck to a wall. With the intention of resolving everything while cleaning up, he spoke to her. "You can ask more questions if you have any. We haven''t talked about marriage at all since that day." "......Really?" "Really." "Not even... a little?" Dolores timidly asked, making a gesture as if pinching a grain of rice between her index and thumb. The fierce stray cat-like girl was asking with the eyes of a scared puppy. "Pffft." He couldn''t help butugh. Reed quickly covered hisughing face with his hand, but Dolores looked at his face and eximed in surprise. "Why, why are youughing? I was really serious about it! Do you know how much I cried because of that?" "Sorry, sorry. It''s just... I thought even the tower owner of Wallin has a lot of worries." Instead of feeling sorry, he found it amusing. She had solved the problem that the college students couldn''t solve even after several minutes, yet she struggled and fretted over this issue. It was almost too much to handle. It was so cute that it felt like it could be the death of him. Chapter 60.1 Escolleia (3) Reed wasughing. Dolores alsoughed with a mix of anger and relief. Could it be that embarrassment came btedly? Dolores unconsciously shrank her body. Reed sensed that and asked Dolores. "Why are you doing that?" "I... am a fool, right?" "Huh?" "I''m pathetic, right? A woman who is known as the Master of the Wallin Tower, who is so strict... I can''t even speak properly about something so insignificant..." Realizing that she had been deluding herself, Dolores felt like dying. She is smart. When a problem arises, she is a strong leader who can coldly discard what needs to be discarded and save what can be saved. Feeling pathetic that such a woman was swept away by emotions. "No, it''s just a misunderstanding caused by me not telling you many things." Reed''s fault. His excuse was good. Dolores spoke with a bitter smile. "Still, it''s entirely my fault. As you became close with the owner of the ck Sky Tower and more women appear around you... I felt like I was nothing special... and I got a little jealous..." But as much as Reed didn''t know Dolores. Dolores didn''t know Reed''s innermost thoughts either. "Wallin Tower Master, no, Dolores." "Yes. Yes?" Dolores was surprised by him calling her name. "I should apologize." "Wh-what are you talking about? Why apologize suddenly...?" "I thought there was no more resentment between us. I thought there were no more misunderstandings. But I couldn''t read your emotions." "It''s not... exactly... like that..." Dolores hesitated once more and rolled her eyes. That was Dolores. A genius of magic but a fool who couldn''t even express her opinions properly. So Reed spoke clearly to her. "If you have something you want from me, tell me." "Something I want?" "Isn''t it both atonement and to repay for taking good care of our daughter?" It had been like that until now. Reed had done nothing for Dolores, and Dolores didn''t expect any reward from him. In fact, she hadn''t even thought about the reward itself. ''What I... want from Oppa?'' Even the smart Dolores was at a loss for words. It felt as if she was standing in the middle of a desert. But that ce was not a barrennd of death. When she looked down at her feet, it was not sand but gold that filled the ground. It wasn''t that she didn''t have any desires, but that there were too many. Unknowingly, Dolores was twirling her hair with her index finger. "Ah, um..." It wasn''t as if Rosaria was yawning, but she dragged her words and leaned her head on Reed''s shoulder. She had sleepy eyes half-open. "Did you wake up?" "Yes. And I solved everything..." "You solved it?" Reed and Dolores were surprised and looked at the paper she handed over. Seeing that paper with clear drool marks on it... Their expressions became doubtful. Even though Dolores was smart, it was impossible to tell whether she had solved it or not. On her paper, there were stick figures of people drawn. Up to that point, it seemed like a child''s drawing, but there were three people in the drawing. If you count the numbers, it''s the correct answer, but if you look at the picture, it''s a coincidence. It could be a coincidence for a simple child, but Rosaria has monstrous abilities. Both Dolores and Reed were pondering whether she had really solved it or not. "Rosaria, what does this mean?" As Reed asked, Rosaria, rubbing her sleepy eyes, replied. "Well, there are... three people. This is dad, this is me, and this is Unni." "What does that have to do with the answer?" Then, Rosaria''s head tilted, and she answered with a dazed smile. "I guess... I don''t know." Such a harmful little creature. Reed pulled Rosaria''s cheek, who had her eyes half-opened. "Ow... Ouch, why? Ugh?" "Next time, don''t say strange things to your unni and cause misunderstandings, got it?" "Uh-huh..." Hearing her reply, Reed let go of her cheek. Rosaria fully woke up from her sleep, touching her cheeks with both hands. Reed looked at Dolores and said. "If you can''t think of what you want, you don''t have to answer right away. Take your time to think about it." "Yes." Dolores nodded shyly. As Rosaria had woken up, they moved to another ssroom. ''What I want to do...'' Dolores was lost in memories, looking at Reed''s back. Dolores and Reed were ssmates. When Reed entered the school at the age of 20, along with other ordinary geniuses, Dolores passed the entrance exam at the very young age of 11. She caught the eye of Anton, the Archmage and Dean, and even before her freshman year began, she became his apprentice and learned magic. [T/N: Changed Principal to Dean, for Anton] Since she was a prodigy among prodigies, it was virtually impossible for her to live in the same dorm as the ordinary Reed. ''I had so many things I wanted to do.'' Whether it was on-campus or off-campus. Although they couldn''t openly announce it due to school regtions, it wasmon for men and women to fall in love when they gathered in one ce. Eating together, studying in the library,forting each other whileining, and holding hands while walking through the school grounds... Even though Dolores was smart, she studied hard for four years while gaining strength from her resolutions and fantasies of someday doing such things with her fianc¨¦, Reed. However, everything shattered as soon as they graduated. That''s because Reed dered their engagement over right in front of her. The fragments of wishes that had been carefully stored in the drawer of wounds called heartache. Could she not piece together those shattered pictures now? ''It''s only me who loses if I keep acting like a fool.'' She realized it from this incident. She can''t just hope for him toe closer. She must approach first and make him see her. Recalling her pathetic self who hated him because of the misunderstanding, she filled her eyes with determination. Dolores stood beside Reed, who was following her. And without saying anything, she continued to walk with him. ''Walking together in the school grounds.'' Even though it was just walking side by side, Dolores felt happy just thinking about it. It was a timid step, but she had taken one step in her own way. As they were walking together, they encountered magicians from the workshoping from the opposite side. Ziegheil and the other chief magicians looked at them and tilted their heads. "The atmosphere is strangely different." "You''re right." "What do you mean?" Reed asked about their mumbling. "Just a while ago, you two seemed like you would tear each other apart, but now why are you acting like nothing happened?" "No, the owner of the Wallin Tower was the one trying to tear each other apart, and the owner of the Silence Tower was like, ''What''s going on?''" "Yeah, that''s the feeling. It was as if there was a big issue between the two of you." At those words, Reed felt embarrassed. Could they really be the magicians dispatched to Escolleia? While Reed was admiring their observation skills, Dolores, far from being flustered, spoke firmly. "I don''t know what you''re talking about, but if you''re ndering that the tower masters have a bad rtionship, you should stop it now." She cut it off without any hesitation. The workshop magicians nodded their heads as they looked at her face. "Well... if you don''t know, what can you do?" "Yeah, there''s nothing you can do if you don''t know." They had no intention of retracting their observations. Reed tried to change the subject to escape this ufortable atmosphere. "Where are the workshop magicians headed?" "We''re going to the Mana Maniption Testing Ground where this year''s graduates are gathered." "Since we''re here now, it seems like the dispatched people want us to take a look at them. Would you like toe with us?" Upon hearing that, Dolores looked up at Reed. With a strict and serious expression, the unmistakable face of a tower master, she suggested to Reed. "Let''s go as well. If there are talented individuals with excellent mana maniption skills, we need to pay attention to them." "Let''s do that." Reed and Dolores changed their course and headed to the magic arena. Reed nced over and looked at her. Feeling Reed''s gaze, she turned her head, and their eyes met. Dolores'' face turned bright red as she spoke. "Why... why?" "No reason." He wanted to pinch her cheek. He desperately suppressed the desire to pinch her cheek. Chapter 60.2 Reed, who had been looking around various ces, went to find the magic engineering graduates. "Wee, Tower Master." A man who seemed to be the student council president greeted Reed as a representative. He was a hot topic for attracting the attention of all nobles by creating a recording device, so the magic engineering graduates had been eagerly waiting for Reed. Reed examined each item created by the ten graduates. "How, how is it, Tower Master?" The magic engineering student council president approached him and asked. Reed looked at them and answered honestly. "Considering them as graduation works, there''s no problem, but there''s nothing that really attracts me." "Is that so?" "Magic engineering doesn''t have great value as a magic auxiliary tool. It''s about maximizing efficiency by adding utility functions. Otherwise, there are significant problems in terms of efficiency, production process, cost, and durability." "Thank you for your feedback, Tower Master." The expressions of the graduates seemed as if the sky had already fallen. Reed could fully understand their feelings. ''These guys must have also walked the path of pure magic engineering and then turned to this path...'' They must have stubbornly insisted on their lingering feelings for pure magic engineering. ''If they can break that stubbornness, they are talented enough to be utilized.'' Even if they made useless things, their abilities were better than those currently in the tower. "Come to our tower, and you can study magic engineering with our apprentices and magicians. You can adapt slowly while exchanging opinions with them. If you''re considering joining the Silence Tower, let me know anytime." At these words, the students'' faces brightened as if they had received the best news. "Thank you, Tower Master!" It was no big deal to support the graduates. Who would refuse an offer to open up job opportunities? ''I think I''ve secured ten for sure, but how about the others?'' As a result of visiting several ssrooms, there were more magicians who wanted to join the tower. The reason was that there were many people supporting Freesia in the special ss. ''Freesia''s reputation is surprisingly high.'' In terms of fame, Helios might be the highest, but for those in specific conditions, Freesia was regarded as a kind of savior. Magicians with disabilities or those who have been sentenced to a limited lifespan always end up under Freesia. They give up the source of their lives to the tower and be undead magicians to show off their talents. They were people who would do anything to live, even if their souls fell into the hands of a demon-like woman. That was one of the reasons why the ck Sky Tower never fell. Reed walked down the long hallway to find Dolores and Rosaria. Suddenly, Reed nced towards theke and found an unexpected figure. Dean Anton Eclipsys. He was standing on the gravel by theke, looking at the water. Reed was drawn to something and walked to Anton, who was leaning back. "Silence, huh?" "That''s right." "I didn''t know you had a hobby of looking at theke." "I''m just curious about what could be in theke that captivated the dean''s attention." "It''s just an ordinaryke. Sometimes, I want to feel something new from these ordinary things, so I look into them like this." The dean stroked his white beard. "How is that half of Astheria?" The half of Astheria. He was asking about Phoebe''s safety. "She is diligently fulfilling her duties as a proxy tower master." "I''m d. I believed that she could never be reborn when I saw her eyes filled with hatred. I waspletely wrong." The Astheria genocide incident. The knights who had rushed in to arrest the tower master tasted the fearsome power of the half-dragons raised in Astheria. The magicians, who btedly realized the world-ss danger, joined forces and eventually seeded in suppressing the half-dragons. Anton was among them. Anton silently stared at theke beyond. "Don''t trust the dragon too much. Even though it follows you now, it''s a race that wouldn''t be surprising if it betrays you someday. Especially... that child who has the blood of the ck dragon flowing through her." Phoebe, the half-dragon, had the blood of the ck dragon in her. The ck dragon, cruel and fond of war. Due to its ferocious nature that would wipe out everything in sight, it had been the enemy of mankind and had been hunted down several times. Now it waspletely extinct. Phoebe was the one who inherited the blood of that ck dragon. ''I understood when she was an enemy...'' But now that she was an ally, he wondered if she really inherited the ck dragon''s blood. In her daily life, she was like a gentle puppy, and she was only being pushed around by Reed, so he asionally thought that the horns on her head might be just decorations. ''Phoebe is dangerous...'' There was nothing more to think about. "That child won''t betray me." "Do you have a reason to be sure?" "Because she''s ready to give up her life for me." "Giving up her life..." Her loyalty was unwavering. If Reed didn''t make a big mistake that she couldn''t turn back from, there was no doubt about her loyalty. Even if Anton looked displeased, Reed never doubted her. "The reason magicians die is always because of their certainty. Foolishly so." "The rtionship between magicians is like that. But Phoebe and I don''t have that kind of rtionship." "Is it the rtionship between a dragon and a human?" "It''s a rtionship between a human and a human." "A human, not a magician... Well, in that case, it might be worth being foolish." The dean, who neverughed, chuckled at Reed''s words as if he was in a good mood. *** Before they knew it, it was evening. Reed, talking with Anton, couldn''t find Rosaria and Dolores in time and had no choice but to look for them in the dining hall. On the way to the dining hall, Reed ran into the magicians dispatched from the merchant alliance. "Oh, the Tower Master of Silence! Here you are." "Are you going to have dinner?" "Yes, that''s right." "You seem to be in a good mood." True to their merchant nature, they always wore a friendly smile, but now their faces looked like they had caught a big fish. "Yes, tonight seems to be the best day of my life." "Why is that?" "Well, the tower master of Wallin, who gets more entertaining when drunk, is attending the tasting event tonight, so we can''t help but be excited." "¡­Excuse me?" Reed doubted his ears. What''s funny abo... What did they say? Chapter 61.1 Escolleia (4) At the evening banquet. As the students had eaten lunch, the dinner had a feeling of reception for the dispatched magicians. Leaving the main stage graduation ceremony, each faction sat around the table for dinner. "Is it good?" "Yes, it''s delicious." "Eat slowly. If you want more, just say it." "Okay." Watching Rosaria chewing her food with a happy expression, Reed raised his head. He could see Dolores, holding a fork in her left hand and a knife in her right hand, with a textbook-like posture, she elegantly sliced the meat. But only Reed could see her face filled with embarrassment. Reed stared silently at Dolores. Under his sharp gaze, Dolores raised both her hands. With a face that says she had no choice but to admit. "I... made a mistake." Dolores obediently admitted her fault. "What kind of mistake did you make?" "Well... I was so distracted by something else that I couldn''t focus on what others were saying. As I tried to make up for that... it somehow turned into attending a tasting party." "Uh..." He wanted to ask if she was out of her mind but swallowed it back. She must have epted such a suggestion because she was out of her mind. ''Keep calm, Reed.'' It''s already spilled water. It''s better to think about how to fix her mistake rather than me her. "Dolores, the funny drunk?" He couldn''t help but ask about this nickname because he was too curious. "...That''s because once my master was drinking with the professors, and I was eating next to him. But I mistook the water ss and identally took a sip of alcohol..." "Did you make a scene?" "It wasn''t a scene. I just... became a bit more honest. Because of that, I decided not to drink in front of others..." But if Dolores had done the same to others as Reed had experienced, it would have been a scene. "So that means other people don''t know because they haven''t seen it directly?" "Yes, only the old professors know..." "Then say you can''t go now." "How can the tower master take back her words?" "Then what are you nning to do?" "I''ll try to endure it with my spirit." "Can you do that?" "I was a bitcking back then..." As Reed looked down worriedly, Dolores clenched her fist and said. "Really, I can do it, so don''t worry. I had a bit of a grudge against the tower master back then, and I didn''t make any major mistakes." "..." She seemed to not count it as a mistake because it was something special. But that only made Reed anxious. As Reed tapped his lips, thinking, Dolores cautiously asked. "What are you going to do, tower master?" "I decided to attend as well." Even though they were in apetitive situation, it didn''t make sense to be left out of a gathering that was partly for building friendships. If Dolores had dropped out, he would have had a reason to drop out as well, but now is not the time to back down. *** The dinner ended with a mountain of worries. There was still one hour left until the tasting party. Although it was called a tasting party, it was actually a ce where a drinking party took ce, and it was not a ce where children could participate. Zekeheil and Reed discussed this point, and eventually, Rosaria and Yuria ended up sleeping in one room. Zekeheil approached the elegantly standing Yuria and exined the situation. "Our daughter, can you please take care of the tower master''s daughter as well?" "What? Why, why! Where are you going, Dad?" Yuria was so flustered that she even forgot to act coy. "There''s an adult gathering." "I don''t want to! Why do you decide that on your own, Dad?" Yuria, who had been raised with great care, couldn''t understand Zekeheil and became irritable, her face filled with tears. When Zekeheil was hesitating, Reed also told Rosaria the same thing. "Dad, where are you going?" "Dad is going to an adult gathering tonight." "Rosaria wants to go too!" "It''s time for Rosaria to be asleep by then. You can sleep with Dad tomorrow, so can you sleep with your sister tonight?" "Hmm... Okay! I''ll sleep with Yuria." Rosaria easily nodded her head, thinking that it would be fun in its own way. Seeing herposed appearance, Reed stroked her head. "You can''t break the barrier recklessly and wander around looking for Dad, okay?" "Is that not allowed?" "Then Dad will be very sad. You have to sleep quietly in the room, okay?" "Alright, Rosaria will endure it." "Can you do that?" "I can do it!" ''Why can''t I do it if she did?'' Yuria, who believed she was far superior in seniority and ability, had no choice but to grit her teeth and understand. Zekeheil swallowed his tears secretly. ''My daughter finally understands her father''s heart.'' He thought she would always be a child, but she grew up like this! If they had been alone, he might have shed tears of joy. With the conversation settled, Reed looked down at Yuria. ''Can I trust her?'' Although the princess had a consistently rude personality, she was not so wicked as to harm others. "Can I ask you a favor, Miss Frenda? As a big sister, please take good care of our Rosaria." "Ah, of course, tower master!" "Thank you." And so, the time for the tasting party approached. *** The tasting party took ce in a rented dining room. On the main table, there were simple snacks that could be eaten, and on the other tables, wine bottles were ced one by one with thebels visible. Everyone was warming up the atmosphere with conversation until the cork was opened. ''It seems like no one else knows about Dolores being funny when drunk.'' There was only one thing on Reed''s mind. ''Will she be okay?'' Reed knew what would happen if she drank alcohol, whether it was a slip of the tongue or not. If even half, no, a quarter of that behavior was shown, her dignity as a tower master would bepletely shattered. If her dignity as the tower master of the Silence Tower was shattered like that, she would have to let go of everything she had worked hard to achieve. If she lets go like that, there will be nothing but regrets. What should he do? Pop! The sound of the cork being removed. The merchant alliance magician who smelled the wine eximed and poured the wine. Since it was a tasting party, he filled the wine ss with an amount equivalent to a shot of soju. "Now, now, let''s toast." "To the dreams and hopes of this year''s graduates!" At the moment when everyone was about to taste the wine, Reed''s hand reached out to Dolores'' wine ss. He snatched her wine ss and drank it all at once. Dolores, who suddenly had her drink taken away, looked at Reed with a puzzled expression. His eyes were saying this: Don''t drink. As soon as he returned the empty wine ss to Dolores, the other nobles opened their eyes, savoring the taste. "How is it? Everyone?" "It''s top-notch. The merchant alliance has a lot of precious items." "That''s why goods are imported through the Merchant Alliance, whether it''s the Empire, the Order, or the Tower, isn''t it?" "It seems you have no pride as a magician." "When I taste this money, I realize that the path of mana I pursue is not so precious. Tower master of Silence Tower, who moved to magic engineering, aren''t you simr to us?" That arrow flew towards Reed, and Reed immediately drew a line. "The Tower of Silence is independent of capital." "Hey! I''ve seen the goods you supplied to the nobles this time, and it seems like the profits are tremendous?" The profits were indeed tremendous. Money was piling up in the Silence Tower, which had nothing but money. It was a product worth coveting by the merchant alliance magicians. "Let''s discuss that pointter." Chapter 61.2 Reed had no reason to refuse them. If the merchant alliance cooperated with the HupperKingdom, Reed thought positively about the increasing range of knowledge he could utilize. At Reed''s words, the merchant magiciansughed yfully and raised their wine sses. "Ha ha! Since you''re so friendly, if there''s a wine you like, I''ll give you a bottle as a gift. How about this wine?" "At first, I thought it was sweet, but it had a lingering taste that stuck to the mouth." "Indeed, those from noble backgrounds are different. An urate evaluation." Although he drank it quickly, Reed savored the taste. And he did so quite thoroughly. "Now, now, there''s still a lot of wine left. Let''s try them one by one!" The continent is vast, and there are many grapes cultivated. Each region has different grape characteristics and manufacturing methods, so it was a great tasting party for wine lovers. ''I''m going to die.'' Reed was already half out of his mind. He was drinking twice as much wine as everyone else, so he was twice as drunk. "The Tower Master of Wallinis surprisingly strong with alcohol." "Right, it''s really unexpected." The magicians, who had been expecting Dolores to be fun when she was drunk, were surprised at her sober appearance. Unlike the magicians whose faces were flushed red, she showed no sign of being drunk, so they couldn''t help but be puzzled. In fact, since Reed had been drinking it all, it was only natural that she wasn''t drunk. "They say I''m not the type to show it on my face." She had no choice but to lie. As she was sober, Reed''s face was even redder than the others. Dolores secretly pushed her ss of water towards Reed and spoke to him with her lips. ''You don''t have to drink anymore.'' She looked up at Reed with concern. Reed nced at Dolores, holding onto his dizzy consciousness. She had a sorry face, seemingly aware that this was all because of her. Maybe that''s why. His stubbornness began to grow. "Don''t worry." He said that and looked at the table again. Magicians who were starting to get drunk andughing happily were visible. The most favorite ones were the bishop-level magicians who had been immersed in ascetic life. Bishop-level magicians, who had no asion to drink alcohol except for a few sses of sacramental wine, enjoyed this moment the most. The merchant alliance side pped their hands and smiled provocatively. "Now that the atmosphere has warmed up, shouldn''t we enjoy the main stage? Bring that out!" "What are you trying to bring out?" "Have you heard of it! It''s called Volcano?" "Volcano?" "It''s the northern pr region. A region where alcohol overflows as much as beautiful women." High-proof strong alcohol is needed to ovee the cold weather. "The strongest alcohol recognized even in the North, I tried a ss, and as soon as I drank it, my face flushed and I was gone! If you drink two sses, it just explodes. That''s why we named it Volcano." "It seems you like the bitter stuff. Let''s drink half a ss each." "Half a ss? Are you scared that you''ll die if you drink one ss?" "Is that all your faction can handle?" "The light of the Holy Altheaalways protects us." The magicians of the church provoked the faction. "Right, it''s really unexpected." Magicians who couldn''t ignore the provocation half-drunk. "Let''s have a ss! Let''s all have a ss each!" "Hehe, it''s fun when youe out like this!" ''What a waste of timepeting for something so pointless!'' Swearing words came halfway out of his mouth, but he suppressed them with reason. ''Really, the biggest problem has arrived.'' The strongest among the strong liquors. Just smelling it already made him feel dizzy. If you drink one ss, it goes up, and if you drink two sses, it explodes. ''Should I protect Dolores to the end, or live?'' Reed pondered. And he let out a hollowugh. ''I''m having doubts.'' That meant his judgment had be blurred. It meant he was already drunk enough. ''I have to drink both.'' One thing for sure was that if what they described was true, Reed would explode as soon as he drank a ss. It''s better for only one person to go. "Now, let''s toast!" "Cheers!" *** Children who couldn''t join the adults'' drinking party stayed in the dormitory room left for the top graduates. Thanks to the policy of Escolleia, which generously supports talented individuals, the room was thergest, with wooden desks, chairs, sofas, and even private bathrooms and baths. "Why is it so cramped? It''s supposed to be a prestigious school, but I wonder if it''s worth attending the academy." Yuria started grumbling like a youngdy who didn''t know the ways of the world. On the other hand, Rosaria''s eyes sparkled with the fact that they hade to a new room. "Wow! Look at this! There''s a bathroom attached!" "Lady Roton, if you fuss like that, you''ll lower your dignity as ady. You should know how to be calm like ady." "But it''s fascinating." "Do you need to fuss about everything that''s fascinating?" "Yuria, join in too! It''s fun!" Yuria thought Rosaria, who was innocently pleading, looked like a child. ''Does that fool have so much talent?'' No matter how she looked, she seemed like an ordinarymon girl who was inferior to her. The ability of a magician was heavily influenced by lineage, and she was the daughter of a master magician of the faction, so she never doubted her ability. On the other hand, Rosaria was an adopted child. She was a girl who didn''t even know her lineage, so there was no doubt that her ability was below hers. ''I''m much better!'' Rosaria took out some items from her bag. Holding a teddy bear and a few toys, she spoke to Yuria. "Yuria, let''s y together with Rosaria!" Yuria looked at Rosaria calling her and said, "Lady Roton, I always tell you this, but I''m two years older than you. Please address me politely!" "Can I say Yuria unni?" "Frenda! Call me unni!" "But calling by thest name makes us feel distant." "Well, we''re not that close." "Hmm..." Rosaria, who was holding a toy, had a sullen expression. Seeing the lively child lose her spirit, Yuria felt guilty as if she hadmitted a crime. "Ah, ah! I''ll y with you! I can y with you!" "Really?" Rosaria''s expression brightened up instantly. Yuria had no way to beat Rosaria. "So, what kind of game do you want to y?" "It''s a tower-building game with sticks. Dolores unni taught me, and it''s really fun!" A genius magician who receives the affection of the dean. Since she said it was a game taught by her, Yuria became interested. "If it''s Dolores... she''s the tower master of the Wallin. How do you y?" "Just stack them like this and secure them with magic." As a talented sessor praised as the next Archmage, Yuria quickly grasped the core of the game. ''It''s a game that values mana maniption.'' She thought that a promising talent like her would easily handle that. Yuria immediately began to build the first tower. "Wow, this... is quite difficult... Ahh!" As she stacked about 15 floors, the tower of sticks copsed. Rosaria, who had been looking down at it, muttered. "It already copsed." "This much is a lot! Lady Roton, how much can you stack?" "Rosaria can stack up to 60 floors!" 60 floors. As soon as she heard that, Yuria preached to Rosaria. "Lady Roton! Ady shouldn''t lie! How can you stack up 60 floors? This thing!" "It''s true?" "Then give it a try." Yuria pushed the sticks towards Rosaria. Rosaria picked up the sticks with a snort. "Watch closely!" Yuria, who saw Rosaria''s face, was sharpening her knife inside. ''Hmph! Just try not to stack even 10. I''ll scold you until your tears run dry... Huh?'' Before that thought even finished, Rosaria was already stacking the 20th floor. Chapter 62.1 Escolleia (5) "Huh? Wait a moment." "What''s wrong?" "How did you already build a tower with 20 floors?" Pure red eyes blinked in response. "I just built it!" "Just like that?" "Yes!" That''s absurd. Up to the 5th floor was easy, from the 10th floor, she had to concentrate, and the limit came when she reached the 15th floor. However, Rosaria surpassed her high score while Yuria was momentarily distracted. She looked down at her with a dumbfounded expression, and she blinked her eyes with a smile. "No way! That''s a lie! What trick did you use!" "Rosaria doesn''t do things like lying." "Then can you build it again?" "I haven''t finished building it yet?" "Build it again! Quickly!" "Okay." Rosaria broke the tower supported by mana and started building it again. Click, click, click! The rapidly rising tower. At the same time, Yuria''s mouth dropped open. ''Same speed. No, it''s faster than before.'' She built it at an even faster pace, as if she had remembered the forgotten technique while doing it again. Rosaria built and built diligently. Finally, she reached the 60th floor, and her tower copsed. "It copsed. But it''s still amazing, right?" "Uh..." For the first time in her life, Yuria felt that someone was genuinely amazing. However, she couldn''t say it out loud and didn''t easily admit it. She was burning with determination not to lose, so she pulled the stick she was holding towards herself. "Again! I can definitely do it like a Roton too!" "You can do it!" "Don''t cheer for me! This is apetition!" Yuria growled. She gathered her mana and concentration to build the tower. Even though she monopolized tower building due to herpetitive spirit, it was the happiest time for Rosaria. *** "Ugh..." Reed groaned and carefully woke up. His body was hot. It was so hot that it felt like he was going to die. On the contrary, his head was cooling down. Something soft and cool was wrapping around Reed''s chin and cheek. Reed cautiously opened his eyes. Blurry focus brought blue hair and a wall into view. It was Dolores. "Are you okay?" Am I okay? His head felt like it was about to break, his insides were turning upside down, and his body was weak. "I feel like I''m going to throw up." "I''ll give you some water." Dolores carefully lifted him up and poured water from a ss into Reed''s mouth. As his thirst and nausea subsided, he was able to endure the difort. "I''lly you down again." Dolores held Reed''s head and made him rest his head on her thigh. Only then did Reed realize that he had been resting on Dolores'' thigh until now. "Is there a reason for me to be like this?" "They said that after you drank two sses of Volcano, you should apply a coldpress to your face. They said it would cook if the temperature rises." "No... No." He understood the coldpress with both hands, but was there really a need for a knee pillow like this? He wanted to ask, but he thought there must be a reason, so he left it alone. "What did I do?" "You didn''t do much. After the Tower Master drank both sses..." "What happened after that?" "You fainted. While sitting." "Anything else?" "Really, nothing else happened. That''s why everyone gave you the nickname ''ck Knight Reed, who died sitting.''" ''ck Knight Reed, who died sitting.'' ''Not bad.'' It looks very honorable to be a ck knight who fell from exhaustion. It could be said that it was the most honorable disgrace among all the disgraces. "So everyone found out that you didn''t only drink a single ss." "Since sending one person to the grave is enough to satisfy everyone, there shouldn''t be a big problem." He tried to smile bitterly, but as he spat out augh, a headache rushed in and he swallowed hisughter. Reed looked up at her with a nk expression. Blue hair and a wall. Tilting her head, she looked down at Reed, blocking the chandelier light. Her face looked strangely red, perhaps because of the shadow. "Why are you staring at me like that? Do you need something?" Although he was still slightly intoxicated, he had rxed enough to speak his true feelings. Reed, who had been looking at her face, opened his mouth. "Your cheek..." "Yes?" "Can I touch your cheek?" "¡­Cheek? You mean¡­ this?" She pointed at her cheek with her finger, wondering if she had heard wrong, and Reed nodded his head. Dolores hesitated for a moment, then moved her head towards his hand. Reed pinched her cheek. The cheek that entered his hand was... Soft and squishy. He drew a circle with his thumb, brushing the smooth skin texture. As a noblewoman who had grown up finely, she took meticulous care of herself, leaving her skin wless. It was a perfect bnce between Rosaria''s remaining baby fat softness and Phoebe''s firmness. Although Reed had delicate hands, he instinctively became careful not to scratch her skin by mistake. "Do you like it? Something like this?" Dolores asked cautiously, not understanding. Reed, who had been touching her cheek with a nk expression, replied. "It''s calming." "Really? I don''t understand, but¡­" Dolores left Reed alone. He had suffered so much because of her, so couldn''t she do at least this much? After fiddling with her cheek for a while, Reed took his hand off. His head, which felt like it was going to break, had calmed down somewhat thanks to the cold sensation from both hands. As Reed tried to get up from herp... "Master." Dolores held Reed''s face andid him back down on herp. She looked at him with her blue eyes. "Why?" "I remembered something I wanted to do." "What do you mean?" "You said that if I wanted anything, I could ask for anything." ''Well, yes, but at this timing?'' Reed was puzzled but nodded his head and waited for her to speak. "I want to call you like we did in the past." "In the past?" "When you called me Dolores and I called you my Oppa." What she wanted was a very small wish. However, it was a wish she had longed for a long time. "It might be a bit difficult in public, though?" "Of course, only when we''re alone. I know how to distinguish between public and private matters." Wouldn''t it be fine in private? Since Dolores seemed to have a clear boundary, Reed obediently granted her permission. "Can I call you that now? I''m letting my guard down." "Yes, go ahead." "¡­Oppa." "Yes." With her lips trembling as if something was tickling her, Dolores uttered the word once more. "Oppa." "Yes." "Hehehe, oppa." "¡­?" His eyes widened at the sound of herughing like a mischievous woman. It was a sounding from Dolores. She seemed to realize it too, as she covered her mouth with both hands trying to suppress herughter, but the sound still leaked through her fingers. "Hehehe, I can''t stopughing. Why is the word ''oppa'' so funny? But it does seem a bit funny. When I call you oppa, it''s like, like, yeah." ''Did she take some drugs?'' Reed sneakily turned his head and looked at the table where the water ss was ced. There was the water ss Reed had emptied and wine. A wine bottle with the cork removed. "You drank too?" At that, Dolores shyly spread her index finger and replied. "I only had one ss. Otherwise, I wouldn''t be able to do this knee pillow with a clear mind." No wonder. Her face seemed flushed, and it was because of that. "Was that wish not something you came up with while drunk?" "No? Actually, I was spacing out thinking about it, and I identally attended the wine tasting." "¡­" He had roughly guessed, but it was a little disappointing to hear that it was really because of that. Still, it''s a relief. I drank it all, so I''m the only one who can see this disgrace. Reed closed his eyes again. Since she was giving him a knee pillow like this, he fell asleep again. "Oppa." "What now?" "I''m sorry, but can you get up now? My leg is so numb that I think I''m going to die. And I feel like I''m going tough again because of this." "¡­" Reed got up from Dolores''p, and at the same time, Dolores burst intoughter. She loosened her numb leg,ughing alone. Chapter 62.2 The next day. "Ugh... My head hurts." "Althea..." "Drinking so much and looking for Althea, this crazy nobleman." "Ask Althea to help relieve the hangover." The clergy had no strength to scold such nonsense. The nobles who had each drunk a ss of Volcano gathered, holding their heads in pain from the hangover bomb. Reed, who had also drunk with them, was no exception to the hangover. However, thanks to Dolores'' attentive care, his hangover, which should have doubled, subsided as much as the other magicians. "The magicians of the tower are quite wicked." "Is this the n? To half-kill one person and have another stay sober?" "That wasn''t our intention, but¡­" "No doubt, this must all be part of the Tower Master of Wallin''s n." "¡­" They didn''t seem to believe it at all. Well, let them think what they want. Reed and Dolores decided to ignore them. Shortly after, Yuria and Rosaria, who had been staying in the same room, finished dressing up and hugged their father. "Dad smells weird. It''s a little bit unni too." "Ahem... Is it that bad?" "Yes!" "I see." Reed moved away from her slightly. However, as if it didn''t matter, Rosaria clung to Reed''s side. "Hey, our princess. Are you awake?" "I woke up because of the strong smell of alcohol." "Ha ha, sorry, my daughter. The men got a little too excitedst night. But why do you have dark circles under your eyes? Did you not sleep well?" "Ugh... That''s not it¡­" To beat Rosaria, Yuria had stayed up all night building towers. Even after Rosaria was tired and fell asleep, Yuria continued building towers. In the end, Yuria''s highest record was 30 floors! She was defeated, having only filled half of Rosaria''s 60 floors. ''I lost. I lost...'' Yuria bit her lips as she pondered her defeat. Rosariaughed, unaware or not caring that Yuria''s insides were burning. Now Yuria knew. Rosaria was not just a child, but someone to be wary of. With all the children gathered, the high-ranking magicians, who were still recovering from their hangovers, headed to the upper floor of the auditorium where the graduation ceremony was held. They looked down at the tedious speeches, the equally tedious diploma awarding ceremony, and the repetitive graduation ceremony that had been going on for decades. And they all maintained a certain distance while conversing. Now the real recruitment war would begin. Dolores and Reed also came for that purpose and discussed the graduates. "Did you find any useful students?" "I don''t know. As master said, there doesn''t seem to be any outstanding talent. We n to look at the top students and gather them." "Is that so?" "Do you have anyone in mind, Tower Master?" "I do." He had used his "Eye for Talent" to scan and take note of a few people who hadn''t yet reached their full potential. These were the ones with graduation grades low enough to be recruited by the Merchant Alliance, workshops, or the lower ranks of the tower. In other words, they were talents that needed to be carefully sought out and brought in. Among them, some asionally showed potential up to level 5 in the magic field. If re-educated in the tower, they could reach the upper ranks. "I''ll approach those graduates myself." "Alright." Most Tower Masters knew that Reed had a good eye for people. So Dolores trusted Reed as well. As the strategy meeting for recruitment came to an end, the graduation ceremony waspletely over. Throwing off their square hats and stepping into society. Knowing that high-ranking magicians hade to meet them, the graduates gathered again in the auditorium, only taking off their formal attire. The dispatched magicians went downstairs. Their atmosphere was quite different from the liberated atmosphere of the graduation ceremony, filled with tension. Seeing the magicianse down, some of the graduates approached in groups. Leading them was the representative of the graduates. "I am Jao Mirian, the representative of the 406th graduates. It is an honor to meet you, senior magicians." Having graduated from a prestigious academy, the representative of the graduates greeted them, strictly following the order of seniority. "It doesn''t seem like you''re nning to go home and have a drink, so what are you doing here?" When a magician from the Merchant Alliance asked, they replied. "We are students who have witnessed the entire graduation ceremony of the 405th seniors." "405th¡­" The 405th wasst year''s event. The magicians who camest year nodded as if they understood what had happened. Graduate representative, Jao Mirian, stood at attention and respectfully requested one of the magicians. "Please prove this year''s graduation ceremony just like our seniors from the previous ss, Tower Master of Wallin." *** As expected, a magic duel was taking ce in the magic duel arena. Magic duels were conducted under the supervision of professors, and all magicians, regardless of grade,peted in various ways. "The stands, which usually don''t have any audience due to theck of inter-gradepetitions, are full today." "Everyone came to watch because they heard that the outstanding graduates of this ss will challenge the Tower Master of Wallin, just likest year." "It''s the same scene asst year." "What are they doing now?" Reed was the only one who was seeing this situation for the first time. "It''s a challenge to authority." "To the Tower Master of Wallin?" "What fault does the Tower Master of Wallen have? They all have grudges against the dean. Who would like Anton, who treats them as criminals?" Suddenly, he recalled what Anton, had said. Anton, who hadmented that there were only mediocre students likest year. It seemed that the students had heard that as well. It wouldn''t be easy for them, who had grown up as geniuses in their regions, to ept such treatment. "Unable to vent their anger at their own dean, Anton, they challenge the Tower Master of Wallin, who is his cherished student, to prove their worth." "Really¡­" Whether it''s courageous or foolish. Reed looked down at Dolores. As the Tower Master of Wallin, she stood in the arena wearing a robe, leaning back. On the opposite side of her stood 30 graduates wearing robes. They were all top-ranking students who had maintained their grades and were the number one recruitment targets everywhere. "Nice to meet you, 406th graduates." Dolores'' polite greeting echoed in the arena. Her behavior was undoubtedly that of a dignified Tower Master. "Although I am only 26 years old, I am currently the Tower Master of Wallin. And before that, I am a senior to you all as a 395th graduate. I highly appreciate your challenging spirit towards such a senior. However, if you want topete with me, you must also take responsibility for the results of that." In other words, it was a question of what they would bet. The representative of the graduates answered her question. "Jao Mirian, the representative of the 406th graduates, and 29 others. If we lose in this duel, we will all dedicate our destiny as magicians to the Tower Master of Wallin." They were all ambitious young people with dreams. For the dispatched magicians, it was the best condition, so they were excited about the situation. "If your destiny is at stake, then it''s worth fighting with all of you. I understand." What Dolores would lose if she lost was already decided. Anton''s honor and her own reputation as the Tower Master of Wallin she had maintained. That alone was enough. She, who had been leaning back, reached her hand out. Then, the graduates began to put on their prepared cots. "Ah." Reed noticed their actions. "Rosaria, put on your clothes." "It seems like it''ll be hot if I wear clothes." "It''ll be cold soon." "Why?" "Because your unni is preparing for battle right now." Tower Master of Wallin, Dolores Jade. She had another nickname besides being the valedictorian of Escolleia. "Incarnation of Cold", Dolores Jade. "Ugh, it''s cold¡­" "Who left the door open? Why is it suddenly so cold?" The magicians who hade to watch began to shiver, wrapping their shoulders. Her trait, "Incarnation of Cold". As a special trait passed down only to the Tower Masters of Wallin, her water magic manifested in a new form, making her a magician who could handle ice rather than water. And she could also emit a terrible cold that could freeze even the surrounding air. Faint ice shards gathered in Dolores'' right hand, soon forming a long staff in her grasp. Her blue hair shone brighter as it received mana. Her icy, cold eyes tried to freeze everything in the arena. That was the Tower Master of Wallin. Her pure ability was what allowed her to be the youngest Tower Master. "I''ll give up the first move. I ask you all to attack at once." Chapter 63.1 Escolleia(6) Yuria Frenda looked down at Dolores, who had gone down. ''Dolores Jade.'' She was the eldest daughter of the Baldschmidt family, but she became a heretic who left the family on her own and became a tower mage. She became a member of the tower at a young age, and after inheriting all the secrets of the Tower Master, she became a better incarnation of coldness than her predecessor. ''Surely I can surpass her.'' Yuria underestimated Dolores. Unlike the graduates who vent their anger on their senior due to dissatisfaction with Anton, it was arrogance that came from believing in her own potential. She had pride as a workshop mage and treated tower mages as enemies because she was a workshop mage. Although she was an innocent girl who hadpletely fallen for the Tower Master of Silence, her image of tower mages had not changed. ''Since the dean looks favorably upon me, it won''t be a big deal to push her out of the Tower Master''s position!'' If she pushed Dolores out of her position, the status of the workshop would undoubtedly rise. In her mind, Anton was already stroking her head, and Dolores, who had be aughingstock, was crying in a corner. With such thoughts in mind, she looked down at Dolores. And then, Dolores dered. "I''ll give up the first attack. I want you all to attack me at once." Yuria doubted her ears at the groundbreaking remark. ''Is she going to face 30 people alone?'' On top of that, she gave up the first attack. No matter what, they were skilled mages. Since they could attack Dolores with 30 kinds of magic at the same time, she had given herself a disadvantage. "Yuria." Zekeheil looked down at Yuria and spoke. "Such opportunities are rare, so open your eyes wide and watch." "What do you mean?" Yuria asked Zekeheil with a coquettish face full of affectation. Zekeheil brushed her red hair aside and brought his face close. "Seeing the fight of a genius, the favored disciple of the dean, with your own eyes is a rare opportunity." Yuria was displeased that Zekeheil was praising someone other than herself as a genius. She thought the word genius was only for her to hear. "But isn''t information the ultimate weapon of a mage? What''s the difference between fighting in such a public ce and revealing yourself?" "Haha! My daughter, you''re just as smart as me!" Zekeheilughed as if he was in a good mood and praised Yuria. The battle of mages is about information. To gain the upper hand in that information war, they wear robes and hide their trump cards. However, high-ranking mages like the Tower Masters and Workshop Masters wear formal attire like nobles rather than robes. Especially, since the Tower Master is the face and leader of the tower, they have a duty to be more confident than anyone else. It''s like walking around naked without hiding their hidden cards. "But if you think of something that ordinary people can''t think of, that''s what makes you a genius. And that Tower Master is stepping into a realm that even geniuses can''t think of. Even the most aplished chief mages in the empire can''t unravel her secrets." "Do you not know, father?" "Unfortunately, that''s the case." Zekeheil''s words didn''t sound empty. Was it because of what he said? Yuria saw Dolores differently again. "Is the Tower Master of Wallinthat amazing?" "She''s an extraordinary mage. To the extent that even I, your father, am telling you this." When Zekeheil said that much, Yuria began to doubt her arrogant thoughts. "Daughter, I can''t solve that woman''s secret, but you might be able to uncover the secret of that genius. Keep your eyes wide open and watch the fight. Everything from the magic chant, the trajectory of the hand, and even the posture and breathing method." Although she was a daughter who shamelessly manipted her father, she did not take her father''s words lightly, as he was also a workshop mage and her teacher. A momentter, the severe cold wind blew, touching Yuria''s face, and her narrow and arrogant perspective froze. The students prepared their first attack. The barrier mages used their magic first since Dolores had given them time. "." It was a magic buff that increased the mana requirement of all mages'' magic within a certain range, but the damage increased as much as the mana requirement. All the mages in the buff range began their chants. On the blue mana ground, the wands and staffs they held began to emit light. "!" "Elementals, respond to my call and sweep away the enemy, !" Elemental magesunched elemental attacks, and summoners summoned elementals to attack Dolores. Dolores stood in ce and tapped the ground with her staff. "!" As soon as a circr magic circle was created at Dolores'' feet, white ice covered her up to her head. It took 0.25 seconds for the white frost to stick together and form a hemisphere. The transparent ice barrier defended Dolores from the magic that wasing at her from all directions without any gaps. Bang! sh! Elemental magic from mages and elementals violently collided with Dolores'' ice barrier. The sturdy ice barrier cracked, but in the end, not a single magic spell directly hit Dolores. "Excellent, graduates." Sincere praise. Along with that, it was Dolores'' turn. A white light gathered at the tip of Dolores'' ice staff. The blue mana waspressed, and the white light followed the movement of the staff, drawing a white circle. Finally, when the staff was ced in the center of the circle, beams of light stretched out into the air, drawing a magic circle. "Try to block this once, !" A thousand ice spikes flew towards the graduates. "Barrier mages, activate the defense!" "It''splete! !" A defense magic optimized for elemental attacks. Knowing that Dolores Jade uses ice magic, they deployed an ice-optimized barrier. Crack! Crunch! The harsh sound of the ice rain pouring from the sky and shattering on the ground rang out. A specialized elemental barrier had eight times higher efficiency than a general-purpose barrier, so it was strong enough to be considered high-level magic. Creak, creak. However, it was impossible to block all the attacks of . Even though they had gathered enough information and created a barrier, it was not easy to block . As cracks began to form in the barrier, the barrier mages hurriedly infused magic power to repair it, and thest ice spike shattered,pleting the barrier''s role. For that moment, at least. "." The shattered ice fragments on the ground gathered and turned into a giant ice spear that pierced the barrier. Crash! The concentrated strike was enough to finish off the breaking barrier. The barrier broke, and the graduates were pushed back. One graduate who was directly hit by the ice spear was pushed out of the arena with fire in the artifact he was wearing. One person was knocked down. "Maintain formation! Barrier mages, prepare to defend against the next magic, and the rest, target the Tower Master!" Graduate representative Jaomanded and fought with the remaining 28 people. After that, something surprising happened. "Helpha, ugh!" "Attacking with Sylph... wait, Sylph?" Except for the first attack, no one could use attack magic on Dolores. The students who were watching from afar said with puzzled faces. "What are our seniors doing right now?" "Why are the top students of each grade hesitating like that?" The students made expressions that they couldn''t understand. The more you know, the more you can see. That''s why Yuria was horrified, unlike the other students. ''She binds the hands of alchemists, steals elements from elemental mages, and constantly causes mana collisions to disrupt concentration. Moreover, she uses reverse summoning on summoners and shatters the barrier mages'' techniques by attacking their weak points...'' It was all textbook countermeasures. However, applying them all depended on the mage''s discretion, and using them as fluidly as water was literally possible only for a genius. Combining all this chaotic information was by no means easy for Yuria, who was watching from afar. But Dolores was doing it all. Her vision never narrowed during the fight, and she followed the graduates'' movements and continued the fight to the end. She responded to 30 mages, 30 secrets, in a single breath, as if skewering them all at once. ''And she didn''t move a single step.'' Chapter 63.2 Yuria, who had learned a lot through Zekeheil, was taught that in a duel between mages, one must constantly move. Because if someone seeds in casting, they have no choice but to take it without flinching. But Dolores didn''t move a single centimeter from her spot. Even without any vanguard soldiers to block the attack in front of her, she held her ground. She stood firm as if a giant tree had rooted itself, without a trace of instability. Yuria thought that the World Tree wasn''t that big when she was young. From afar, it always looked small, so she thought she could wrap her arms around it. But when she approached it directly, she was taken aback by its size and circumference. She could feel that fresh shock as she watched Dolores. ''That''s the fight of a genius.'' Why Zekeheil referred to her as a genius. Why Anton cherished her as his favorite student. Yuria couldn''t help but watch her fight in awe. "My daughter, who do you think will win between the Tower Master and the graduates? Doesn''t it look evenly matched?" There was a trap in Zekeheil''s question. But Yuria, who had been watching all along, could easily jump over that trap. "The Tower Master of Wallinis clearly at an advantage. If I''m right, she''ll definitely win without even attacking." "Indeed, my daughter." Zekeheil burst into a heartyugh, pleased. It seemed like she wasn''t attacking at all, but Dolores'' attack was already underway. Coldness. The terrible coldness that prated their skin despite wearing clothes was the attack that nobody had noticed. The coldness burrowed into their bodies, slowly freezing them to death. It may seem cruel, but it was the best way to make the graduates acknowledge her. The 30 graduates had to defeat her within the time limit before the coldness enveloped their bodies. However, the gap between them was as wide as the sky and the earth. In the end, they couldn''t stop the flowing coldness, their bodies became numb, and their thoughts were paralyzed. Five minutes. The duel thatsted five minutes ended in Dolores'' overwhelming victory. All the graduates could not withstand the coldness and copsed. As she withdrew her blue eyes filled with magic power and the coldness she emitted, she respectfully bowed to the fallen students. Apuse burst from the audience. No one could grasp Dolores'' fight in a single nce. Not being able to grasp it meant that she was a highly skilled mage. Although they couldn''t understand what had happened, it was certain that her overwhelming victory was something to marvel at and admire. For the first time that day, Yuria gave a sincere apuse to someone. *** The battle between the Tower Master and the graduates hade to an end. Although they all copsed due to the cold, their injuries were minor enough that they would recover after about an hour of rest. As a result, the tower secured 30 excellent mages. It couldn''t help but be a bitter situation for the other mages. "This year''s top students are all taken." Grumbling sounds could be heard. Since Reed couldn''t outright say "Isn''t it amazing?", he just smiled and replied like this. "As you can see, they are quite arrogant, aren''t they? It will take a long time to correct their habits." However, his words were not well received. In the world of mages, skilles before character. Everyone hurriedly began searching for any worthy individuals among the remaining mages, and Dolores, who had been checking their condition from below, came up. Rosaria greeted Dolores with a beaming smile. "Unni, you were amazing!" "Really? Do you think you know what magic I used?" "Yeah! Thousand Ice Needles, and... Iceberg!" "Do you want to try it too, Rosaria?" "Yeah!" "Then you have to listen well to your sister and work hard on your homework, right?" "I don''t like homework..." Rosaria frowned. Seeing her, Dolores smiled and raised her head to look up at Reed. What she did was check if there was anyone around. After confirming that only the three of them were left, she asked softly. "How was it?" "It was amazing. But if you suppress them like that, the students might get the wrong idea." "I thought I was pointing out one by one the reasons why they couldn''t be recognized by the teacher... Did I seem too arrogant?" It was a fighting style that was polite if it was polite, and cruel if it was cruel. "They didn''t seem to hold a grudge, did they?" "Would they? They may have high pride, but they''re not resentful. They all epted the result and said they wanted toe to the tower as mages." One first-ce student is better than ten 100th-ce students. Moreover, everyone watched the fight, so it was excellent publicity for the students who were wavering in their path. As a result, some of the graduates lingered around Dolores. It felt like fans chasing after an idol. The talentpetition between the workshops and the tower was practically a victory for the tower. *** After the graduation ceremony, the students of Escolleia all returned home. Before officially being assigned, they focused on going back to their hometowns or relieving the fatigue they had umted while being trapped at school. The dispatched mages had nothing to do until tomorrow. The staff began cleaning up the seats left by the graduates and, at the same time, preparing for the entrance exams for the new students. Anton Eclipsys, who had not shown his face at the graduation ceremony, approached with a heartyugh. His face looked as bright as if flowers had bloomed. And, as always, he showed his favoritism towards Dolores. "My dear Dolly, I heard you disciplined those rebellious children for your teacher. I''m very grateful." "Master, please refrain from using such a nickname..." "What''s the problem! I''m just calling my disciple as I used to." Dolly. At the surprise of that nickname, all the mages turned their headsughing. Reed was no exception. Dolores, who had been maintaining a poker face, blushed with embarrassment. "Hehe, so were you satisfied with this year''s students?" "Contrary to my concerns, they were excellent students. Thanks to them, our workshop owes the deanonce more." "I also owe a great debt to the dean in the Merchant Union, so I n to send a gift soon." In fact, the mages of the tower had the most fun, but to maintain a friendly rtionship, they had no choice but to exchange pleasantries with a smile. "Well, now that the graduates are gone and it''s time to wee the new students... shouldn''t we try that?" Anton subtly nced down. There, Yuria and Rosaria, the two little girls, were standing. The two genius girls known to the world. "How about giving them a test since we brought them here?" Zekeheil and Reed knew this would happen and had been waiting. The second nerve battle between the workshop and the tower. The Church and the Merchant Union enjoyed the situation, as they could enjoy popcorn regardless of who won. Yuria had already heard abouting to Escolleia and was well-prepared, so she had a confident expression. Only Rosaria couldn''t grasp what was going on in this situation. They moved to a lecture hall used for written exams and sat Rosaria and Yuria down. It was only when Rosaria saw the word ''test'' written on the ckboard that she understood the situation. "Is it a test?" "Yeah." "Will you give me candy if I do well?" "Even if you don''t do well, I''ll buy you one. Just try your best with what you know, okay?" "Yeah!" Reed didn''t want to stress her out unnecessarily and was grateful that she was taking the test. "There are a total of 30 questions, and the time limit is one hour." The assistant briefly exined and handed out pens and papers to the two of them. Meanwhile, the mages who were not taking the test looked at the exam papers they were solving from outside. Overall, the questions were difficult for ordinary people but easy for the Tower Masters. "Silence Tower Master." "Yes." As he raised his head, Zekeheil with red hair showed a rotten smile. "My daughter is not to be underestimated." ''It was a brag about his daughter.'' Reed red at him as if he couldn''t lose and opened his mouth. "My daughter is..." Reed''s mouth fell open. Perhaps, it was certain that she was sleeping in the exam room. She must be dozing off, clutching her pen and looking at the test paper, affected by a sleep spell. "...second to none." He replied, leaving out the words "in cuteness." Chapter 64.1 Escolleia (7) The exam ended 15 minutes earlier than expected. Yuria came out with a triumphant expression, and Rosaria followed her with sleepy eyes. "Did you sleep?" "Yeah." It wasn''t a big disappointment since it was expected. "You did well." "Give me candy." "I''ll give you someter. I don''t have any now." "Candy~." Rosaria, who was drowsy, leaned on Reed''s leg and tried to fall asleep. A momentter, the teaching assistant who had finished grading announced the exam scores. As expected, Rosaria''s written exam score was 0 points. On the other hand, Yuria scored 88 points out of 100. "That''s quite impressive. I don''t think I could have scored that high at your age." "What was your entrance exam score?" "I got 97 points. I messed up thest marking and lost 3 points." ''It''s a remark that would have been a bit embarrassing if it had been said to Reed.'' Reed''s written exam score was 73 points. He had barely passed the entrance exam. Perhaps this aspect is what led him to hate Dolores. Yuria stared at Dolores upon hearing this. When Dolores felt her gaze and turned her head, Yuria quickly turned her head away as if nothing happened. ''She looks at me quite often.'' Since he knew Yuria had a crush on him, he could understand to some extent. But it started to bother him as even Dolores asionally nced at him. The second exam was a practical test of mana maniption. It was a stage to measure how well one could control mana by forming a sphere with a test wand. In fact, since this practical test was everything, even if one scored high in the written test, it was impossible to enter Escolleia if they were unqualified in the practical test. "Now, please create a mana sphere with your wand." Following the examiner''s instructions, Yuria held her wand and concentrated. She had been practicing to create a sphere with a wand since a year ago. Although she had used it a lot, she did her best with the idea of showing it well to everyone. She closed her eyes and focused her entire mind on the tip of the wand. After a moment, a shining mana sphere was created and floated on her wand. The color was closer to white than blue. It meant that she hadpressed mana while maintaining a certain shape. "Wow." "Indeed, she shows the skill befitting her reputation as a genius." It was a basic skill that old magicians had to master, but it was a spelling from a girl who was only 9 years old, so they couldn''t help but admire her. The examiner, who had been watching her, immediately determined her grade. Yuria finished perfectly until the end and retreated with a satisfied face. "Next, Rosaria Adeleheights Roton." "Yes!" Rosaria was called, and she energetically raised her hand and went forward. There was one problem here. ''Does Rosaria know how to handle a wand?'' A short wand is the best magical tool for handling short spells and low-level magic. Since she already had outstanding abilities to fold mana columns into spheres, she wouldn''t have learned how to use a wand. Just in case, he decided to ask Dolores. "Dolly." "Yes, no, don''t call me by that nickname." "It rolls off the tongue so easily." "Ugh, really... Anyway, what is it?" "Have you ever taught Rosaria how to use a wand?" Dolores shook her head. "I''ve never taught her because she can implement magic without a medium at her level." "That means this is her first time..." Wand maniption. Reed had also used it a few times to check how much magic he could wield. Wands and staves are magical tools that help gather mana. They act as a kind of filter and pump, helping to draw in mana from within the body. However, in Rosaria''s case, she was able to freely control not only the mana within her body but also the mana floating in the air, so a wand was rather an inconvenient medium for her. ''Will Rosaria be able to understand the wand?'' A momentter, she began the test. Rosaria took the wand and tilted her head. She looked at it from side to side and even smelled it, but she couldn''t figure out what to do with it. She approached the examiner with the wand and asked, "What do I do with this?" "Excuse me? You need to create a mana sphere." Upon hearing that, dozens of question marks appeared above Rosaria''s head. The examiner exined it to her in more detail. "Like Yuria Frenda did, create a sphere at the end of the wand and float it." "What Yuria did... Ah!" Rosaria nodded as if she had grasped the idea. She moved the wand to her left hand and focused on her empty hand. Then, in the blink of an eye, a pure white sphere appeared in her hand. "Gasp!" "What, what is that!" The magicians who had admired Yuria''s skills looked at Rosaria''s sphere with their mouths wide open. It was on a different levelpared to Yuria''s. The color and size of the mana sphere that Yuria created were at the level of a mid-level magician. However, Rosaria''s sphere had a brilliant light that they had never seen before in their lives. Even Zekeheil, a doting father, couldn''t help but stare at the light. It was so bright that people from other areas who were working also stared at it, mesmerized. However, Rosaria herself had no idea how incredible her feat was. She had always yed like this with Dolores, and she had never thought her ability was so amazing. She took the pure white sphere of light and ced it on the wand she held in her left hand. Like scooping ice cream onto a stick, she moved it and showed the examiner with a bright face. "I''m done!" The examiner, who had been dumbfounded, finally came to his senses after hearing her words and determined her grade. Yuria Frenda was grade 3, and Rosaria was grade 1, with Rosaria iming victory. At that moment, Dean Anton, who had been quietly watching, went to the examiner''s side. The examiner was still admiring the magic Rosaria had shown. "It''s been a while since we''ve had a grade 1 determination, hasn''t it?" "To be honest, it''s not even enough to be grade 1. Didn''t you see herpressing mana with her bare hands and handling it like a ball?" "I saw it, yes." The examiner was still muttering in admiration, but Anton''s face was cold. To be honest, even giving her a score far above grade 1 would not be enough. "I wanted to y with the spheres like making ice cream." "Ice cream making?" "Yeah! Stacking them one by one and ying with it! Do you want to try, dad?" Did Rosaria know? The fact that Reed''s ability was nowhere near hers. For him, who could barely create and maintain one mana sphere, it was impossible to stack mana spheres like scooping ice cream. Reed stroked her head and said, "I''ll try when I''m capable of it." "Yeah!" The second test was andslide victory for Rosaria. The score was 1 to 1. Chapter 64.2 After that, there was a less influential magic aptitude testpared to the main exam. Elements, spirits, barriers, curses... As a gathering ce for numerous talented magicians, almost all kinds of magic were being handled. The tests were more like tastings, and they went through them one by one to check Yuria and Rosaria''s potential. In fact, Yuria had an overwhelming advantage. She was at a stage of finding magic suitable for her abilities by extending her reach in various fields, and Rosaria was still at a stage of strengthening her basics, so she had not been properly taught advanced magic. Excluding the elements she always yed with, Yuria was ahead in everything, and as a result, Yuria achieved an overwhelming victory. "Well done, my daughter! As expected, you''re my daughter, haha!" "Thank you." Unlike Zekeheil, Yuria didn''t look happy. Her expression was extremely ufortable. ''Somehow I feel more nervous.'' He started to worry if she would take some unexpected action. She made a determined expression and walked briskly toward them. "Excuse me, Tower Master of the Wallin!" The person she called was Dolores. "What is it, Miss Frenda?" "Please, can you ept me as your disciple?" Upon hearing her words, Reed and Dolores were startled. They exchanged nces with the troubled magician of the workshop. Zekeheil was also quite flustered by her remark. "Miss Frenda, do you know what that statement means right now?" "I do. It''s impossible for a workshop magician to ask for teachings from a tower magician!" "Knowing that, do you still want me to be your master?" The reason Dolores had no problem teaching Rosaria was because she was a magician of the tower. However, if Yuria, who would be a mage of the workshop, were to have a mage of the tower as her teacher, there would be affiliation issuester on. The teacher would not be a problem, but the student would be. Institutions like Escolleia Magic Academy are mostly neutral in nature. They adhere to the guideline that there should be no discrimination in education. "Yes." Yuria nodded her head with a confident expression. ''It''s difficult...'' Dolores was nning to reject her request. However, she was thinking about how to end this in a way that would leave everyone feeling good. At that moment, Rosaria, who was standing next to her, poked Dolores in the ribs. When she turned her head, Rosaria''s eyes were shining brightly. "Sister, are you going to study with Yuria?" "Uh? No, that''s..." "I want to study with Yuria too!" "You want to study together?" "Yes! It seems fun! I want to study with a friend!" Rosaria nodded her head and smiled brightly. Seeing her expression, Dolores felt like she had been hit. In her innocent appearance, she suddenly remembered her past self. ''I''ve alwayscked friends of my own age.'' Dolores, who had entered Escolleia early, had studied magic among grown adults. Naturally, she had never made a single friend her age. That''s why she knew how lonely her childhood had been. ''I don''t want Rosaria to be like that.'' Dolores made up her mind and looked up at Zekeheil. "I am considering epting Miss Frenenda as my disciple. What does the workshop side think?" The most important thing was what Yuria''s guardian thought. Zekeheil rubbed his chin with a troubled expression. It must have been shocking. It was shocking to see Yuria asking for guidance from a mage of the tower. He was her father, but he was also an executive of the empire''s workshop and her magic teacher. It was as if his disciple was being taken away by a mage of the tower, so the feeling of betrayal was at its peak. "Father......" Yuria looked up at Zekeheil cautiously. She knew this was a serious matter. She knew it was different from petty tantrums like the ride being ufortable or not liking the garden flowers. Zekeheil, who had always raised her with affection, carefully looked down at her. He thought silently. Then, he crouched down to match Yuria''s eye level. "Yuria." "Yes." "Do you really want to learn from a tower magician?" Zekeheil asked with a serious face. Yuria, who always spoke loudly, nodded cautiously. "You''re smart, so you''ll know for sure. You know how big of a deal it is for a workshop magician to ask for guidance from a tower." "Yes..." "Right... Knowing that and still saying it means you''ve found someone you truly want to take as a mentor. Your father can fully understand that." Zekeheil bitterly smiled and hugged Yuria tightly. "If you say you''ll go to the person who can give you the necessary guidance, I won''t stop you. If you''re happy, I''m always in favor." "Dad..." "Dad agrees... What about you all?" "Me? Well, I''m good! It''s like sucking up all the knowledge of those tower guys. What''s not to like?" "Uhahaha! That''s right! It''s like stealing the knowledge of the youngest genius magician of the tower! Isn''t it like hitting the jackpot?" When the other chief magiciansughed and moved on, Zekeheil alsoughed heartily. Knowing that it was a joke thrown to lighten the mood, Dolores and Reedughed along. Dolores also crouched down to match Yuria''s eye level and said. "Although I said I would be your mentor, I only have one day on the weekend. Rosaria also only studies during that time, so you probably won''t be able to gain as much as you think, Miss Yuria." "It''s okay! I''ll study hard if you teach me!" Yuria was overflowing with enthusiasm. There is no teacher who dislikes a passionate disciple. Dolores smiled and offered her a polite greeting. "Then, Miss Frenda, I look forward to working with you." "You can call me Yuria. I look forward to working with you, Master!" They finished the formal greetings between disciple and teacher. Zekeheil watched Yuria. As a father, not a workshop magician or her teacher, he looked at Yuria with a satisfied smile. Chapter 65.1 Escolleia (8) Escolleia Magic Academy, the second night. ''Rosaria Adeleheights Roton...'' Yuria thought about Rosaria. ''At first, I thought she was a fool...'' She wasn''t shocked like other magicians when she created the mana sphere. It was because she had already seen Rosaria''s mana maniption ability in the tower stacking game. Rather, it was natural and she wasn''t angry. If Rosaria had been worse than her in practical skills, she might have been angrier. Yuria was more ufortable because she lost in mana maniption but won through other tests. The one who prepared everything and the one who didn''t prepare. From the beginning, she was hurt by the fact that she gave points to Rosaria. Yuria was a jealous girl. If she didn''t like something, she would throw a tantrum right away, and she wouldn''t let even the smallest thing go. As she grew older, her princess-like temperament hardened, eventually turning her into the most annoying character in the game. For the first time in her life, Yuria felt a sense ofpetition through jealousy. An insurmountable, pure monster. Yuria felt that wall. She didn''t want to admit it. She wanted to prove that her wall was higher, not looking up at Rosaria, but looking down at her. Such jealousy and envy can be felt by anyone. However, Yuria was a smart girl. She knew that if she, who was called a genius, felt a wall, envy, and jealousy, her ability would end there. She didn''t want that. So, Yuria approached Dolores and asked her to ept her as a disciple. Dolores Jade, the woman who made her feel the wall for the second time. A genius recognized by her father. No, she was a genius who had to be recognized. There was beauty in her fight. ''And she''s also the teacher of the Roton family." It was partly because she was overwhelmed by Dolores'' overwhelming battle, but more importantly, she was Rosaria''s master. If they were under the same master, the conditions would be equal. If the conditions were the same, she thought she could undoubtedly catch up to Rosaria. Rosaria was her rival! That''s what Yuria thought. ''But... will Roton think of me as a rival?'' Rosaria was rude and self-willed. She was a girl who acted on her own and didn''t listen to adults, so Yuria was convinced that her evaluation was urate. However, Yuria couldn''t help but revise her assessment as she continued to observe Rosaria. Rosaria was pure and full of curiosity. She knew so little that it was hard to think of her as rude. She was, in a word, a lump of purity. Otherwise, when Yuria asked Dolores to ept her as a disciple, Rosaria would have been on guard or even ignored her. But Rosaria treated her purely as a friend and actively told her that she wanted to be together. If it hadn''t been for that, Dolores would undoubtedly not have epted her for adult reasons. She didn''t want to admit it, but the biggest reason she could be Dolores'' disciple was Rosaria''s help. She definitely didn''t think of her as a rival. ''What does Roton think of me?'' Does she really consider her a friend? Yuria nced at Rosaria. They were in the dormitory room they stayed inst night, and after dinner, Rosaria had dragged Yuria back into the same room, saying she wanted to sleep there again. Yuria agreed to share a room with her under the pretext of observing her closely. Reed readily agreed, and Zekehail nodded with tears in his eyes. Having a peer friend who wanted to be together, regardless of affiliation, was undoubtedly a joy for parents. Rosaria was sitting at her desk, looking intently at the paper. It was the test paper she scored zero on. She had asked for permission to take it to try again. But what could a child who submitted a zero-point test paper know? She rubbed her sleepy eyes and stared at it, but there was no way the answer woulde out. Yuria spoke to Rosaria, who was drooling again before going to bed. "Um, Ro, Roton." Rosaria turned her head at Yuria''s question. "Yes?" "Why are you nice to me? I''ve been... nothing but unpleasant to you." "Really?" Rosaria tilted her head at her words, and Yuria''s face hardened. How had she taken all the things she had done so far? Yuria muttered softly, biting her lower lip and ring at Rosaria. "I really don''t like that part about you..." "Huh? What did you say?" "I''ll allow you to call me Yuria, especially. Got it, Roton?" Hearing that, Rosaria grinned. "Then call me Rosaria too!" "Fine. Uh... Rosaria." Yuria, who usually spoke bluntly, awkwardly uttered her name. It was so awkward that Yuria ran her fingers through her hair, clutching a handful of it. It was the first time she had called someone by their name without any formality. No, in fact, it was the first time someone had approached her as a friend. Yuria, who was authoritative and didn''t want to lose to anyone, had apletely opposite personality to Rosaria, who was pure in every way. "I really don''t like it." But she didn''t dislike it. "Yuria, are you smart?" "Of course! I''m a genius that''s being watched at the workshop!" "Do you know this? I don''t." "What is it? You don''t even know this?" "Yes!" "Not knowing is not something to be proud of! A magician should be respected! So, you should always know everything! Understand, Rosaria?" "Yes!" Rosaria replied with a big smile. Whether she really knew it or just answered it. She flipped her red hair behind her ears and exined while looking at Rosaria''s test paper. "Now, this is how you do it..." Yuria solved the problem that Rosaria had struggled with in an instant. Seeing the correct answer, Rosaria looked at Yuria with amazed eyes and said, "Wow, that''s amazing!" "It''s not amazing. This is as easy as eating rice cake lying down!" "I can''t do this. Yuria is amazing." Amazing. It was a word she always heard in the Frenda family, but it was quite different when Rosaria said it. Yuria, praised by Rosaria, smiled proudly and said, "Hehe, of course! I''m a genius magician who is expected at the workshop! Feel free to ask me anything! This genius magician will answer everything!" "Teach me this too." "Here''s how!" Excited Yuria taught Rosaria the correct answers, and Rosaria eximed every time an answer came out. Theyughed and chatted without even realizing how deep the night was getting. Chapter 65.2 Sitting alone in the room, Reed was organizing the roster of students who woulde to the tower. Their personalities and magic styles were noted, so it didn''t take long. ''Is it over after seeing the entrance ceremony tomorrow?'' The entrance ceremony was more rxed than the graduation ceremony. In a world wherendscapes change in ten years, values change like flipping a palm during a four-year education program. It was enough to just scout for promising talent and think, ''Ah, this one is worth taking to our tower.'' ''What should I do about Kaitlyn?'' Suddenly, he thought of the chief engineer of Silence Tower, Kaitlyn Ramos. He offered her many things as conditions for entering the tower, one of which was helping her attend Escolleia again. ''I could solve it right now.'' They had recruited everyone from the Magic Engineering Department in the Silence Tower, and the influence of the Silence Tower in the Magic Engineering field was significant since the world was buzzing about recording devices. If he exerted influence on the magic engineering professor, he would undoubtedly rify the truth. ''I trust Kaitlyn, but solving it right away doesn''t look good.'' Humans can''t see even an inch ahead. And sometimes, when urgent problems are resolved, they change their minds as easily as flipping their hands. It wasn''t strange for her to turn her heart to more benefits. If she returns to school, she will live without contact for almost three years, and during that time, she might want to join a workshop or a merchant alliance. ''Besides, the magic engineering department in Escolleia is a mess...'' She could have even be offered a professorship here. In many ways, the risk burden was too great for Reed. ''In the first ce, the ability doesn''t increase just by returning to the academy.'' If she wanted to show results and grow, it would be better to stay in Silence Tower. The reason she wanted to go to Escolleia was her desire for recognition. It was simr to the belief that having a college diploma wouldn''t make her feel inferior anywhere. In other words, there was no need to solve it right now. Having reached that conclusion, Reed finished organizing the roster and tried to sleep. That''s when it happened. Knock knock. A light tapping on the window. When he looked, a bluebird made of mana was holding a note. As Reed took the note, the bluebird''s body scattered into the air and disappeared. -Meet me once more where you saw me, Anton Eclipsys. He wondered if it meant toe to the principal''s office, but if so, he would have said exactly toe to the principal''s office. He recalled the ces where he met him outside the dean''s office. The ce where they identally bumped into each other while passing through the central aisle. That ce where he was looking at theke was undoubtedly it. Reed grabbed his coat and went outside. The lights in the dormitory never went out day or night, so the campus was rtively bright. However, the ce he was heading to was a quiet ce without such lights. There was an untended grass field and trees, and a huge artificialke was visible. Theke shimmered, reflecting the moonlight. He thought it was beautiful and at the same time confirmed that Anton was there. "I see you came." Following the voice of the dean, Anton Eclipsys, he could see him standing. Reed cautiously approached his side. "You called for me." "It''s nothing special, really. I just have a few words to share." It wasn''t something special. It was surprising enough that Anton, the dean, had personally sent a bluebird to call him. "Zekehail came and went. He asked about his daughter." "You mean Yuria Frenda. She definitely has talent." "You''re quite a smooth talker. Don''t be modest. You know your daughter is more impressive, don''t you?" "I didn''t mean to be modest. It''s an undeniable fact that Yuria is also remarkable." This was a pure and objective evaluation. Reed knew from ying the game that she would y a significant role in stopping Rosaria in the future. "What do you think about my daughter?" Since he had called her, Reed wanted to hear Anton''s honest evaluation. "When will you enroll your daughter?" "Excuse me?" "What about enrolling her tomorrow, right away?" Anton was not a man of empty words, and he was especially relentless on the subject of ''admission,'' even to children. Yet, he was suggesting to enroll her immediately. It was probably something even Dolores, his favorite student, had never heard. "Do you think she is ready for admission now?" "I thought so from the beginning. That''s why I was wondering. Whether my judgment was correct or if my vision had just blurred with age. That''s why I''ve been holding off until today." Anton chuckled and then red at Reed, asking, "So, will you enroll her or not? A tower master like you is so indecisive." Anton asked as if urging her, and Reed cautiously brought out the answer she had prepared. "I apologize. It''s too early for her to enroll, as she still can''t even make proper judgments, Dean." "Is that so? That''s a shame." Anton smacked his lips. "However, since the Tower Master of Wallin is educating the child, I''m a little relieved. Even though they''re not blood-rted, a couple being together is always a good thing." "That... yes? Yes?" Reed asked, bewildered. "Why are you so flustered? Weren''t you nning to marry Dolores?" "No, that''s... true, but we broke off the engagement a long time ago." "You broke off the engagement? Did Dolores refuse because you did something she didn''t like?" "That... it''s the opposite." At the word ''opposite,'' Anton''s eyes narrowed fiercely. "What wascking in our Dolores that you refused?" His tone seemed to ask, ''How dare you?'' "There were many entangled issues. It was the family situation." Then Anton nodded as if he understood. "It''s true that your parents passed away while you were still studying. Since you''re the only one left in the Adelheights family, it must have been very lonely." Reed was the only one maintaining the name Adelheights, so he was the sole heir to the family. However, since it happened during his studies, all the secrets of the Adelheights family fell into the hands of others, and Reed lost everything. He had no knowledge as a magician and only had money. A magician with only money was useless. That''s why he was pressured to break off her engagement with Dolores, who was a genius of the century. "Dolores has left the family, you''ve risen to some extent in status. Your age is more than enough, even on the verge of passing..." He already started to anticipate what question woulde. "What do you think about marriage?" As expected. Reed closed her eyes and thought. ''Marriage...'' Dolores is a beautiful woman. She shows a strong appearance as a Tower Master, but when they are together, she is more adorable and lovely than anyone. Seeing her interact with Rosaria, one could see how domestic and kind-hearted she was. A talented and kind-hearted woman who was almost a waste for herself. "To be honest, I''ve been avoiding her for a long time. We need time to get to know each other again." "It sounds like you''re refusing." "It''s not a refusal. I just think this is something Dolores, the Tower Master of Wallin, deserves. To fully get to know each other, and if she still wants to get married then..." Reed nodded in response. "I would dly ept." If that was the path she was meant to take, Reed would do so. Upon hearing her answer, Anton looked up at Reed quietly. "The night wind is cold. Let''s go now. You must be busy preparing for tomorrow, right? You shouldn''t be held up." "Thank you for your kindness, Dean." Reed politely greeted him and left. After Reed disappeared, Anton stared at the moon quietly. A momentter, he opened his mouth. "Did you get your answer, Dolores?" With a rustling sound from the grass, someone revealed themselves. The Tower Master of Wallin, Dolores. She revealed herself while covering her face with both hands. Chapter 66.1 Spring Antonughed at the sight of her. "Hehe, it''s a dark night anyway. Your face isn''t even visible, so why bother hiding it?" "Master, you''re really mischievous... You asked me to wait, just for this." Before calling Reed, Anton had called Dolores to talk together. Through their conversation, he vaguely learned that she had a favorable impression of Reed, and Anton became curious about their rtionship. So, he made Reede and timed it so that Dolores would enter the bushes. Of course, Dolores heard everything Reed said. Her face turned bright red, and she wanted to scream and run out. But she endured it. She had to hold back because it would be too awkward if she faced Reed now. "Don''t resent me so much. Those were the words you wanted to hear, weren''t they?" Dolores didn''t answer. She just resented Anton, who was visible through her fingers, and remained silent. "It seems like he''s willing to ept you if you say you want to get married. What do you think?" Dolores answered with a smile. "It''s not possible yet." "Even though he''s willing to ept you?" "We''re both busy with the tower''s affairs, and the Silence Tower is boosting its power through magic engineering. There''s no doubt that troublesome things will happen, and I don''t want to hold him back with this." "So, it''s no different from when you were at the academy. You never know if he''ll change his mind in the meantime." Since they hadn''t met once in four years, Dolores didn''t know the details of his situation. If she had been a little more ambitious, would she have understood Reed''s situation better and they would have hurt each other less? However, Dolores didn''t resent that past. It was because they had missed each other that they were shing again. Because now she was so happy. "I have no choice but to approach him diligently so he won''t look away." Antonughed at her words. He was famous for being cold and ruthless to those without talent, but he was infinitely kind to his disciple who blushed like a young girl. Anton didn''t urge her any further. Dolores quietly looked at theke with her master, Anton. Looking at the calm, rippling surface of the water, it felt as if her heart became tranquil and transparent as well. *** The season of mischief has arrived. Although the terrible winter winds still blow, they disappear as if nothing happened when the sun rises. It''s the season when winter''s traces melt away, and the barren ground begins to stir. Spring hase. The farmers of the small vige, who endured the winter, began to work early in the morning, plowing the frozen ground, digging for wild vegetables in the forest, and replenishing their dwindling food stores. The Hupper Kingdom, together with the Silence Tower, has been working on the development of goods for the farmers even before spring began. The young king, Morgan II. Morgan II was more interested in items that would help the lives of the people than in expensive luxury items, like the recording device he saw at the demonstration. There was a sense of responsibility in living up to the name of a wise king''s son, but Reed knew that it was possible because he genuinely cared for the people under him. In fact, there were not a few people who looked down on him as a fledgling king, Morgan II. It seemed as if they had put up an unprepared king due to Morgan Hupper''s sudden death. However, behind his young age and appearance, there was a terrifying political power that was even more formidable than the former king, Morgan, and he was always ready to take advantage of the nobles who were careless because of his youthfulness Reed highly valued Morgan II''s preparedness. As the years passed, Morgan II turned 10 years old, and with age, there was a surprising change in his appearance. "You''ve be much healthier, Your Majesty." The pale, emaciated look had disappeared in just a few months, and he had be a bright-eyed boy. Morgan smiled and replied to those words. "It''s strange that you''re saying that now. We meet frequently because of the joint development project." "I suddenly remembered our first meeting. At that time, you couldn''t even go outside and always stayed in your room, didn''t you?" "Haha! That''s right. When I think about that time, it''s amazing. I never thought I could be this healthy." Morgan II touched his arm. Whereas before, his skinny arm would have felt bony, now solid muscles were clearly visible. "Do you exercise?" "Yes, I wake up early in the morning and follow the knights in training. Recently, I''ve been learning swordsmanship from my sister as well." "From Adonis?" Adonis is a swordsmanship expert, a "Sword Expert." It was still a stretch for her to reach the level of a master, butbined with her extraordinary strength, she was the strongest in the Hupper Kingdom and no less than an imperial knight. ''Will she be able to do well?'' However, teaching others is another realm altogether. It was hard to imagine Adonis, who was optimized for breaking and smashing, teaching Morgan II. "Someday, I''d like to see Your Majesty in a swordsmanship duel. Is there any problem?" "Well... there is a little problem." Chapter 66.2 Morgan II scratched his cheek as if embarrassed and said, "I receive sword training every day with wooden and practice swords, but recently, the imperial workshop made a sword that fits me perfectly, so I used it in training." "What problem arose from that?" The issue with the real sword sounded quite serious. He asked with serious eyes if someone had been hurt. "When I swung the sword... because of a strange lightness I didn''t feel with wooden and practice swords, my arm''s trajectory went further than usual... and I cut my ankle." "Oh no, are you alright?" "Fortunately, only my clothes were torn, and there was a bruise. Take a look here." Morgan II put his foot on the table and showed his ankle. Thanks to the diligent efforts of court magicians and healers, the wound didn''t seem visible at first nce. "It doesn''t seem like a big problem, and I don''t think there''s much to worry about." "Yes, there''s no major problem with the wound itself, and I think so too. The real problem... happened right after I got injured." Morgan II blushed as if embarrassed. "When I saw the blood flowing from my ankle, I... fainted." "You fainted?" "Yes, I felt something warming from my ankle and touched it, thinking it was sweat... but after that, I don''t remember anything. When I opened my eyes, I saw the familiar ceiling." "......Oh dear." Fainting at the sight of blood. It wasn''t unreasonable for a young noble who had always been confined and only read books, but it was still a difficult situation. "The king who is afraid of blood... indeed, it''s a weakness that is enough for others to underestimate." "Exactly, my sister said the same thing. How can I look after the people if I faint at the sight of blood? Then she said that getting used to blood is more important than swordsmanship training, and she took me to a ughterhouse for weird training." Adonis Hupper underwent rough training that was notdylike, and as a result, she became a knightmander who could defeat even an ogre. However, it would be difficult for Morgan II to ept such an approach. "I spoke up because she was putting me through such tough training!" "What did you say?" "I told her that I''ll ovee my fear of blood, and she should ovee her fear of frogs." "......You must have been hit." "Yes, she pped me on my butt." It gave off a strong sibling vibe. Morgan II looked up at Reed with a green face and asked, "What do you think of me fainting at the sight of blood, Tower Master? Do you also think it''s strange?" Reed answered, "Being afraid of blood is a big weakness in emergency or unexpected situations, so I think it''s a problem that needs to be ovee." "You''re on my sister''s side, after all." Morgan II sighed and lowered his head. Reed reassured him. "It''s for Your Majesty. As an ally, I''m giving advice for Your Majesty." "But it seems too difficult for me alone." "If it''s difficult, why not ovee it together?" At that, Morgan II looked up at Reed. "Together?" The deted face from earlier was gone, reced by a fisherman''s smile that seemed to say he had caught something big. "That''s right. It''s a problem we can ovee together. The alliance between the Silence Tower and the Hupper Kingdom! It''s a very strong alliance!" ''...Something seems fishy.'' "Recently, my sister reserved a game held in Imorun as a way to get used to blood. It''s a top-ss VIP room where you can watch the game vividly from above." "Imorun... that''s a city in the south, isn''t it?" Reed knew what was going on in that city. Reed knew full well what Adonis''s purpose was for sending him there. "Will you apany me?" "......" Pleasee with me. Frankly, Reed didn''t want to. Imorun was an intense city where he didn''t want to witness the things that happened there. "As a Tower Master, I have many things to do. Having my time taken away in such a ce is..." "For the sake of our alliance, please, Tower Master." Morgan II looked up at him like a soaked puppy. If a thick-headed man had looked at him like that, he would have pped his cheek, but the opponent was a boy who looked so much like Adonis. Rejecting the proposal felt likemitting an act that should not be done as a human, and guilt would overwhelm him. Even knowing that it was intended! "I understand... I suppose I can consider it as official business for a few hours..." "Your generosity is truly fitting for the person I admire. Thank you, Tower Master." He smiled gently. Reed looked down at Morgan II with a fearful gaze. He knew his strengths too well. Indeed, he was destined to be a great king. *** After finishing his conversation with Morgan II, Reed headed to the office where Adonis Hupper was. She was handling all the official duties that the young king couldn''t do, and as expected, Morgan Hupper''s seat had transformed into hers. As soon as the door opened, the portrait of Morgan was reced with a painting of young Morgan II and Adonis. In the picture, Adonis appeared with her elegant bob cut. And a woman with the same appearance was working below the painting. "Wee, Tower Master." Adonis greeted Reed with a nk expression. "I''m sorry if I''ve intruded at a busy time." "No, it''s not. I''m grateful that you visited just as I was taking a break. Please, have a seat." Adonis offered a chair on the opposite side. "I heard from His Majesty. You reserved a ce in Imorun to ovee the fear of blood." "......Did His Majesty really drag you into this?" At Adonis''s guess, Reed nodded. Adonis sighed with a displeased face. "I told him not to keep trying to get out of it... I''m sorry. It seems I got you involved in something unnecessary." "No, it''s fine. I actually wanted to see that game once, so I think it worked out well." In fact, he really didn''t want to, but since the situation had already been discussed, he didn''t try to back out awkwardly. Adonis looked at Reed as if surprised by his words. "Did you have an interest in the games held in Imorun, Tower Master? Perhaps I''m mistaken, or you misunderstood something..." "I know it well." Reed nodded his head in response. "Imorun is the city where diators gather, isn''t it?" The southern city, Imorun. It was a city built on destend, and of rough diators who gained fame through fighting. Chapter 67.1 Imorun (1) "Taking him to such a roughnd might shock him quite a bit... Are you sure it''s okay?" Reed spoke with a worried voice. While he was concerned about Morgan II, he was most worried about himself. However, Adonis replied with a calm face. "A king must not only see the good things, but also face the unpleasant ones. I thought the best way to ovee blood was to watch other people''s fights. If he watches a blood-boiling battle, he will undoubtedly be able to ovee it." "Hmm..." Before holding a sword, the children of swordsmen often watch hunting or diator games to get used to blood. In fact, Adonis had also trained through such methods. ''Such a kid is afraid of frogs...'' When Morgan II mentioned frogs, Adonis, who had pped his buttocks, spoke with a serious face. He tried his best to hold back hisughter that seemed to burst out. "You may think I''m taking him to a barrennd, but it''s also a ce that knight trainees must visit." "Indeed, there''s no better ce to make a name for oneself." Popr diators asionally got appointed as nobles'' escorts and rose to prominence. As it was the best ce to recruit talent, there were nobles and military factions looking for talents there. The story of wandering knights gaining fame through adventures in various ces was now outdated. Imorun was the best ce now. Although countless people lost their lives, it was a very efficient methodpared to wandering. "I originally intended to entrust this task to other knights... but I feel a little relieved that you, Tower Master, are interested." "Does that mean you, Adonis, will not be going?" "Yes. Unfortunately, it''s not stable enough for both of us to leave our positions now." "I see." It was a situation that he could fully understand. "Can you please apany His Majesty?" Reed bit his lower lip slightly upon hearing that. He didn''t want to go. However, he couldn''t refuse as it was a kind of task to build friendly rtions with the HupperKingdom, and to gain favor from Morgan II. "I understand." "Thank you, Tower Master." Adonis smiled faintly. Well, if she smiles like that, what can I do? *** Imorun. Originally a ce where natives brought ves to fight forcibly, it has now be aplete concept as professional fighters gather to participate for money. A city of diators and entertainment, Imorun. As a ce where nobles gathered to enjoy various entertainments, it was also a city with many thieves and robbers. ''Honestly, I''m a bit uneasy by myself...'' He may be a Tower Master-level mage, his skills wereckingpared to other Tower Masters. There was a significant difference between Level 4 and 5, which is why Reed had gone all-in on magic engineering. ''I think I should take one more person with me.'' The most reliable person would be Adonis, but since it wasn''t a situation where she could leave her position at the same time as Morgan II, she was excluded. He considered other knights, but there were none who could really help, even if they were just noticeable. ''The people I know are the most trustworthy, though.'' Who could Reed trust? Reed was lost in thought with his arms crossed on his office desk. "Hmm..." At that moment, someone knocked on the door and entered. A half-dragon with dark blonde hair and intimidating horns. She walked in with a squint and called Reed with a dragging voice. "Tower Master~ I brought the documents for approval. There seem to be no problems with the content, so I think you just need to stamp it." "Alright, but are you suffering from spring fever?" "Nope! This is just how I am!" Her brisk voice echoed. That way of speaking wouldn''tst long either. She was still a fun girl to tease. ''Phoebe...'' A woman who single-handedly suppressed six mages and blocked the path of the kingdom''s knights. And she yed the role of a mid-boss, not inferior to the main boss in . ''She would definitely be reliable.'' Reed asked Phoebe, who handed over the documents. "Phoebe." "Yes?" "Do you know Imorun?" "Imorun... you mean? Well... if it''s a snack, I''ll get it for you right away!" "It''s not food. It''s a city of diators. I have to go there, and I''d like you toe with me this time." "That''s right... Huh? What did you just say...?" Thinking she misheard, Reed repeated his answer. "I said I have to go to Imorun and I want you toe with me." "Ah, is thedy going too?" "No, it''s just you." "Me, alone? You-you-you mean I''m needed! You''re saying Phoebe is needed!" "...Yes. But why are you so excited?" Reed didn''t understand why Phoebe was flustered. Phoebe quickly waved her hands. "No, no!" "Anyway, we''ll go to Imorun tomorrow. Just for the day..." "Oh, so I just have to finish everything today?" "Huh? No, tomorrow''s work will be postponed to the day after..." "I''ll get it done right away! With all my heart and soul! I''ll finish tomorrow''s work today! I''ll clear everything!" Despite Reed''s n to postpone tomorrow''s work to the day after, Phoebe was burning with enthusiasm. "Do that." Once the sword is drawn, you have to cut something. Reed just left her alone. That day, the Silence Tower had to do unexpected extra work. Chapter 67.2 The southern city, Imorun. As a city built in barrennd, not a single de of grass could be seen, and the wind mixed with dust covered them. People called this ce thend of death where no one could settle. But was it because he had seen thend of the ck Sky first? To Reed, it felt like and of hope. ''It''s overflowing with hope.'' Wasn''t it a city that instilled hope in people who were trying to break through with their swords? The only problem was that their lives were at stake, but if they became a star, sitting on a pile of money was no big deal. "Tower Master of Silence! Here we are!" Morgan II spotted Reed and Phoebe and waved his hand. Phoebe was flustered to see Morgan II. "Uh? Tower Master, wasn''t it just me going with you today...?" "Huh? No, the King of HupperKingdom ising with us too." "I see..." Phoebe, who had been full of energy, slumped her shoulders and sighed like a tired puppy. Morgan II had just arrived on the sky carriage of the Hoofer Kingdom. It was his first meeting with Phoebe, but he recognized her at once. "So you must be Phoebe Astheria Roton, the Deputy Tower Master." "Nice to meet you, Your Highness." "Nice to meet you too. You''re truly beautiful." "Not at all." She showed a faint smile at Morgan II''spliment. "When does the game start?" "It starts in 30 minutes. We should be able to see it even if we walk." "Let''s take a look at the lives of the people slowly." "Yes." Morgan II stood next to Reed with an expectant face. This was his first time actually exploring a foreign ce. A mixture of fear and excitement about the unknown filled him. As they entered the city, it was lively, contrary to its appearance. "Come,e, apples soaked in honey for only 20 UP! Buy three for 50 UP! It''s cheap!" "Freshly baked pastries made by Eastern bakers just came out! Don''t miss this rare opportunity to taste theyers soaked in syrup!" As many tourists gathered, there were noticeable attempts to attract customers with snacks and food. "Most of the market here sells snacks soaked in sugar." Morgan IIwas a cold and cunning snake, but in essence, he was still a child. It was the age to seek pleasure in the mouth. He couldn''t take his eyes off the shiny foods soaked in sugar and honey, so Reed suggested to him. "If you want to eat something, feel free to do so." "Really? Is it okay?" "You should eat when you have the chance." Morgan II''s face brightened. As soon as he got permission, he quickly bought all the snacks and bread at the stall and started tasting them. As he took a bite of the thin pastry, the sweet syrup soaked between theyers danced on the tip of his tongue. Morgan II showed a happy expression as if he was not disappointed by his expectations. "Is it delicious?" "For the first time in my life, I think I understand what it means to be too sweet. I think Rosaria would like this too, why don''t you buy one?" "I''ll buy one after the game is over." Morgan II frantically ate the pastry and even sucked the remaining syrup on his fingers. Then, with a satisfied expression, he looked up at Reed. "Doesn''t the royal pce have a patisserie?" "Yes, we do have desserts, but I''ve never tasted anything this sweet. My sister always says that it will rot our teeth... and controls it." Morgan II thought of Adonis and frowned as he continued to eat the bread. "You are more like mother and son than siblings." "Ah! If my mother were alive, would it have felt like this?" "Yes, if the queen were alive, she would have been like Adonis." "...I see." Morgan II, who had never seen his mother, found the feeling unfamiliar. "Even if it''s not like that, I''m happy in a way. If our rtionship had been as I wished, she wouldn''t have nagged like that There''s no doubt she loves me because of that." "That''s right. It''s because Adonis loves you." "Should I buy one as a gift for my sister?" "She''ll definitely like it. Even if she doesn''t, you can eat it all, Your Highness." "I was thinking the same thing. Let''s buy a lot." Morgan II showed a sly smile, revealing his cunning intentions. Reed found Morgan''s appearance cute and chuckled, then turned his head to look at Phoebe. "It''s delicious." "..." Phoebe was eating an armful of unknown snacks with a morenguid tone than usual. ''I''m sure I brought her for escorting, but why do I have two kids?'' He felt like he was sandwiched between two children. A small child on the left and a big child on the right. As Reed stared at her with a pathetic look, Phoebe shuddered, feeling his gaze. Upon meeting Reed''s eyes, she sweated profusely and looked around to see if he was looking at something else. But there was only a wall next to her. Eventually, she realized what she had done wrong and carefully removed the candy she had been biting from her mouth and pushed it towards Reed. "Um... Tower Master, would you like to try some too?" "...No, thank you." "Ah, yes..." How could he put the candy covered in saliva in his mouth? Feeling it was strange even in her own thoughts, she blushed and brought the candy back to her mouth. It seems like she''s going to eat it all. I wonder if she''s being considerate or not... Feeling the lively atmosphere of Imorun, they walked towards their destination. The huge and magnificent circr stadium in the center of Imorun, made of stone and concrete. It was the Colosseum, which could be called thendmark of Imorun. There were 10 minutes left until the game started at the Colosseum. Numerous tourists lined up to enter. Despite being able to amodate tens of thousands of people, seats were always scarce. Morgan II and Reed did not head for the bustling entrance. VIPs have their own entrance. As they moved to a rtively quiet ce, muscr men guarded the entrance, unlike the uncontrolled areas. "I''m Morgan Hoofer II, who made a reservation from the Hupper Kingdom." "I have confirmed, but who are the two people behind you?" "They are Reed Adeleheights Roton, the Tower Master of Silence, and Phoebe Astheria Roton, apanying me. Should there be any problem?" "It was just a procedural check. I apologize if it upset you, Your Highness." "Never mind." The man opened the door without asking any further questions. The sophisticated hallway that greeted them was hard to believe it was a building built on a deste barrennd. A red carpet on the shiny floor. The hallway exuded a feeling more like being in a pce than a stadium. Morgan II walked down the hallway with a frown. Aware of his expression, Reed spoke to Morgan II. "It''s strange that the procedure is so strict today." "Indeed. Did they underestimate us?" Procedures are only for lower-ranking nobles. For a kingdom like Hupper, they would have just let them pass without a word, but asking questions made them think they were underestimated. They entered with such suspicions. And soon, their difort disappeared. There was a guest more valuable than the king of the Hupper Kingdom. Chapter 68.1 Imorun (2) Unlike Morgan II, the other person was leading a group of knights wearing silver te armor. The extraordinary-looking armor seemed so sturdy that it wouldn''t even get scratched by mediocre attacks. The knights were standing in a row with dignity, and in front of them, a young boy was sitting on a red chair with a golden frame. Noble-looking silver hair and blue eyes. The boy, wearing a white uniform with the empire''s mark on a banner, was William, the third prince of the empire. William, sitting with his legs crossed on the chair, opened his mouth when he saw Morgan and Reed. "Well, I thought I was the only guest today, but there was another guest?" Then, a chubby man who seemed to be the manager of the Colosseum sitting on the opposite side, replied while rubbing his palms. "Because it was a reserved guest. Since he is also the king of a country, I thought there would be no problem..." "So you didn''t even ask for the opinion of an imperial prince? After all, who cares what happens to the third son who is neither the eldest nor the second son? Right?" "No, that''s not true!" As William got irritated, the chubby man sweated profusely. It was an atmosphere where it wouldn''t be strange if his head fell off at any moment. William, looking bored, got up from his seat and headed towards Morgan II. The five knights standing behind him also moved along. William looked at Morgan II with his head held high. Morgan II knew the meaning. I am superior to you, so show respect first. So Morgan II greeted him politely. "Morgan Hupper II, greeting the Third Prince of the Empire." Only after his greeting was finished did William open his mouth. "Nice to meet you, King Hupper. You participated in the demonstration, didn''t you?" "Yes, I did." "Not long after that, yourte king passed away, which is truly regrettable." "Thank you for your concern, Your Highness." Morgan II nodded his head with a faint sad smile. He acted as much as possible to hide himself from those who couldn''t know the inside story. Morgan II, who was familiar enough, had no problem deceiving the prince. "But what happened to him? Was it suicide...?" William tilted his head and asked Morgan II a question. He already knew all the information known to the world, and Morgan II could faintly guess from his tone of voice. The purpose of the question was to touch Morgan II''s feelings. However, Morgan II didn''t fall for it easily. "It wasn''t suicide, but he used ck magic to breathe life into me." At Morgan II''s words, William pped his hands and nodded his head. "Ah, that''s right! It was said that he used forbidden ck magic. Haha!" It seemed childish, but by now, anyone could notice it. Then, he red at Morgan II with hateful eyes. It was a face as if looking at something filthy. "It''s surprising that it was overlooked. If ck magic had been used, our empire and the church wouldn''t have left it alone." "Aren''t we an independent nation that has separated from the empire? An independent country has its own way." Morgan II asserted confidently. "Although myte king used ck magic, his intention wasn''t impure. It was the courage to break the rules for his child. That''s why all the people supported my father, who used ck magic, and supported me taking the throne." He calmly let William''s words pass, not like a 10-year-old. William clicked his tongue lowly and sarcastically, as if he didn''t like it. "That king, his sessor... and those people. It seems like a country that a young king can lead well enough." "Thank you. We may not be able topare to the empire, but it would be nice to be a great nation someday." Although it was a sharp remark, Morgan II smoothly moved on. It was a behavior befitting a promising political sprout. Having finished talking with Morgan II, William turned his eyes and looked up at Reed standing next to him. Unlike the psychological warfare that had taken ce, his voice was devoid of hostility. "Nice to meet you. You''re the Tower Master of the Silence Tower, right?" "Yes, Your Highness." "I sincerely congratte you on the sessful demonstration. The recorder, wasn''t it? It''s an interesting item that caught my attention since the dispatched nobles are talking about it every day." "I''m d it pleases Your Highness. If you give me a call, I''ll make a recorder and music for Your Highness." "Haha! If you would do that for me, I would be very grateful! It would be shameful for the son of the empire to use the same thing as other nobles." The prince''s arrogance became more disgusting as the conversation continued. The son of the empire. Even the crown prince, the eldest son, didn''t call himself the son of the empire, but the third prince did. It wasn''t even worthughing at. At a young age, he was already a braggart. ''Yuria is simr, but at least she has conscience and talent.'' William was nothing but a good-for-nothing with only lineage. The urge to punch him in the face welled up. ''Well, he has someone to rely on, so that''s why.'' Behind William, there were five knights. Not just ordinary knights, but knights of the empire. They were carefully selected knights from the empire that could make even local investigators, who were said to be influential, feel like kittens. If they were standing by the prince''s side, they were undoubtedly capable of handling a hundred enemies at once. And among them, one man, who seemed to be the knightmander with a sword on his back, caught his eye. Chapter 68.2 ''A half-dragon...'' He was a half-dragon just like Phoebe. He had the same deep golden hair and golden eyes as Phoebe. If he didn''t know that they were all half-dragons with different bloodlines, they could feel like siblings with such simr features. The only difference was that his horns were pointing upwards, unlike her threatening forward-pointing horns. And the fact that his horns looked like deer antlers showed that he had the blood of the Gold Dragon, the Emperor Dragon, flowing through him. There were four surviving half-dragons during the Astheria extermination incident. Two of them surrendered to the empire, one went missing, and thest one miraculously survived a near-death situation. One of the two who surrendered to the empire was Gorgan Garcia, the vanguardmander. He abandoned the name of the Astheria family, who were used of plotting a rebellion, and adopted the empire''s name, taking on the surname ''Garcia''. Phoebe and Gorgan locked eyes. The woman who kept the name of the Astheria family and the man who abandoned it. However, without any tension, they opened a friendly conversation. "Oh my, Gorgan. Long time no see." "Have you been well, Phoebe?" "Yes, Gorgan has be a really cool man. The armor is pretty, and the sword on your back is awesome!" "You''ve changed... a lot too." Phoebe,ughing with a piece of bread stuck on her lips, didn''t even notice. Gorgan looked down at Phoebe with a dignified face. It didn''t feel like a hostile conversation. "How is Saul? Is he still as mischievous as ever?" "He''s the same. He says everything is boring, but he keeps trying to cause trouble." "He''s such a child. I remember being so upset about that back then. Oh, it reminds me of the old days." Phoebe smiled, lost in memories. Unlike Phoebe, Gorgan stared at her with a cold face. Phoebe chuckled at Gorgan''s expression. "Gorgan, please smile. You used to smile at me a lot, and you''d say you don''tugh." "I''m on official duty now. You seem to be living leisurely." "Me, I''m on official duty too! I didn''te to y today!" "Take the bread off your mouth and hide the candy in your hand before you speak. Aren''t you ashamed in front of the tower master you serve?" "Huh? Oh, I can''t help that!" In a hurry, she removed the bread piece from her mouth and put it in her mouth. "When will you abandon the name of Astheria?" At Gorgan''s question, Phoebe''s floating atmosphere sank. "...We agreed not to talk about that, didn''t we?" "He''s a man who caused us pain. We have no reason to follow him." "Gorgan might think that way, but I don''t resent him. I won''t change my mind because he cared for me." "...Your feelings haven''t changed, Phoebe." "Gorgan, it''s because my feelings haven''t changed that I was able to change." Phoebe smiled. Gorgan showed a dissatisfied expression, but he didn''t try to criticize her. Just as Gorgan had his own beliefs, Phoebe had her own. Knowing that she had followed the master more than anyone else, he could understand that her feelings wouldn''t change easily. And he nced up at the man who allowed her to keep such feelings. Gray hair and golden eyes. A man who made her fall for him as much as the previous master, if not more. As Reed felt his gaze and turned his head, Gorgan bowed his head and greeted him politely. Reed also smiled and epted the greeting. "The game will start soon, Your Highness. It would be a big deal if you miss the exciting opening ceremony, wouldn''t it?" "Haha! That''s right. I came to enjoy the day, and it would be a big deal if I can''t enjoy it properly, wouldn''t it?" "Then we''ll go ahead. I hope you have a good day." After exchanging polite greetings, Morgan II turned and walked to his seat. As soon as they turned around, William, who had been wearing a smug smile, scowled and red at their backs. "Gorgan." "Yes, Your Highness." "Is that half-dragon also an experimental subject of the Astheria family?" "Yes, she is." William looked at Phoebe. She seemed to be an unmistakabledy, sticking to the Tower Master''s side. She felt no different from the many women who flirted with him. "No matter how I look at her, she seems more useless than you or Saul. Wouldn''t she be of little use to the empire?" Gorgan was a somewhat arrogant man, although not as much as Prince William. He always underrated Saul and the missing half-dragon, but for some reason, he always rated Phoebe as a person above himself. It was rare for him, the vanguardmander of the imperial knights and William''s closest aide, to praise someone highly. "She may look that way, but she was once our leader." "Leader? You mean the leader of the half-dragons in your Astheria family?" "Yes." William, wondering if he had misheard, asked Gorgan again. "Does that make sense? That dog-like woman? She looks stupid, though." "Her being stupid... I can''t deny that, but there''s a reason why I have to acknowledge her." "What is it?" "Because she, who inherited the blood of the ck dragon, possesses unparalleledbat instincts. When she was called the mad dragon, she single-handedly fought hundreds of knights we struggled against." "And she''s still alive?" With that number, there must have been some noble knights mixed in. Confronting nobles was a clear felony. "At that time, the Tower Master, Jude Roton, negotiated with the empire. And they spared Phoebe''s life and civilized her." "He negotiated with the empire? Was he a bloated magician?" "But there was valuable information." William wasn''t curious about what that information was. He just didn''t like the fact that the Silence Tower tried topete with the empire. "She must be nothing special. You, who have received several martial arts medals, must be confident in fighting and winning against her now, right?" "Yes." Gorgan, who had fought for years, and Phoebe, who hadn''t fought for years. Considering the situation, he answered because it was advantageous. But Gorgan wasn''t sure. She had changed. But did she really forget her true nature? Chapter 69.1 Bet (1) The sun was high in the sky, and strong sunlight poured down onto the colosseum. Hired magicians adjusted the shade and lighting with tents before the game started. The inside was packed with tens of thousands of tourists and citizens. As expected, there were thieves mixed among theplicated audience seats, so crowded that no one would notice if someone''s pocket was picked. And the VIP seats, where one could look down from the highest ce, were already different from the heated audience seats. The top floor of the stadium was designed so that the stadium could be seen as soon as one lowered their head. The hot air from the southern region was nowhere to be found, and a cool breeze blew gently. "Wee, Your Highness." Two female attendants greeted Morgan II and Reed politely. Reed was startled as soon as he saw them. It was said that in the southern region, where it''s hot, people don''t dress properly, but their outfits were too tant. "Who are you?" "We are here to serve Your Highness so that you can enjoy the game..." "In such obscene attire?" "We need to help you if the game gets boring." "..." Reed was already fed up. With aposed expression, Reed spoke to the female attendants. "Thank you for your help, but His Highness didn''te here for such amusement, so please step back." "Understood." The female attendants quietly retreated from their positions. Reed had no choice but to ask Phoebe for help. "Phoebe, can you help me a bit?" "Yes!" Phoebe, who epted the request, answered with an enthusiastic face. But as she went to leave the room, Reed grabbed her. "Why are you going outside?" "I thought that if I changed into the clothes worn by the female servants while serving you, it might help..." "...No need. Just do it as usual." As Reed spoke with a dumbfounded face, Phoebe blushed awkwardly. "I''ll bring you something to drink." Phoebe, who was happy with whatever Reed said, didn''tin and brought tea. She boiled red tea leaves and floated cold ice cubes before serving it to Morgan II and Reed. "It''s really delicious. You have excellent skills." "Thank you, Your Highness." Phoebe smiled, seemingly pleased. Reed also praised Phoebe ording to the atmosphere. "You''re right, Your Highness, it''s delicious." "R-really? Hehe..." She smiled politely, hesitated for a moment, and then took notes on something. It was undoubtedly about checking the blend and origin of the tea she just brewed. Anyway, Reed left her alone. Reed and Morgan II removed the two long sofas and ced two chairs in their ce. There were refreshments in front of them to eat while watching the game, but Morgan II didn''t even look at them. Morgan II, who had been sitting still, opened his mouth. "There will be a lot of blood in the game, right?" "It''s not just a simple duel, but there are many games where they really kill each other, so it won''t just be blood you see." "It seems a bit better to watch from afar... but I''m still nervous." Morgan II focused on the empty stadium with a strained smile. Reed nced at Morgan II''s hand resting on the armrest. His fist was clenched tightly. "Your Highness, don''t worry too much about the Crown Prince''s remarks." "Ah, was it too obvious?" Morgan II looked up at Reed with an awkward smile. "I didn''t have any particr thoughts when he mentioned thete king. But his intentions were too despicable." "I felt that too." "If he had spoken like that about my sister or mother... I don''t know what I would have done." He had excellent political skills, but he was still a young child. It was an age when it was too difficult to endure insults to his family. Reed covered his hand with his own. "I will dly stand up for you at that time. Please, for now, maintain your dignity as a king." Feeling the warmth of Reed''s hand, Morgan II looked up at him and smiled. "Thank you, Tower Master. Thanks to you, I can calm down a bit." Having calmed down, Reed let go of his hand. Shortly after, the game began. With the sound of the trumpet announcing the opening, five men wearing cloaks entered. At the same time, jeers erupted, and voices of criticism could be heard. "Why are they so angry?" "Those diators who just entered are all death row inmates. Theymitted major crimes somewhere, so people despise them." Shortly after, an armed diator entered through the opened right iron gate. At the same time, tens of thousands of enthusiastic cheers and praises poured out. Then, the diator raised both hands and skillfully led the audience''s response as he headed to the center of the stadium. "And that guy is a star diator, one of the best in this Colosseum." "A skilled diator and death row inmates... the opening ceremony is practically an execution ceremony." "That''s right." "Indeed... they excite the audience with this." The design was to immerse the audience in the game from the beginning, which could be loose because lives were at stake. Morgan II saw through this aspect. The opening ceremony was already heated with the appearance of the star diator. The death row inmates pointed their weapons at the diator awkwardly. They knew that they could survive if they stuck together, as they weren''t fools to just ept their fate. However, there is always someone better. The death row inmates were ahead by arge margin, but their opponent was a man who had rolled enough dust in this stadium to create a desert. It was no problem for him to break the formation of untrained people and defeat them one by one. Whoosh! As soon as the match started, the diator, who had been responding to the audience, pulled out the ax from his waist and threw it at the death row inmate. The well-sharpened ax de flew in a straight line. Thud! The head of a man standing in the middle of the huddled death row inmates was split in half, sttering blood and flesh. The formation of the death row inmates, who were shocked by the cruel death of their colleague, copsed. The diator, who had anticipated the situation, charged at them. The oue was decided in that moment. "Ugh..." Morgan II, who had a weak stomach, instinctively tried to close his eyes tightly. However, he lifted his eyelids with his will and forced himself to watch the game. Although it was an unpleasant task, he knew that he would have to ovee it someday, so he took a deep breath and watched the game until the end. The star diator''s execution was literally spectacr. He threw his ax, dodged the attacks of the charging death row inmates, and toyed with them. "Those skilled fighters, they know how to get the audience''s response and don''t kill the death row inmates gently." The opening ceremony, whichsted for 10 minutes, ended sessfully with the overwhelming response of the audience. Morgan II, who had been sweating in his hand, finally caught his breath as he watched the bodies being removed. "Phew..." "You endured well." "Watching from afar, it''s less disgusting." He adapted faster than expected, and so did Reed. ''Is it because it feels like just a movie?'' Although it was happening in reality, watching from afar made it feel like just a movie. Reed, who seemed more disgusted than Morgan II, let out a sigh of relief. After the opening ceremony, the main stage began. There were a total of 8 games. Just before the first game began, someone knocked on the VIP room door. Chapter 69.2 When Phoebe opened the door, a female attendant approached politely with a cushion. On the red cushion was a crystal ball. "Your Highness, there is a call request." "Who is it?" "It''s the 3rd Prince of the Empire." At that remark, Morgan II turned his head. There was another VIP room located on the opposite side of where he was sitting. The 3rd Prince, William, was lying on a long sofa, looking over here. Morgan II couldn''t handle magic, so Phoebe started the call through the crystal ball. -Your Highness, can you hear me? William''s voice came through clearly. Morgan II looked at the crystal ball with determination as if he couldn''t lose. "Yes, I can hear you, Your Highness." -Themunication crystal ball in the Colosseum isn''t that good. Well, it''s natural. Did he call to pick a fight? He asked William, who was chuckling. "May I ask why you wanted to call me?" -Watching the diators squabble with each other is not much entertaining. "So what do you n to do?" -You''re really clueless. How about betting? Who wins, who loses? Let''s try that. Then we can watch it with more tension, don''t you think? Betting... It wasn''t surprising for a guy who pursued pleasure like chasing a woman''s skirt to be into gambling like this. Morgan II thought about the proposal with a furrowed brow. He didn''t like betting even with close people, but he had no choice. If he didn''t do it, he would be harassed even more persistently. "What kind of bet do you have in mind?" -We''ll take turns picking and betting money. First, I''ll pick, and then you, King Hupper. How about that? Isn''t that fair for both of us? "Alright. Let''s do it that way." Morgan II epted the proposal. Although they couldn''t see him from afar, Reed and Morgan II could feel his sinister smile. -Then I''ll go first. With those words, the first game began. The first game was a stage for rookie diators. On one side was a diator with a and a spear, Fisher, and on the other side was a diator with a sword and a shield, Footman. -I''ll bet 10,000 UP on Fisher. "Understood." The chances were much better for Fisher than Footman. If Fisher used the to disarm and attacked with the spear, Footman wouldn''t be able to resist and would die. ''As expected.'' Fisher won an overwhelming victory with blood all over him and roared in the heated atmosphere. As a result, Morgan II lost 10,000 UP. "With 10,000 UP... How many starving people could we feed and save..." As he always paid attention to expenses, losing 10,000 UP was painfully significant. A young king who thought about his people and a reckless spender. There was no need to question who he should help. "Your Highness." "Yes, Tower Master." "Do you trust me?" Morgan II looked up at him with deep green eyes. He couldn''t help but nod at the sight of those golden eyes staring at him seriously. "I trust you." He didn''t think about what he was doing or what he was gaining. He trusted Reed, who had saved him. "Please say this to the crystal ball." Reed cautiously whispered in his ear. *** Colosseum stadium VIP room on the opposite side. "It''s so much fun. Fun." Williamy on the sofa, putting a green grape in his mouth. Crunchy. After savoring the sweetness and texture, he spat it into a trash can next to him. That was his way of enjoying food. Since he couldn''t taste everything at once, he enjoyed the taste and spat it out. And if someone gave him something tasteless, he would cut the throat of the person who made it. That was the way of the reckless Third Prince, William. "10,000 UP. What can you do with 10,000 UP, Gorgan?" "You can provide a sry for 10 knights and give special allowances to 1,000 soldiers under theirmand." "That''s boring. Go home and talk about that. There''s nothing useful for me, is there?" William looked at Gorgan with an annoyed expression. William didn''t care about the concept of money. He could get whatever he wanted at any time, and if someone couldn''t get it for him, he would cut their throat. It didn''t matter how valuable the item was to William. 10,000 UP was one such thing for him. All he needed was to have Morgan II under his control. -It''s our turn now. William, excited by Morgan II''s voice, replied. "Oh, right! Now, hurry up and bet! Let''s see how good King Hupper''s judgment is!" A momentter, Morgan II answered. -I will bet 5,000 UP on the cruel warrior, Gavier, in the second game. 5,000 UP? It was not even half the amount William had bet. "Do you think you can offset the loss of 10,000 with just 5,000 UP?" -I will bet 5,000 UP. "Are you telling me not to be stingy? Fine, I''ll ept." -Yes. A momentter, the glowing crystal went out, and Williamughed excitedly. "I wanted to see how brave the son of a wise king is, but he''s just this much of a man! It''s hrious, isn''t it?" "Yes." "It''s a pleasure to step on him. It''s the most fun to step on someone who''s cowering, hahaha!" William enjoyed Morgan''s actions more than the games. A momentter, the second game began and the battle unfolded. A duel between warriors with simr strengths, unlike the first game. Neither side backed down, and they wore down each other''s spirit and stamina. Five minutester, the result of the game came out. "We won! We won!" Morgan II''s designated diator died, bleeding. William activated the crystal ball and began to mock Morgan. "Hahaha! How unfortunate! You bet your money and lost! Do you feel like cutting his throat right now? Oh, he''s already dead, so it wouldn''t even be satisfying." -...Congrattions, Your Highness. Morgan II congratted him with an angry voice. It was good for Gorgan that the prince he served was in a good mood. However, for some reason, Gorgan felt a sense of foreboding. ''Why can''t he guess right even once?'' No talent in gambling? It was possible. His opponent was only 9 years old. It was their first time at the Colosseum, and the same went for Tower Master Reed. It was natural for their ability to read the flow of the games and observe the diators to be low. ''But...'' There was something. Gorgan felt an ominous aura. It felt like he was going into a wide-open mouth. Chapter 70.1 Bet (2) No matter how much Gorgon thought about it, the suspicious feeling bothered him, and he whispered to William. "Your Highness, I think you need to be cautious." "What do you mean?" "It seems like they''re plotting something over there." At the mention of plotting, William''s cheerful expression hardened. "They''re plotting?" "I think you should doubt the fact that you''ve won four games in a row." It wouldn''t hurt to doubt it. Gorgon, the vanguard of the empire, advised William so. However, Gorgon''s advice did not reach him. He only felt irritation as if a fly was buzzing around his ear. "You mean..." William, who had been biting his lip, looked up at Gorgon. "You mean I''m being yed right now?" "I''m sorry if it sounds unpleasant, but yes." The VIP room, which had been full ofughter, suddenly fell silent. William, who had been lying on the sofa, propped his head up with his hand and stood up without saying a word. "Gorgon, you go out and wait. Don''te in until I call you." "Your Highness, I am always on your side..." Bam! He kicked the tea table. The beautifully decorated food was scattered like garbage in an instant. "Get out! Right now!" "..." William shouted loudly. Gorgon didn''t say anything more. He politely greeted and left the room as William had told him to. The once-chirping William nced at Gorgon''s empty spot and shifted his gaze to the knights standing beside him. The knights, feeling his fierce gaze, quickly straightened up in their seats. "You guys won''t get away with just leaving. If you have the confidence, open your mouth." "..." The knights kept their mouths shut. Even Gorgon''s advice, the closest to him, was not effective. What could they do? All they could do was their assigned escort mission. A momentter, the maids entered, quickly cleaned up the messy room, and restored it to its original state. The sixth game began. Although William was irritated, he also pondered Gorgon''s words. ''Am I really falling into a trap?'' No matter how lowly he waspared to himself, Gorgon was an outstanding vanguard and an excellentmander who knew how to control an army. Being a rational half-dragon, he was bold when it came to discarding forces or making sacrifices. He had the skill to be William''s closest aide. So, William reconsidered his judgment. In the meantime, the sixth game ended. This game was a team match. In a team match where no one could predict the oue urately, three men survived and raised both hands towards the audience. "Whose victory is it this time?" "..." "Does nobody know?" "This bet is King Hupper''s victory." This time, Morgan II won. One win after five consecutive losses. The money he had bet was 10,000 UP. Seeing that, William snorted. ''Yeah, I was right.'' He wasn''t being yed by anyone. *** Reed and Morgan II''s strategy was as follows. Driving the opponent into a winning streak through a losing streak. And then, while they were off guard, striking the final blow. ''If William is still the same as before...'' First, they had to make him feel triumphant. The bet was all about the final game. "We will start losing from now on. Please keep that in mind." "Yes, I understand." Morgan II steeled himself. Even with Reed''s strategy, if Morgan II didn''t y his part well, everything would be futile. If William figured out Morgan II''s intentions, he will try to crush him with money. In that case, Morgan II wouldn''t be able to withstand it. Feeling a mental burden even with 10,000 UP, if he were to gamble with tens of thousands of UP, he would eventually sumb to William. Reed had "Talent Appraisal." On top of that, he had yed this game countless times, so he could instantly figure out the matchups. Thus, William, who had won five games, taunted Morgan II in an ted voice. The team matches began from the sixth game. ''A team match, huh...'' In individual matches, the status written on the status window is the standard, but team matches are different. It was the most gambling part because it depended on the synergy that could be produced between them and how well they fit together. "Who should I bet on?" "This time, the blue team..." - You shouldn''t bet on that person if you''re nning to win. Phoebe''s secretive voice echoed. When Reed nced at her, she smiled as if nothing had happened and watched the game. -What do you mean? -The red team has a limping yer. That limping yer will tie up his team, and they won''t be able to win against the blue team''s joint attack. They already know that information. -...Are you sure? -Yes. Phoebe grinned. The fact that she secretly informed him through telepathy meant that she was considering her image. Reed engraved her advice and pondered. If they tried to lose, they should bet on the red team as she said. ''We''ve lost six games in a row.'' Chapter 70.2 Reed thought so and turned his gaze across the window to the other side. Then, he saw William getting irritated with Gorgon. Afterward, Gorgon bowed politely and went outside. ''Why? Why did he go outside?'' Perhaps Gorgan had given William some harsh words. If it was a harsh word during the game, it was undoubtedly rted to Morgan II''s bet. ''Gorgon has noticed.'' And he told William to be cautious, but he must not have listened. ''Even if he''s a tyrant, he won''tpletely ignore Gorgon''s words.'' He would reconsider Gorgon''s advice through this round. In other words, they couldn''t afford to lose this game. "Please bet 10,000 UP on the blue team. We will win this game." "Huh? You''re not going to lose?" "The guy in the middle of the red team is limping. He will undoubtedly hold back his team, and the blue team will win." "I see. I understand." As Reed said, Morgan II bet 10,000 UP on the blue team. And the result of the game went as Phoebe had predicted. As expected, the limping yer was the problem, and the blue team easily won the game. Morgan II turned his insides out while talking to William. After hanging up the crystal ball, Morgan II looked up at Reed with sparkling eyes. "Indeed, Tower Master, your ability is incredible." "It''s nothing." "Anyone who can recognize potential can know up to one-on-one, but you can''t be sure of victory or defeat in a 3-on-3 team match unless you know the person''s character and everything. I didn''t know you had that much ability." "......I see." Indeed, it was an extraordinary ability. Phoebe was a woman with such an incredible insight. A perfect woman to the point where it''s hard to understand why she followed him blindly. However, her face, with a pair of threatening horns and her blonde hair flowing down, smiling softly, didn''t feel threatening at all. As he stared at her quietly, Phoebe seemed to realize and offered him a cup of tea. "Would you like another cup of tea?" "Yes, please." "You''ve been sitting for a long time, is there anything else you need? Shall I massage your shoulders? Or maybe feed you some fruit?" "No, it''s fine. Just stand still." "Hehe..." He didn''t have a sore shoulder, but he didn''t want Phoebe to touch him. Reed showed a rxed look as he put a green grape from the table into his mouth. Before the seventh game began, William''s voice came through the crystal ball. - You finally won a game. His voice didn''t seem unpleasant. Even though he had lost once, Morgan II was still losing overall. - How much should we bet this time? Oh, let''s do 50,000 UP. What do you think? King Hooper should make up for what he lost, shouldn''t he? "50,000 UP..." Morgan II hesitated. The fear of the amount of 50,000 UP was there, but it was all for the acting. "I understand." A voice filled with confidence, as if the king of a country couldn''t be defeated. It was impossible not to please William''s heart with such an act. ''How much have I lost?'' He slowly calcted. ''First, it was 10,000 UP...'' If he loses this time, he will have a debt of 130,000 UP. His mind became hazy. With this money, how much could be done? Morgan II knew how much the people and the nobles spent. That''s why it seemed like he wouldn''t be able to forgive himself if he lost this much money. That was precisely Morgan II''s pride as a king. ''But I decided to trust Tower Master.'' Morgan II, who had been betrayed by his father, regarded Reed as a father figure. A respectable and admirable person, and sometimes a friend. That''s why he was a man he wanted to be closer to. Even if Reed made a wrong judgment, Morgan II would follow him to the end. "......Yes." The result of the seventh game ended with the victory of the yers William pointed out. As expected, a debt of 130,000 UP was ced on his shoulders. "This is thest game." Morgan II spoke with a slightly trembling voice. - Ladies and gentlemen, please pay attention! A man''s voice echoed in the center of the arena. The announcer, who had not said a word until the seventh game, grabbed the microphone and gathered people''s attention. - Thest game to round off today''s event is an event match! It''s not a match of diators fighting with swords and shields! You''ll witness a breathtaking bloodbath between monsters! "Wow!" A thunderous cheer erupted. A match betweenrge monsters, not a small human sword fight. There was no way not to like it. - An event match... It''s going to be hard to predict for both of us. "It seems so." It was a match that neither could predict even an inch. It was a tense moment for Morgan II. If it''s hard to predict, then everything has to be left to heaven. Shortly after, the closed arena door opened, and arge cage containing monsters was brought in. The excited audience held their breath and looked at the monster. It was the infamous monster, Rhinotodus. A monster with thick green skin, walking on four legs. A medium-sized monster that is over 2m tall and more than 5m long. The long horn that sprouted from its nose resembled a rhinoceros, but its lower jaw protruded, and its long, thick tail dragged on the ground reminded of a dinosaur. It was a semi-field boss monster that always became a target of subjugation because it would ruthlessly pierce those who invaded its territory with its horn, wandering the eastern ins. ''Rhinotodus. What kind of monster is going to face that?'' A big enough opponent for this event match to take ce. He tried to guess what it was. However, surprisingly, what came in from the other side was a single diator. At first, he thought it was a human. But Morgan II and Reed, who looked at it with a telescope, knew it wasn''t human. "An orc? Could it be an orc?" "It''s an orc." It was a heavily armed orc in diator attire. With a body length of 2m, arms as thick as a human head, and chest muscles. The long ck hair was braided and pulled back, and the fangs protruded upwards. It was definitely an orc with the characteristics of a barbarian in . "How strong is an orc''s physical abilitypared to a human?" "It''s about three times stronger than an average adult male." "Is that so?" "However, humans are superior in terms of skills, so orcs can''t just push through with their physical abilities alone." "I see." Although orcs are said to be superior to humans, could they surpass Rhinotodus? "Who should we bet on for this event match?" "Go for the orc." "Really? Without even hesitating?" "There''s no need to. Bet on the orc." He wondered what the basis for such a statement was, but there was a certain confidence in Reed''s eyes. Reed stared quietly at the orc diator. His golden eyes and lips were full of excitement, but he couldn''t express it outwardly. ''I never thought I''d meet you like this here...'' Reed knew that orc diator. An orc diator who had studied human society for the prosperity of his race. An orc diator who was desperate as he could only watch his tribe burn alive. That despair made the orc diator a victim of . ''The seventh disaster, Larksper...'' He faced the person who would be the second disaster after Adonis. Chapter 71.1 Bet (3) Morgan II spoke to William as instructed by Reed, pointing at the crystal ball. "I''ll bet on the Orc warrior for this match. The amount is..." He paused for a moment. "500,000 UP." 500,000 UP. Morgan II staked an audacious amount he had never bet before. His bombshell statement seemed to have flustered William as well. -500,000 UP... So you''re going all in for this match? "That''s right." -500,000 UP seems too little, don''t you think? How about 1,000,000 UP instead? "1,000,000... UP, you say?" It had doubled. It was an amount that left Morgan II genuinely flustered. -Ah, well, considering the matchup, that big monster child is probably more advantageous. If I win, I''ll graciously allow King Hupper to pay only 500,000 UP. How about it? Morgan II couldn''t respond to William''s proposal. ''1,000,000 UP... With that money...'' Morgan II unknowingly supported his head with his hand. It wasn''t that he didn''t trust Reed. It was just that the amount had risen too much. ''I''m getting swayed.'' 1,000,000 UP. Perhaps it wasn''t that much money. Reed had spent 100 million UP on the magic engineering reform, and was currently spending over 1 million UP continuously for the project. It wouldn''t be that much money in the Hupper Kingdom either. ''Did I learn too much from the people''s senses?'' Morgan II wanted to be the wisest king more than anyone else. He observed the lives of the people and learned how they thought. He believed that would make him a king who thought of the people more than anyone else. But now, it had be the biggest obstacle for this young and frail king. "We will win." Reed tried to encourage him, but Morgan II didn''t hear it. ''What should I do? Should I back out now?'' Negative thoughts swirled in his head. His hands and feet began to tremble, and his insides churned like a stormy sea. He clenched his lungs and pounded his heart. It was when he felt he had reached his limit. Something suddenly burst in Morgan II''s mind. Blood, guts, and the stress of debt burst from his nose and flowed down. Reed, who was sitting next to him, panicked. "Your Majesty, you have a nosebleed..." As Reed tried to stop the bleeding, he couldn''t say anything more. Morgan II showed that he was fine with his hand, but his eyes hadpletely changed. Morgan II''s eyes resembled those of a wolf hiding in a snowstorm. His once anxious green eyes shone brightly, staring at William in the distance. His hesitation had ended. "I''m fine." The subtle trembling in Morgan II''s voice, speaking to the crystal ball, hadpletely disappeared. "Let''s do it for the 1,000,000 UP you mentioned." If he wins, he''ll gain 870,000 UP, and if he loses, he''ll owe 1,130,000 UP in debt. However, unlike when he was 130,000 UP in debt, he stared at William with a more determined face. "Your Majesty, blood is flowing." The blood from his nose pooled in his palm and dripped onto the carpet. "Ah, I''m sorry, Deputy Tower Master." Phoebe knelt down and wiped the blood from his nose and the blood on his hand. Morgan II looked down at his hand with a calm face, and Reed swallowed his astonishment. ''He used to faint at the sight of his own blood...'' Now, he was watching Phoebe wipe it away without any issue. ''Has he grown as Adonis wished?'' His inner strength had grown stronger. It was unclear whether it would only re up and evaporate in this moment or burn deeper and stronger. ''But it''s certain that he''s bing more of a king.'' He could feel the tender stem growing stronger and its roots reaching deeper. Reed smiled at the sight of his growth. The bloodstain on Morgan II''s clothes disappeared without a trace. "That''s amazing, Deputy Tower Master. Even our court wizards can''t clean it up this perfectly." "I''m always in charge of the chores, after all~." Cleaning andundry were a piece of cake for her. It seemed like the match would start soon, as the soldiers who had brought the iron-barred cage began to unlock the shackles that suppressed Rhinotodus'' movements. As the chains binding its body were released, Rhinotodus'' small eyes flickered with rage. Thest lock was released, and Rhinotodus began to rampage as soon as it felt its body freed. Crash! It kicked the iron-barred cage and came out, roaring towards the sky. Kuwooooo! The 8th match began with the rough cries of Rhinotodus. The Orc warrior pulled out the spear that was strapped to his back as he saw Rhinotodusing out. Rhinotodus charged at the Orc warrior, kicking the ground. With each step, the vibration could be felt even in the VIP room. It was about 10 meters away from ramming its body into the Orc warrior. Rhinotodus lowered its head and tried to pierce the Orc warrior''s body with its sharp horn. Kuwooo! With a roar that shook the heavens, it impaled the Orc warrior''s body. No, the Orc warrior dodged Rhinotodus'' attack by swiftly leaping sideways. At the same time, the Orc warrior forcefully stabbed the spear into Rhinotodus'' leg. The spearhead waspletely swallowed, and it seeded in piercing through the thick skin. However, Rhinotodus, a field boss monster, couldn''t be defeated that easily. Despite inflicting effective damage, Rhinotodus was still in good shape. The Orc warrior lowered his body and held the spear wide. His eyes, as sharp as the tip of the spear, red at Rhinotodus. Rhinotodus tried to attack the Orc warrior once again. Even one hit could be fatal, but the Orc warrior didn''t allow a single attack from Rhinotodus. Now, the key was who would tire out first. ''Is it really... Larksper?'' Even five diators wouldn''t be able to handle Rhinotodus as skillfully as this. The battle was only possible because he hade from a different dimension of survival,pared to the diators created in the training grounds. Neither side was tired even after 5 minutes of the match. Although it could be considered a loose fight, everyone was holding their breath and watching the Orc warrior''s battle. The Orc warrior seeded in attacking Rhinotodus'' legs for the 10th time following its 10th charging attack. Finally, Rhinotodus let out a roar. Kuwoooo! Soon, Rhinotodus began to stagger. Crack! The spear the Orc warrior was holding broke. It wasn''t Rhinotodus that had broken it. He twisted it in the opposite direction of Rhinotodus and deliberately broke it as soon as he heard its painful cry. He did it so that it couldn''t pull the spearhead out by itself. Rhinotodus noticeably began to limp. The Orc warrior threw away the broken spear shaft and ced both hands on his waist. He raised a pair of well-forged axes. At the same time, cheers erupted from the audience. Although he was an Orc, his fight was no different from the other diators. The sight of him fighting the giant monster Rhinotodus alone transcended race and made people cheer for the Orc warrior. The Orc warrior let out a battle cry, further inciting himself. He charged towards Rhinotodus, whose movements were sealed. His rough and rugged attacks swiftly prated Rhinotodus'' body. Rhinotodus desperately resisted the attack but couldn''tnd a single effective hit on the Orc warrior. On the other hand, the Orc warrior''s breathing became morebored. His muscles swelled as if they were about to burst, and his eyes turned red. Still, the Orc warrior didn''t stop moving. Instead, he ignited himself and pushed harder. He didn''t stop moving until he exploded like a balloon that had reached its limit. Half of Rhinotodus'' green-skinned body was dyed red. The Orc warrior''s body also turned red as he was covered in blood. With all the tendons in its legs severed, Rhinotodus spat out dust as ity on the ground. The Orc warrior raised his axe for the final blow. His target was the worn-out skull with tattered skin. As his axe de shed, Rhinotodus fiercely swung its horn for thest resistance. That resistance didn''t reach the Orc warrior. However, the axes in his hands shattered. Now, he had no remaining weapons. There was no object left to end itsst breath. Chapter 71.2 Everyone thought the match would be dyed unless new weapons were provided. But the Orc warrior didn''t think so. There was one thing left. The Orc warrior caught his breath and looked down at Rhinotodus'' horn. Then, he firmly grasped the horn with both hands. His huge muscles twitched, and Rhinotodus let out a faint groan. The entire audience was appalled by his actions. Morgan II, who had been watching quietly, was no exception. "Is he really going to pull that out with his bare hands?" Rhinotodus'' horn was the hardest part of its body. Although it had taken a lot of damage from the axe, it was impossible for one person to break it. "He''ll pull it out." But for the Orc warrior, Larksper, nothing was impossible. Thud! Rhinotodus'' threatening horn broke off. "Huaaaaa!" With his battle cry shaking the heavens, he stabbed the broken horn directly into Rhinotodus'' head. Crack! The sharp horn pierced through the skull and embedded itself deeply. Rhinotodus, which had been struggling, copsed. There was no doubt that it was the Orc warrior''s victory. The audience, who had been holding their breath, exploded with excitement. The final match seeded in igniting a fire in everyone''s hearts, as hot as the opening ceremony. The young king, Morgan II, was no exception. He was fully absorbed in the match, his hands sweating, as if he had met the hero of a fairy tale. The Orc warrior''s victory sprouted a seed of joy in his heart. "Your Majesty." As Morgan II turned to Reed, he gestured to the crystal ball. Understanding what he meant, Morgan II spoke into the activated crystal ball. "The match is over, Your Highness." There was no response from the crystal ball. However, both Morgan II and Reed could guess what William was going through. A delightful smile formed on their lips. *** All the matches had ended. The audience that hade to watch dispersed, and the coliseum waspletely empty. Even the cleaning workers were not around, leaving only William and five escort knights inside. William''s expression was twisted in displeasure. The overall bet was 6 wins out of 8 matches. However, those two losses resulted in him losing all the UP he had won and owing a debt several times greater. ''It''s a clear defeat for me.'' He couldn''t console himself with the fact that he had won 6 matches. He was boiling with rage. He had caused a scene beforeing down, but he couldn''t calm his anger. He had been defeated. As Gorgon said, he fell into Morgan II''s trap and ultimately lost everything. How could he vent this anger? He waited, biting his lip. Soon after, he saw someone walking towards them in the distance. One side was Morgan II, and the other was Phoebe, the deputy of the Silence Tower. He wasn''t interested in where the owner of Silence Tower was. He just didn''t like the sight of Morgan II walking up with a confident expression. Gorgon, who had keen eyes, sensed a change when he saw Morgan II. ''The trembling I felt at our first meeting ispletely gone.'' His spirit had grown remarkably fast during the few hours the diator matches were going on. William spoke to Morgan II. "So this was your n? Truly cunning, King Hupper." "Thank you. I was just ying by the rules that Your Highness set." Morgan II smiled politely, knowing that insults from the other side were the highest form of praise. "Today, I finally learned of Your Highness'' noble virtues. By not sparing support funds for Hupper Kingdom, the people will respect the Empire even more." "I''m d. It means that the ignorant ones who underestimate the Empire have been enlightened." "Hehe, so what will you do with the 870,000 UP?" "I''ll send it right away." The money wasn''t the problem. He could send it with a smile, as it was an amount that didn''t matter. "It seems you''re very angry, Your Highness?" "What anger, King Hupper?" "Your face is bright red. Ah, it could be because it''s too hot. It would be best to leave quickly." "Haha! Maybe it''s heat stroke. But even if I leave, shouldn''t I catch a scoundrel?" A scoundrel? As Morgan II questioned, the iron bars opened quickly. The Orc warrior, who had been captured inside, was surrounded by guards'' spears as he walked towards them. It was the warrior who had been the final match in the 8th round. "Is it him?" "Yes." "Alright, leave him alone and get out of here." William roughly chased away the guards. Their private conversation resumed, and William looked down at the Orc warrior and asked. "What''s your name?" "......" Larksper didn''t answer and just stared up at William. William''s face, looking down at him, didn''t hide his disgust. "Ah, did I expect too much from an Orc? I thought at least we couldmunicate. I guess I expected too much. Then you wouldn''t understand this either, you filthy son of a bitch?" "......" "How dare you, a filthy, smelly Orc like you, inflict defeat on the Empire''s prince?" The Orc warrior quietly stared up at William. His expression was cold. To the point where the furious William looked like a fool. "Ha, right. So you''re going to stare at me like that?" William snapped his fingers behind him. One of the knights who had been waiting put his hand on the hilt of his sword and stepped forward. He was ready to execute the Orc warrior as soon as the order was given. "Stop." It was then. A man''s heavy voice echoed through the coliseum. The knight stepped back, and William turned his head. There, a man with silver hair was walking with dignity. "What''s the matter, Silence Tower Master?" William tried to suppress his anger as much as possible and asked politely. "I''m sorry to trouble you, Your Highness, but I''d appreciate it if you didn''t touch my warrior." "I don''t understand what you''re talking about?" "That Orc warrior has be my property as of today. I just spoke with the arena manager on my way here." Reed showed him the rolled-up document. It was a certificate of transferring the ownership of the Orc warrior. "If anyone touches even a single hair of my Orc warrior, they will pay the appropriate price." Upon hearing the warning, William looked up at Reed with a disgruntled expression. Reed did not avoid his gaze. Rather than backing down against the third prince of the empire, he confronted him with an even fiercer expression. Chapter 72.1 Phoebe (1) "I am the third prince of the Empire. Are you saying you intend to confront the Empire?" "I have no intention of confronting the Empire. Rather, I want to help the Empire." "In what way?" Reed''s golden eyes stared at him. "A withering branch must be cut off quickly." "Are you saying... I am that damned withering branch now?" "Please refrain from using profanity. It is not my ce to know whates out of a prince''s lips, but if I hear such coarsenguage, I cannot let it go." Reed''s words were polite and heavy. William bit his lip and looked up at Reed. There was still a lingering hostility. "It seems you don''t understand the current situation. Do you not know that, with the amount of money you''ve spent, the Empire would be turned upside down? A total of 870,000 UP." "Do you think the Empire will be hit that hard?" "Money is not the problem. The issue is with the behavior of the Empire''s third prince. If word spreads that the 11-year-old third prince of the Empire has be addicted to gambling, the royal family will not sit idly by." "Then we just have to strike at the person who spread the rumor." "Are you saying that you will go after the necks of everyone here?" Asking with an irritated tone, William lowered his head. "I don''t need the others'' necks. Just give me that orc''s neck. I think my anger will only be appeased when I take that orc''s neck." "You''re not listening to a single word I say, Your Highness." He''s just a child, literally. Yes, this is really a child. A child who thinks he''s a king. While the crown prince and the second prince, who are the spear of the throne, have a duty to be strictly educated and raised right, the third prince is raised as if abandoned. He''s a scoundrel who wields his crumbling power without even knowing how unhappy he is. The third prince''s remark blew away even the tiny bit of sympathy he had for him. "Then, would you like to make a bet with me as well?" Upon hearing those words, Reed doubted his own ears. Could such words be said in this situation? Curious about what was going through his mind when he uttered those words, Reed asked him a question. "What kind of bet are you talking about?" "I''ve been curious since our first meeting. A battle between half-dragons. The once strongest humans created by Astheria. A fight between your deputy and my Gorgan." "And so?" "If you win, as you said, I will forget everything. But if I win, please let me take the orc''s neck." Reed looked down at the prince with an incredulous expression. Reed had resolved to wear a solid mask, but it seemed to crumble upon hearing the prince''s words. "It''s not toote to withdraw now. Neither my deputy nor your escort knight have any reason to be yed by a bet." He could forgive a single slip of the tongue from a child. But seeing Reed''s tolerance, the prince grinned maliciously. It seemed as if he had realized something. "It seems you have done something to that orc, haven''t you?" "Are you suspecting me right now?" "Yes. Otherwise, there is no reason to protect an orc who is not even human." Mages were arrogant and exclusive towards other races. And a tower master protected an orc. It was something unimaginable inmon sense. Yes, Reed could understand that much. "Are you saying that the Silence Tower cheated you right now?" "Considering your alliance with the Hupper Kingdom, isn''t it possible that you used tricks in the final match?" Reed let out a hollowugh. He was throwing a tantrum, iming that Reed had cheated because he lost. Believing that Reed had something to hide because he had shown tolerance. "Third Prince." That''s why Reed broke the mask of politeness. The once arrogant William finally sensed the hostile atmosphere. "There are things you can say and things you cannot. Did I cheat in your bet? Can you take responsibility for that statement?" "..." "Whether you are a prince or a child, it doesn''t matter. You will definitely pay the price for defaming a tower master, who is no different from the leader of a country, without any grounds." Reed''s eyes began to shine gold. It was a phenomenon that urred when mages manifested their mana. Seeing this, Gorgan stepped in front of William. "What is it?" Gorgan apologized to Reed politely. "I''m sorry, Tower Master. It seems that the prince is so upset right now that he identally misspoke." Reed looked at Gorgan with a stern gaze. "You are Gorgan, the vanguard of the Empire, right?" "That''s correct." "This is not your ce to get involved. This is a matter for the parties involved to discuss." "His Highness is still young. Please show mercy and let go of your anger, Tower Master." "Gorgan, I..." Unable to suppress his temper, William tried to step forward again. But when he met Gorgan''s eyes, he had no choice but to stop. The usually unremarkable golden eyes were warning him. "Please... stay still." The third prince eventually retreated quietly. However, his face showed that he had no idea how big of a situation this was. ''I have to fix this.'' It was his fault for leaving the prince alone after such a slip of the tongue. He knew that the third prince was thoughtless and immature, but he had no idea that he would think of challenging Reed and Phoebe. Even for someone immature, this was too much. ''It seems that the Tower Master of Silence is very angry, but he doesn''t seem to want to cause a big problem...'' Since Morgan II was in no position to do or say anything, he could be overlooked. In the end, the problem was Phoebe. Phoebe was just smiling. There was no sign of anger. ''She must have been angry since the moment the prince suspected him, right?'' If she was true to the personality he knew, she should be, but she was rather moreposed than an angry Reed. That made him even more wary. "Tower Master~." Then, Phoebe called Reed in a dragging voice. The two exchanged nces. They didn''t even open their mouths as if they were exchanging some kind of agreement, but Reed nodded as if he had heard her words. Reed soon stepped back, and Phoebe came forward. Phoebe stood in front of Gorgan without saying a word. Chapter 72.2 Gorgan was taken aback by her actions. ''Why did Phoebe...e forward?'' Her yful face had turned serious. Her actions reminded him of what William had said. William had suggested a fight between Gorgan and Phoebe as the final bet. ''Is she saying she wants to fight me? But why?'' He knew that there would be no end to their fight, so why did she make such a choice? However, Gorgan didn''t ask. He just drew the over 2-meter-long sword he had on his back. All the knights were taken aback by his actions. That one stance meant something. It meant he would give it his all. Holding the sword, Gorgan, the vanguard of the Empire, tensed up. ''Phoebe has changed.'' One unchanging thing had changed everything. That''s why Gorgan had a hard time gauging her depth. Phoebe began to walk in a circle to her right. He moved clockwise to match her. A strange tension where neither side could attack first. Then, Phoebe stopped. She, who had been expressionless, gave a faint smile. Only then did Gorgan notice something strange. Behind her smile stood a defenseless William. "¡­!" Before Gorgan could react, her body disappeared. "Huh?" William, who had been waiting for the duel, saw a shadow cast in front of him and raised a question mark in his head. Blinking once, a blonde woman with wide-open eyes was looking down at him. "Gurk!" As Phoebe grabbed William''s neck with one hand, part of her blonde hair was cut off and flew away with the whirlwind. A sword that had been sharpened to the blue was dangerously close to Phoebe''s neck. If he had wanted, he could have cut his throat right now. But Phoebe already had her hand on William''s neck. Gorgan was quick to react, but he couldn''t beat Phoebe, who had thrown an unexpected move. It wasn''t until the battle of wits between the two half-dragons ended that the regr escort knights hurriedly drew their swords. "Phoebe! Let go of the prince." Gorgan warned, moving his sword subtly. "Gorgan, you know if I die, this kid dies too, right?" "This has nothing to do with the prince. Wasn''t it our duel?" "I never said I''d duel. I just stared at Gorgan and walked half a circle." "¡­So you didn''t say a word to create a misunderstanding." He waspletely fooled. Gorgan med himself and red at Phoebe with murderous eyes. However, Phoebe did not show any hostility towards Gorgan. It was clear that Phoebe had the upper hand. "Don''t worry, Gorgan. I don''t intend to harm the prince." "¡­" "Just give me a moment. Then I''ll let you and your subordinates carry on with the mission you couldn''tplete." "Do you expect me to stand still knowing what you''re going to do... knowing that and still do nothing?" "Gorgan has no choice, does he?" As she said, Gorgan had no choice. ''If I attack, the prince will die.'' No matter how fast Gorgan was, he couldn''t be faster than Phoebe, who held the prince''s neck. Gorgan''s mission was to safely escort the prince. He was already in the enemy''s hands, but he had to save the prince even if it cost his life. If even a scratch urred, his mission would be over. There was no choice. Gorgan looked at Phoebe with a helpless face. She was still smiling with her eyes wide open. It was a strange smile to Gorgan, but there was no difference in her appearance from before. Gorgan hadpletely forgotten her abilities, deceived by her current face. ''You''re still the same Phoebe...'' Her skills hadn''t changed. He was sure after seeing her actions. Gorgan closed his eyes and sheathed his sword. "Go, Gorgan! What are you doing? Save me right now!" Gorgan didn''t open his mouth. Knowing that it was the way to save the prince, he clenched his fist and stepped back. William, held by Phoebe''s hand, struggled to break free. He tried to pry her hand off, but it was like hitting solid steel without a flinch. Phoebe turned her head and looked up at the prince. Then his resistance stopped. He was overwhelmed by the atmosphere she emitted. "Prince, no, little one. Do you know what you''ve done?" Phoebe''s dragging tone changed. William yelled onest time to save face. "I, I am the Third Prince of the Empire, William! Can''t you let go of me right now!?" "You crossed the line." Phoebe carefully opened her eyes. The pupils of the half-dragon met William''s eyes. At a nce, they were the same golden pupils, but they were different from when she looked at Gorgan. The pupils were sharply split vertically. Something he had never seen before appeared in them. William swallowed. "You crossed the line." He was increasingly drawn into her eyes. William clenched his eyes to resist. But even with his eyes closed, he saw Phoebe''s eyes. They grewrger and swallowed William. "You have to pay the price ordingly." At the same time as her voice, William''s vision went dark. The soft and firm hand holding his neck, the sound of the wind around him, everything disappeared. The only thing shining in the darkness was the golden pupils. A pair of golden eyesrger than his head stared at him. "Ah, ahh..." A figure hidden in the darkness slowly appeared. A long snout. The teeth hidden inside were as thick as an arm. He had not fallen into the darkness. It was just that the creature with ck scales was sorge that the surroundings were plunged into darkness. The snout swallowed William and flexed. "Uh, uaaah! Save me! Gorgan! Gorgoooon!" William''s scream, held by Phoebe''s hand, echoed loudly throughout the Colosseum. He called Gorgan''s name, but Gorgan could only watch her actions with his fists clenched. In reality, Phoebe did nothing. She just red at William. She had just filled her eyes with hostility and stared at William. Dragon''s Fear. Although her effect was significantly weaker than that of a real dragon because she was a half-dragon, Phoebe was descended from the blood of the ck Dragon, the target of fear. It was not something a brat like William, who had grown up in a greenhouse, could withstand. "Did you do wrong?" "I, I was wrong! I was wrong! Please! Don''t kill me! I don''t want to die, huhuuu!" Tears and snot poured out, staining his white pants yellow. He poured out all the water from every hole, pleading with her. Seeing the figure of William pleading, Phoebe closed her eyes. And as if nothing had happened, she gently put him down and smiled. "That''s right. From now on, you shouldn''t y with people, okay?" "Huk... huk... huk..." "Your Highness!" "Are you alright!?" Williamy down on the spot and began to sob. Gorgan red at Phoebe with resentful eyes. As a response, Phoebe smiled and returned to her original position. "I hope we don''t mention what happened today." "¡­I agree." The moment they argue about right and wrong, both would look bad. William would also have his pride, so he would never mention this incident. Gorgan wrapped the imperial prince in his cape to hide his pitiful state. Then he carried him on his back and quickly disappeared. Chapter 73.1 Phoebe (2) As soon as William disappeared, Morgan II rxed his shoulders. He sighed, brushing his chest. "I really... couldn''t rx the whole time watching." The atmosphere was tense, as if a fight could break out at any moment. When Phoebe and Gorgan stared at each other and turned halfway around, he thought the surroundings would turn into chaos. But Phoebe''s move resolved everything. It might have been cowardly, but it was a strategy to target the opponent''s weakness. A move possible only because they knew each other well. A daring move that would have led to death if there had been a moment''s hesitation. Only Phoebe could have made such a move. "You''ll have more headaches when you go home." Morgan II smirked at Reed''s words. "Headaches? What kind of trouble could there be? Are you worried that the third prince might retaliate?" "No. After receiving 870,000 UP, don''t you have to think about what to do with it? It''s a happy problem." "Ah, that''s right." 870,000 UP. It was indeed a lot of money. Morgan II, who was far from extravagant, doubted whether he could spend all 870,000 UP. "Let''s celebrate and spend some money today." "Can, can we really?" "A king should be a good spender. Especially on auspicious days, you should spend even more." "In that case..." Morgan II grinned and answered as he pondered what to do. "First... let''s buy a gift for my sister." At first, he said he would buy delicious food, but since he now had money, he wanted to buy something even better. Morgan II chose a brooch made of green jade as a gift. An expensive item worth over 100,000 UP, crafted with intricate workmanship by an artisan. It was the most expensive luxury Morgan II had ever indulged in. "Do you have any other items to buy?" "No, I think this will be enough." Although he was worried that he might lose his mind with the sudden influx of money, Morgan II had a stronger sense of restraint than expected. After finishing the extravagance for Adonis, he bought a few neatly wrapped boxes of cookies as nned and returned to the sky carriage. *** Morgan II and Reed, standing in front of the sky carriage, exchanged their final greetings. "Thank you foring with me today, Tower Master. If you hadn''t been here today, I would have beenpletely trapped." "Don''t mention it. Your Majesty aplished everything just as well." "No. If I hade with other knights, the third prince would have certainly toyed with me. It''s because you were here that I could stand so firmly." Saying that, Morgan II seemed to remember something and bowed his head to Phoebe. "Thank you also to the Tower Master''s deputy for listening to my request." "Oh, no. I''m just worried that I may have been rude to Your Majesty by overstepping my bounds." "What are you talking about? You showed a truly satisfying scene today. I never imagined that the third prince would howl like a beast." "Everyone bes powerless in the face of fear." "In a way, it''s a shame. I wanted to hear that satisfying voice one more time." Hearing that, Reed smiled subtly. Morgan II, who was looking up at him, widened his eyes. "Could it be... we can hear that voice again?" "Let''s listen one more time." Reed confirmed, and Phoebe took out the crystal ball she had hidden in her bosom. When Phoebe activated it, a vivid scream echoed. There was no doubt that it was William''s scream. Morgan II''s mouth gaped open upon hearing that voice. "How is it?" "Could it be... this was nned from the beginning..." "It wasn''t nned from the beginning. It was purely impromptu. Phoebe was quite angry, so she said she would educate him with a bit of torture. That''s when I told her to record it as well." "And at the same time, you prepared a magic recording crystal ball... that''s impressive." "We must prepare for anything that could damage the royal image. It''s a countermeasure against that scoundrel." Reed handed the crystal ball to Morgan II. "Please take this. It seems like something you might need, Your Majesty." "I don''t have such a cruel hobby, though..." "Neither do I. If the third prince threatens the Hupper Kingdom, use it then. Even if he trembles, he''ll learn his lesson." "Is it... okay?" "It''s fine. Isn''t it a countermeasure I''m giving you?" Morgan II looked up at Reed. He seemed to feel a sense of guilt. "I feel sorry for always receiving..." As Morgan II looked up with a worried face, Reed chuckled. He smiled and answered. "Children should receive. They learn how to give a lot by receiving a lot." "That must be why Rosaria is growing up so well." "That child would have grown up well wherever she was." "No, it''s because she has such a great father like you." Have you ever seen such a remarkable child? Even if it was just a ttering remark, Reed felt good. Perhaps that''s why he unconsciously stroked Morgan II''s head. "Oh." After stroking the bright blonde hair three times, Reed realized his actions were rude. "Oh, I''m sorry. I can''t believe I stroked the head of a king like this..." "It''s okay. I always like it when you treat me so casually, it feels like I''ve gained an older brother." "An older brother..." "Yes, aren''t you about the same age as my sister?" "Well... I''m older. I''m in my mid-thirties now." Morgan II looked up at Reed with a surprised face. "No way! I really thought you were young. I thought you''d be about the same age as the Tower Master of Wallin." "I''m older than the Tower Master of Wallin. Wallin Tower Master is probably the same age as the Regent." [T/N: Here probably Adonis is referred to as Regent. "I see... That must be the case." Was it an intentional lie, or did he genuinely not know? It didn''t matter either way. Even if it was a lie, it felt good. ''An older brother...'' It was a better title than being called an uncle, so he was somewhat satisfied. "Anyway, I have to go back now. Are you going back now, Tower Master?" "I think I need to stay until tomorrow. I have some work to do regarding the orc warrior issue." "Then we must part ways here. Thank you once again, Tower Master, and Tower Master''s deputy." Morgan II politely greeted and climbed into the sky carriage. Only after the sky carriage of Hupper Kingdom disappeared did Phoebe open her mouth. "Are you nning to stay here tonight?" "Yes." "Then I''ll be going back too." Phoebe smiled and said goodbye. Just as she was about to return to the Silence Tower. "Don''t go." Reed called her. Hearing that, Phoebe''s shoulders flinched. Her neck creaked as she tilted her head to the side. "Yes?" Phoebe asked again, thinking she might have misheard. Reed clearly answered once more. "Let''s stay together in Imorun today." "Y-yes?" "You''ve finished all your work already, haven''t you?" "But tomorrow''s work is a biiiit..." "Even if we have to dy tomorrow''s work a bit, let''s stay together in this city tonight." The reason for saying that was simple. Today, Phoebe had made a great contribution. No, it wasn''t just today. ''I''ve always been receiving from Phoebe.'' He wanted to reward her so that she, who always lived under stress, could refresh herself. That''s why he decided to give her an extra day off. Phoebe''s face turned bright red. She turned her head and tried to fan herself with her small hand, but the flushed feeling didn''t go away. Her smile disappeared, and she was flustered. "Y-yes, uh, y-yes?" She kept repeating the same words like a brokenputer. Reed wondered if he had done something wrong and asked her. "Are you the type who prefers to be alone? If so, I can give you a separate vacation..." "No, no!" Phoebe quickly cut off his words. "I, I, I, I just, I''m too happy, no, too flustered, ohhhhh!" She couldn''t even speak properly. She tried to calm herself by tapping her cheeks, but she just couldn''t. Feeling like the conversation would never end, Reed grabbed Phoebe''s face. Soft cheek flesh hidden within the golden silk thread hair. As he held her cheeks with both hands, her half-closed golden eyes opened wide. She looked up at Reed in that state. Her rolling feet stopped, and her shoulders rxed. She gazed dreamily into Reed''s golden eyes. "If it''s difficult, just say it. Do you want to be together, or do you want to be alone?" Given the two options, Phoebe didn''t need to thinkplicatedly. "I, I want to be together..." Chapter 73.2 -Dad, when are youing? The image floating in the crystal. In it, the girl with white hair and red eyes, Rosaria, was shown holding a teddy bear. She looked pouty, but instead of feeling sorry for her, the first thing that came to mind was how cute she looked. "I''m sorry. It looks like I have to stay here today because of work." -What about unnie? Does sister have to stay too? "Yes. Today, Phoebe did a great job, so I think we should stay together." -Boo. Rosaria doesn''t want to be alone... "But you have other unnies, don''t you? You can stay with them too." -But without Dad and unnie, it''s a little lonely... Rosaria stuck out her lips. Reed was her father, and she thought of Phoebe as her mother. She wanted toin about not having both her mom and dad, but she tried to hold it back. "Instead, I''ll buy you something delicious. There were things that His Majesty Morgan said were delicious while eating." -Something delicious? "Pastries with lots of syrup. The sticky syrup is like honey." -...And? "An omelette made with strawberries and oranges mixed with whipped cream was also said to be delicious." -Strawberry orange omelette...! Rosaria swallowed her saliva. Being a young child, she loved sweet things. "I''ll buy it tomorrow. Let''s eat it together then." -Okay, I''ll wait! "Phoebe seems to have something to say too, so I''ll switch with her." Reed stepped back, and Phoebe came forward. "Miss~." -Unnie, are you having fun? "Yes, Phoebe is having fun. I''m sorry. It would have been fun for you too if you were here..." -It''s okay! Dad''s going to buy something delicious! Unnie, let''s eat together too! "Really? Can I?" -Yes! "I''m so excited~. I can''t believe I get to taste what you''re going to eat." Phoebe had chosen all the gifts for Rosaria. In other words, she had already tasted everything. What a sly girl. -Have fun ande back! "Yes, make sure you brush your teeth well, and don''t wander around alone, okay?" -Okay. Bye-bye! Rosaria smiled brightly and waved her hand, and Phoebe waved her hand too as the call ended. Phoebe looked up at Reed. "Every day I look at you, but today I couldn''t make eye contact." Phoebe brushed her hair with her fingers. Her thick, fur-like hair couldn''t help but stick out no matter how much she straightened it. "Shall we go?" "Yes, yes!" Phoebe nodded vigorously. She followed behind Reed shyly. "Stand next to me. Our official duties are over." "Yesss!" Phoebe finally stood next to him, shuffling. She couldn''t make eye contact and politely brought her hands together in front of her. "You said this is your first time in Imorun, right?" "Yes." "Then you must not know what the famous things are here." "Uh, I''m sorry. I should have studied more..." Phoebe looked up at him with an apologetic face. It was a deted puppy face. She felt guilty for not being able to fill in the gaps as the Tower Master''s deputy. "It''s okay. Let''s look around together and find out what''s here." "Is it okay if I don''t know?" "Knowing in advance can be fun, but there''s also fun in not knowing. It''s most enjoyable to see these things when you don''t know." "Yes." Phoebe nodded her head. Her deted face had somewhat rxed. As a ce that thrived on diators, there were many services for tourists. As befitting the hot southern region, there were night markets with various foods being sold on the streets. During lunchtime, the streets were filled with sweet snacks, and at night, the smell of meat and fragrant spices tempted the people on the streets. Phoebe''s head swayed back and forth in response to the enticing scents. Seeing her swallow her saliva, Reed spoke to her. "Phoebe." "Y-yes?" "You can eat if you want." "R-really?" "Don''t refuse, just eat." When she was actually brought as a guard, she ate just fine. He swallowed his words, thinking that she would be deted again if he said it. As soon as permission was granted, Phoebe began buying skewers one by one from the street vendors. "Is it delicious?" "Yes, the meat tastes excellent. Would you like to try some, Tower Master?" "No, I''m fine. Just tell me if there''s anything you want to do." "Is it really okay?" "Today is a day for you, so let''s go along with it." A day for her and what she wants to do. Phoebe had never thought of such a grand thing. ''I just want to be with the Tower Master...'' What else could she want to do? The more she thought about it, the more nervous she became. To relieve her tension, she hurriedly ate the meat skewer covered in sauce. In the midst of the hustle and bustle, there were street performances of singing while ying guitar and drums, or showing various tricks. When tired of eating, they looked at the sights, and when tired of the sights, their eyes were drawn to merchants selling jewelry and souvenir items. There was even a merchant who persistently insisted that fake jewelry was real. It was a ce full of human atmosphere. Despite the day fading away, Phoebe couldn''t say anything and just stood by his side. As the day grew darker, Reed headed to a luxury inn and booked a room. There was no one booked in the 8th floor VIP room, so they could get a room. The manager politely answered and finished the confirmation. "Yes, I''ll prepare one room." "Uh? Oh, please prepare another room for ady to stay in." "You''re not staying together?" "No." "Alright, understood." With the room reservationpleted, Phoebe had a strangely awkward expression. He could roughly understand what she had imagined, and Reed also became awkward. Having found a ce to take care of their sleep, the remaining desire was for food. ''Although we enjoyed the street food...'' Feeling that they should pay more attention as the top-ranking people, Reed decided to visit a high-end restaurant. The ce where they sat had a view of the night sky full of stars and the alleyways of the night market. It was a ce that required 3,000 UP to reserve a seat, so it could be said to be a ce for people with wealth like Reed. The table was brightly lit by candlelight. Phoebe and Reed sat facing each other at the table. Chapter 74.1 Phoebe (3) As the waiter brought the menu, Reed raised his index finger before taking it and said. "Please bring the chef''s special dishes. Don''t worry about the price, bring out all the dishes this restaurant is proud of." "Understood." What he has is money. So there''s no need to worry about what to eat from the menu. The waiter took the menu back and poured champagne into Reed and Phoebe''s sses. "Are you weak to alcohol or have any bad drinking habits?" "No, I''m strong with alcohol." "That''s a relief." One person with bad drinking habits is enough. Reed drank the champagne with a sigh of relief. Soon after, the chef''s special dishes came out one by one, starting with the appetizers. The appetizers were vorful enough to whet one''s appetite and felt like the chef''s special dishes. Phoebe smiled at Reed. She instinctively felt that there was something to say. "It reminds me of the old days." "The old days?" "Yes. When I first came to the Silence Tower and was adapting, we always ate together." "Ah, right." ...Did we? Having no further memory of it, Reed reacted awkwardly, and Phoebe apologized to him. "Ah, I''m sorry. It wasn''t a particrly good memory." "No, I enjoyed it too." "No. It was just a meal. It''s a trivial thing. Yes, a very trivial thing." An awkward expression. That awkwardness was to suppress the emotions that were trying to burst out. It was unclear whether it was resentment or anger at not being remembered. The next dish came out, and they proceeded with the meal, leaving such questions behind. After having thest dessert and cleansing their ptes, Reed wiped his mouth with a satisfied look on his face. "Very satisfying. Did you enjoy it?" "Yes, I ate well and deliciously¡ª." Grrrrr. "...Excuse me." It was a loud sound that seemed to be perfectly timed. Phoebe looked up at Reed, covering her stomach with a shy expression. Reed pretended not to hear it, closing his eyes. He agonized inwardly. Should he ignore it or talk about it? With that agony, he recalled what Phoebe had eaten. ''Didn''t she eat a lot before she came?'' Reed faintly remembered her eating more than ten skewers in his head. Despite watching her stuff her cheeks like a bun and eat a lot, she still seemed unsatisfied after consuming an amountparable to an adult male''s meal. ''Let''s not mention it.'' Reed finished his thought and considered Phoebe. "If you''re still hungry, let''s order one more dish. I''m a bit hungry too." "¡­Yes." Reed asked the waiter to bring something simple to eat, and soon a bowl of noodles was brought to the table. Though they were supposed to share, Reed took only 10% of the noodles and gave the rest to Phoebe. Unlike Reed, who was full, Phoebe picked up her chopsticks and inhaled the noodles without hesitation. It took her 5 minutes to empty the bowl, including the soup. "Were you satisfied?" "¡­" "¡­More?" "Just one more bowl¡­" So she cleanly finished another bowl. Then, with a humiliating expression like a defeated knight, she answered like this. "I think I might need to eat three more bowls¡­" Reed didn''t say anything more and gestured to the waiter. He brought three more tes ordingly. Phoebe ate the noodles with a humiliating expression. Seeing the stacked bowls, she inadvertently blurted out her mistake. "You eat a lot." "Heeeng¡­" "Eating a lot is not something to be ashamed of. You''re a half-dragon, so you must be different from ordinary people, right?" "¡­It has nothing to do with being a half-dragon¡­" "¡­" He said something unnecessary. Reed tried toe up with a way to get out of this predicament while washing his face dry. But he couldn''t help butugh as Phoebe kept eating. "You must be hungry today because you''ve been so nervous. You escorted the Hupper King, took care of us, and even suppressed the Third Prince. It''s only natural to be that hungry, isn''t it?" "Th-that''s right?" Phoebe''s face brightened up as she found an excuse to escape. "So feel free to eat." "Yes!" Phoebe was finally satisfied after eating two more bowls of noodles. * * * Reed returned to the inn and prepared for bed. Having satisfied her appetite, under the night sky, she was led by her hand to see the precious sights once more. The night market was slowly closing, and the streets began to darken. ''I don''t know if she was satisfied.'' Phoebe always smiled. So Reed couldn''t tell if she truly enjoyed this break. Knock knock. "Who is it?" It was unlikely that the manager woulde at this hour. The only person who woulde would be Phoebe. "It''s, it''s Phoebe." As expected. Reed opened the door for her. "What brings you here¡­¡­" He was breathless. She had been wearing a red uniform, but now she was standing in a light outfit. It was a soft silk dress that went down to her knees. Her figure was more emphasized than usual, drawing his eyes involuntarily to parts he hadn''t been conscious of. Moreover, a gentle fragrance wafted faintly from her neck, making the atmosphere seductive. It made him think of bad things. "What''s with that outfit?" "This? I found a nightgown, so I wore it. What do you think?" "It''s fine, in its own way¡­¡­. So what brings you here?" Her well-ripened apple-like lips moved. "There''s something I want¡­¡­ to do." "What do you want to do?" At night? At this hour? In my room?? No matter how much he racked his brain, he couldn''t figure out what she wanted to do. Well, he knew but tried to exclude that possibility as much as possible. "What do you want to do?" "This." She showed something she had been hiding behind her. It was¡­ A cotton swab, oil, scraper, and tweezers in a container. "Master, I want to clean your ears." He doubted his eyes for a moment, but it was indeed an ear cleaning set. "¡­Ears?" "Yes. Would it be okay if I clean them for you?" Ear cleaning¡­ It was such an innocent request that he felt ridiculous for having had an indecent imagination for a moment "Alright." "Don''t move too much, okay?" "¡­Okay." "I''ll try not to hurt you." Saying that made him more anxious. Unnecessary words made him think about various things. ''If she fails to control her strength, my life will be over.'' The fear that she might not only clean his ears but also break them. Reed thought he was entrusting his life to her. Phoebe gently massaged his ear with her hand and looked inside. "Oh my." She let out a low exmation of surprise. Thinking something was wrong, Reed asked. "¡­What''s the matter?" "It''s quite built up." "¡­" "It must have built up this much because you''ve heard so many unpleasant things." Phoebe didn''t hide her pleased expression. She was happy to have a lot of work to do. "I''ll get rid of everything that bothered you today." Chapter 74.2 Can I trust her? Such fear was only for a moment, as a cold touch cautiously went down the auricle. The cotton swab soaked in oil gently and carefully moistened the inside of the ear. She took the swab out and gently massaged the ear and its surroundings, waiting for the earwax to loosen. "Shall I start cleaning now?" The main event began. While he was chanting a prayer in his mind, Phoebe inserted the ear pick and began to gently scrape out the earwax. Contrary to what he thought would hurt, her touch was surprisingly delicate. ''She''s using just the right amount of force.'' Ear cleaning may seem easy at first nce, but it''s difficult to do skillfully. If you apply too much force to remove the stuck earwax, it''s painful, and if you scrape too gently, it doesn''te off. Phoebe maintained a perfect midpoint between the two, cleaning Reed''s ears with a pleasant touch. ''Did I guard myself too much because of the prejudice of her strength?'' Reed knew how strong Phoebe could be. She was as monstrous as Adonis, the strongest among humans, or even superior to her. That''s why he was anxious about Phoebe touching his body. He also didn''t let her massage his shoulders for that reason. "Does it hurt?" "No, you''re very delicate." "Is that so?" "Cleaning someone else''s ears is easy, but you''re the first one to do it so skillfully and delicately." "Ahaha, I''m embarrassed when you praise me like that¡­" Her ear cleaning hand stopped for a moment. She must have stopped because she was really embarrassed and worried that something might go wrong. She started scraping the inside of his ear again like a filial child, as if calming herself down. "It''s all thanks to you, Master." "What do you mean?" "I mean, I''ve be so delicate. I used to hate it." "So you''vee to like it?" "Yes." "How?" "How~." Phoebe let out a lowugh in response. "You said that if there''s one thing that doesn''t change, other things will change." "So everything changed because of that?" "Yes." "It''s not very believable." The idea that something can change because there''s something that doesn''t change. Could a human, an adult with a stubborn mind, really change themselves with such a mindset? "When I think about it, I definitely feel like I was born with dragon blood. Like those who pursue their destiny." "Destiny¡­" It kind of made sense when she put it that way. Protecting Reed. No matter what kind of pathetic viin he became, she never left him. "And you''ve changed too, right?" "Have I?" "You''ve changed a lot from the past. You''ve be softer, and I can see that you''re trying to take better care of me¡­" Yes, if she had changed, so had I. The possessed Reed was apletely different person. Even if he was acting, he followed his true nature too much. "Do you think I''m strange like this?" Phoebe shook her head. "No. As long as you''re still the Master, I don''t care what kind of Master you are, hoo~." Phoebe blew a light breeze into his ear to blow away the earwax for thest time. "Shall I do the left side now?" "Alright." With the right side pleasantly finished, Reed was able to turn his body lightly. On the left ear, he opened another conversation topic. "Do you remember? Back when I called you my master." "¡­Master?" Reed asked again, thinking he had heard it wrong. Phoebe''s face, which had been massaging his auricle, turned red. "Ahh, my gosh¡­ I meant ''boss.'' When I had just be a member of the Silence Tower, you told me to call you ''boss.''" "That''s right." "It seems like a difficult word. Supervisor and master. If you say it wrong, it sounds like a master-ve rtionship, not a subordinate-boss one. So maybe that''s why they call us the watch dogs of Silence Tower?" "Hmm¡­" Did it derive from that? The dog-like impression is strong, but since she used to be fierce, he just epted it. In fact, he had never really been interested in that aspect. "Right? I liked that title." "Is there a reason?" "Maybe it''s a bit of regret¡­? If I had known I would follow you like this, I should have avoided such a mistake¡­ That''s what I''ve been thinking." The atmosphere sank with regret. It was a simr awkwardness to when they had eaten together. Phoebe calmly scraped his ear, and Reed thought about what had happened between them. ''It may not be a big deal.'' She''s so sensitive that she might be holding onto something that could have just flowed by. "Don''t dwell on the past too much. You''re enough right now." "Is that so?" "Rather, I feel indebted to you for many things, and I don''t think I''ve done anything for you, so it''s bothering me." "What? No way!" Phoebe pulled the ear pick out of his ear and spoke. "Master, you don''t owe me anything! I''ve received so much from you!" "Master?" "Ahh! I''m sorry. I got flustered and misspoke¡­" Phoebe was embarrassed, biting her red lips. It took a long time for her to calm down. It took over an hour for the ear cleaning to finish, and she stood up with the ear cleaning set. "Are you satisfied?" "Yes, yes." Her voice was even more drawn out and melting. Her face was radiating an aura of joy as if flowers were in full bloom. "This is¡­" "It''s a brooch. I bought one as a gift for you." "A, a gift¡­" Perhaps because she had been embarrassed a lot, she wasn''t too flustered by the gift. Phoebe opened and checked it on the spot. A dark orange chest ornament. When reflected in the light, white cat eyes appeared. "It''s beautiful. Really¡­" "It''s called a cat''s eye gem. I bought it because it''s simr to your eyes." "Really? But it''s so white and pretty¡­ My eyes are dark and ominous." "Try opening your eyes." At Reed''s words, she cautiously opened her eyes. Golden irises with ck pupils. Sharp, slit-like eyes that could suppress an opponent just by staring at them, the powerful eyes of a dragon. "Okay, I was wrong." "Right?" "Your eyes are several times more beautiful." "Wha-what?" Reed calmly looked down at her eyes and spoke. "With these eyes, you''ve attacked enemies, and with these eyes, you''ve protected me." "Huh?" "No matter how beautiful a gem is, it can''t protect someone. Instead, it blinds them and creates jealousy. So, your eyes that protect me are much more beautiful." "Ah, ahh¡­" "Thank you always. Whether it''s me or Rosaria, we''re always grateful to you." "Ahh¡­ Ahhhhhh¡­" Phoebe tried to shake it off. But she couldn''t. It seemed like a broken drawer that kept opening. No, it wasn''t broken. There was so much love from him that it couldn''t close. And when it wouldn''t close. "Too-too-too-too-too muchhhhhh¡­" "Huh?" "You know what happens when I get so embarrassed¡­!" "What¡­" "Cover your ears?" "Ears?" As she said that, Phoebe quickly walked away somewhere. She disappeared, and Reed mulled over the sound of covering his ears. ''Why is she telling me to cover my ears?'' And a momentter. "Kwaaaaak!" A deafening roar echoed throughout the mansion. Reed quickly covered his ears. It was the cry of a dragon. Out of nowhere, a dragon let out a cry in the middle of the night. "¡­Phoebe?" It was Phoebe. It was definitely Phoebe. She had soared into the sky and unleashed a "Dragon Roar." Well, while it''s called a "Dragon Roar"¡­ It was no different from a girl screaming "Kyaaak!" due to embarrassment. Anyway, one thing was clear from her actions. ''She screams when she reaches her limit.'' It was simr to plucking the whiskers of a sleeping dragon. That day, the mansion was on high alert due to the mysterious cry. Chapter 75.1 Larksper (1) In the waiting room of the Colosseum. The waiting rooms for diators vary depending on their poprity. There were waiting rooms like those for nobles, and there were also rooms that resembled dungeons underground. Among them, the worst-treated ce would be the waiting room for monsters. Woof! Woof! Crrrr! The fierce cries of beasts and the sound of pping wings. And through their intense struggles, they gave a sense of anxiety as if they would break out at any moment. In that ce, there was someone sitting very peacefully. Orc warrior, Larksper. He was meditating, sitting cross-legged, amidst the howling of the beasts. The ce he was sitting was originally where the Rhinotodus should be tied up. After the Rhinotodus died, it was made into a temporary shelter for Larksper to stay. Larksper is now Reed''s property since he bought him. However, since the treatment of orcs was no different from monsters, they could not freely roam outside the vige. So, he couldn''t freely roam the vige, and he had no choice but to wait in the monster''s waiting room. "Ah, damn it! I never thought I''d end up here." "Don''t worry too much, the management has been strict since one died three months ago." "Isn''t it time for one to die soon? I don''t want to be here all the time as a guard." "Stop talking nonsense. You''re making me nervous too, damn it." "If you''re anxious, let''s take him quickly." With that, he walked in and stood in front of Larksper. "Hey, Orc." Larksper was quietly meditating in a seated position. He didn''t wake up as if he was in a deep sleep. "Orc!" Bang! Bang! Larksper finally opened his eyes after being hit with a baton. He rolled his ck pupils and looked up at the manager. "Be careful, this guy is dangerous. He''s the one who pulled out the horn of the Rhinotodus." "He''s like that with the beast bastards, but he''s submissive to humans. As long as you don''t bother him, he''ll move on his own. Yeah, get up slowly like that." As the man said, Larksper carefully got up and began to walk. The guards kept their distance with their spears aimed at him and guided him on his way. As Larksper followed the path they were guiding him on, a room decorated with luxurious interior and lights, unlike the ce where the warriors were moving, came into view. Inside, a man with silver-colored hair and a woman with blonde hair were visible. Larksper knew who they were. They were the man and woman he had seen yesterday. As they approached, the guards cautiously tapped his back knee with their long sticks. Understanding the meaning to kneel, he knelt. Reed gestured to the guards and spoke. "It''s done, you can go now." "Please feel at ease." Reed looked down at the orc. ck hair, red skin. ck pupils, lips pinched, and protruding lower canines. It was difficult to distinguish orcs just by looking at them up to that point. Larksper had three faint striped scars on his left eyebrow. That confirmed that he was now meeting Larksper. "What is your name?" "......" "Did I not say it properly? I asked what your name is." "Bokonba Chejen Grusudia." A sound like a snort came out in response to the low voice. Amazingly, that was thenguage of the orcs. There was no doubt that the reason he spoke in the oguage was to imply that he couldn''t understand Reed''s words. If Reed hadn''t known about Larksper''s existence, he would have definitely believed it. "I know you can speak the humannguage. There''s no need to pretend to be a barbaric orc. Speak in the humannguage." "......Larksper, yes." Orc warrior, Larksper, spoke his name in a dull tone and ent. His ck pupils looked up at Reed and asked. "How did you know?" "Since the Third Prince insulted you. Didn''t you try to untie the restraint by yourself? That''s how I knew you were listening." In fact, he guessed because he knew that he was a boss who spat out dialogue in . And whether it was correct or not, Larksper began to spit out the words he knew one by one. "Larksper, know, human, expression, kid, Larksper, kill, did. So moved." It meant that he sensed living beings not only by their words, but also by their expressions and moved to defend himself. "However, if you had been released, you would have undoubtedly been cut by Gorgon''s sword. Even if it wasn''t Gorgon, the other escort knights are sword experts. They would have cut your throat quickly." "Larksper, must die no matter what. So, resist." "Last stand... Well, it''s not bad." If his life was at stake, he would at least take one with him. Being an outstanding orc warrior, Larksper would never hesitate in such a situation. "Did you, Larksper, buy it?" "Yes, I bought you from the manager." "Larksper, heard. Wizard, orc, hates." "Wizards look down on even their fellow humans. It''s not a surprising story." "Why, Larksper, buy?" There were several legitimate reasons for asking why he bought. "First, we made 870,000 UP through your matches. Second, I didn''t like the kid who told me to kill you. Third..." He spread his index, middle, and finally ring fingers as he spoke. "I wanted to take you with me." "......" Larksper closed his eyes quietly after hearing that. "Thank you. But, it can''t be done." "What do you mean?" "Larksper, Imorun, reason, there." There is a reason to be in Imorun. That''s what he''s saying. "Imorun, must be there. Can''t go anywhere." "I know the reason. It''s for your training, isn''t it?" Larksper''s small eyes widened, and he couldn''t hide his surprised expression. "......How did you know?" "People fight for their survival. But your fight against Rhinotodus seemed different from fighting for survival. Your skillful fighting appearance looked like a warrior undergoing training." "Did the manager tell you?" "I heard you made a contract here." Orc warrior, Larksper is said to have been captured. In the first ce, it was because of the contract between Larksper and the manager of this stadium. Being an orc, diator activities were difficult, but catching arge monster was not a problem. It was worth a try as it would be a kind of content if sessful. "That''s right. Larksper, training." Larksper did not deny it. He knew that the best and most effective ce for his training was right here, in Imorun. "But you almost lost your life by capturing the Rhinotodus. And I saved you." Although he made a brilliant debut, William must have been angry because of the bet between Morgan II and him. He would undoubtedly face a brutal death. Chapter 75.2 Reed had no intention of leaving Larksper to die. That''s why Reed persuaded the manager to give him the transfer document before they met. "Larksper, I have to be here. I have to catch the monster in my hometown." "Monster?" "Kalton Mountains, ruler, must catch, for orcs." The Kalton Mountains were the most treacherous terrain in the east, where humans didn''t even set foot in the wildnd. Many lives lived there, but the most famous one was the guardian giant of the Kalton Mountains. However, in , the guardian giant was exterminated, and the Kingdom of Grancia in the east that defeated it umted wealth through the development and resources of the Kalton Mountains. ''Did the one who killed the guardian giant of the Kalton Mountains... not Grancia but this guy?'' History belongs to the winners. So, it is possible that the Grancia Kingdom, which won in the end, fabricated history. ''Well, even if the kingdom that caught the guardian giant became wealthy, it wouldn''t make sense for it to falter.'' In addition, he began to understand something about Ludis, who appeared as a pathetic early viin boss pushing Dolores out. ''Of course, this is still just spection.'' He didn''t know the proper inside story. However, he knew one thing. "Even if you practice for a hundred days here, the day your race is recognized will note." All the monsters threatened in the Kalton Mountains will die. Larksper''s eyes widened. It was a negative story, so it was an understandable reaction. "Are you sure?" "The orc race is so disregarded in human society that even if they make a promise, they won''t keep it because it''s a promise made with beasts." "......" Larksper did not get angry. Rather, he closed his eyes and pondered Reed''s words. He acknowledged that his words were not wrong. ''He''s different from other orcs.'' Reed realized once again that Larksper was special. Enduring meant knowing honor and seeing the future. It meant that he knew how to adapt in human society. Reed felt potential in his attempt not to resort to violence. ''As a single orc warrior, not the seventh disaster...'' That''s why Reed made a proposal to him. "But if you follow me, I can help your race." Larksper looked up at him and lowered his head, refusing. "It won''t be possible." "What do you mean?" "Orcs are barbaric. And Larksper is weak. I can''t return to my hometown yet. Larksper must be." "What do you mean?" "Baltan, the great chieftain of the orcs." Baltan means the great chieftain of the orcs. He had to be the great chieftain of the orcs gathered in the Kalton Mountains to have a say in all decisions. So far, the orcs have been led by the elders of each tribe without a chieftain through negotiations. To prove his strength for that. That''s why he tried to defeat the guardian giant. "But staying here will only make you prey to the Third Prince. It may be glorious for you to die in a match, but if you win and die, you won''t even achieve your great cause. I don''t want to leave you like that." "......" "If you have to defeat the guardian giant of the Kalton Mountains, I can help you be stronger. So follow me." Larksper didn''t think any further. It was right to leave this ce if it was not a practice but a time when his life was in danger. Larksper, who had finished calcting, got up from his seat. *** After the magic engineering reform, the tower''s wizards were astonished by an unexpected event. The lord of the Silence Tower brought an orc into the tower. Of course, bringing monsters into the tower itself was moremon than expected. In the case of the ck Sky Tower, which studies ck magic, it is the main ingredient for making magical creatures, and the Jade Tower captures live poisonous monsters when making poison. It didn''t matter what the experimental subject was, but it was different when Reed brought the orc. He entered with the orc as confidently as if he had brought a person. Reed realized once again that Larksper was special. The height of 2.5m, with wide shoulders that required three adult men to stand side by side to match. Hisrge build alone was enough to draw the attention of the wizards. "Is this where Larksper lives?" "No, this is just a temporary shelter for now. After talking to the Hupper Kingdom, we will discuss your purpose." "Understood." "You can roam freely within the first floor of our tower. Try not to encounter humans too much." Larksper nodded. He didn''t seem upset by Reed''s words. It meant that he was already used to such treatment. Reed had converted an unused storage room on the first floor into a ce for Larksper to stay. Although it was still a storage room, at least it was better than a cage where they kept the monsters, so he didn''tin. Larksper sat quietly in the room and meditated. The musty smell of dust stuck to the floor tickled his nose, but his half-closed eyes went deep into the realm of the unconscious. Creak-. As the old hinge clicked, Larksper opened his eyes. He instinctively reached for his axe, but stopped as he saw the shadow entering the room. A very small shadow moved sneakily, and beyond the half-open door, white hair fluttered. And their eyes met. Curious ruby eyes were directed at Larksper. As soon as their eyes met, the girl entered the room and greeted Larksper. "Hello!" "......" "I''m Rosaria Adeleheights Roton! What''s your name, sir?" "......Larksper." "Larksper, Larksper... It''s a difficult name." "It''s not difficult. Larksper is a flower." "A flower?" "Larksper is a flower name. It''s easy." "Is there such a flower?" "Yes." Rosaria''s red eyes nced up at the ceiling, thinking. "Ah!" She eximed as if she had thought of something. "Rosaria has an encyclopedia!" "Encyclopedia?" "There''s a lot written in it! Larksper will be in there too! I''ll bring it!" With that, Rosaria left without permission. A short whileter, she came back in with a thick book the size of her body. "Larksper should be in here!" "Is that so?" "Let''s look for it together!" Chapter 76.1 Larksper (2) Larksper didn''t know how to read. To his eyes, it just looked like worms crawling around. "La¡­ Lark¡­ It''s here!" The page the girl pointed to with her small finger. Larksper could see the flower he had once seen before. "Is this Larksper?" "Yes. Cliff, blooming. I, cliff, born." "Born on a cliff?" "So, I, cliff, from, born." "Born from a cliff! I understand what you''re saying now." "Hard to understand?" Rosaria nodded with a smile. "Your way of speaking is strange." She didn''t seem to be mocking him. Larksper didn''t even get angry because she just genuinely felt it was strange. "I, not much, learned. So, understanding, slow." "Rosaria was like that too in the past. So, I learned a lot from my Dad. He knows a lot!" "Dad?" "Yes! He''s the big boss of this tower!" "Big boss? Big, person... The Tower Master?" "Yes!" ''So, this girl is the daughter of the Tower Master?'' Rosaria looked down at the flower illustration in the encyclopedia. Larksper. Unlike other flowers that sprout from the ground, it blooms on cliffs and has eight leaves clustered together in the crevices of rough rocks. When it matures, a long stem grows and blooms. It only grows on the cliffs of the Kalton Mountains, and unlike other flowers that spread their seeds through the wind, only a living carrier can help the reproduction of Larksper. That medium is a bird called the cliff swallow. Only this bird can help with reproduction, so it is also called the "cliff swallow flower." "Larksper... it must be a very pretty flower. Have you seen it?" "Larksper, Larksper, only once." "Why? Why have you seen it only once?" "Cliff, steep, dangerous." "It must be so pretty... You''d want to see it again, right?" Her pure eyes kept asking questions. Even though he was an orc, he could feel something undeniable in her eyes. Larksper nodded. "¡­Yes." "Rosaria will bring it for youter!" "Understood." Larksper didn''t pay much attention to her words. Rosaria began to read the book on the spot. Larksper also tried to read the book following her. However, for him, the characters were nothing more than curly ck ink marks. "Girl, do you know the characters?" "Rosaria can read!" "Can you teach me the characters?" "You don''t know the characters?" Larksper nodded his head. "I don''t know." "Then, then Rosaria will be your teacher!" "Teacher?" "A person who teaches! Rosaria is the teacher! And Larksper will be the student." "Teacher, student." Larksper nodded his head. At that moment, someone walked in through the open door. It was the tower''s mage. He carefully searched for something, and when he found Rosaria, he was startled and came inside. "Youngdy!" The mage who found her pulled Rosaria away from Larksper. His face turned serious as he spoke to Rosaria. "How can you juste in here like this?" "Why?" "Isn''t he an orc!? Orcs are monsters! They''re dangerous!" Rosaria seemed to not understand the mage''s words. "He''s a nice person. He asked Rosaria for help and yed with me." "You need to be cautious! If you approach such suspicious beings casually, you won''t be able to do anything! You shouldn''t be around creatures without a proper background!" Larksper had never spoken with other humans before. So the other mages didn''t think deeply about the fact that Larksper could understand their words. Larksper heard what he said clearly. Creatures without a proper background. He already knew how insulting those words were. Larksper got up from his seat and approached the mage. The mage drew his wand and retreated. "O, Orc! Can''t you back off!?" Larksper''s eyes sharpened, and he raised his clenched fists. He swung those fists toward his chest, shouting with a roaring voice. "Larksper!" Thump! "Not a coward!" Thump! Thump! "Warrior''s spirit! Pride! Exists!" The mage couldn''t understand what he was saying. It just seemed like a threat to him. His shout caught the attention of the mages spread throughout the tower. There was a tense atmosphere, as if someone was about to jump in. After three minutes of silence, their mediator finally appeared. "What''s going on?" Reed, with his uniform off, stood in the middle of them in his white shirt. "The orc was in the same room with Lady Rosaria. I warned her because of that, but the orc suddenly stood up and started beating his chest, threatening..." The mage exined everything from beginning to end. Hearing that, Reed looked up at Larksper. "Why did you beat your chest and threaten my subordinate?" "Human, insulted, Larksper. Warrior''s spirit, pride, insulted." The mage had insulted him. Reed could be sure of what happened after hearing those words. "I have a rough idea of what happened." Reed looked at the mage first. His expression was fierce, but his tone was polite. "Why do you think I converted the first-floor warehouse into a room for this orc?" "I... I don''t know." "It''s because I''m confident that this orc has no reason to harm us. Did you think I would leave a troublemaker who causes idents in the tower?" "I apologize! I definitely didn''t intend to mean that!" "I appreciate your concern for my daughter''s safety. However, your insult makes it sound like you don''t trust me, and I don''t feel good about it." "I apologize, Tower Master!" Reed then looked down at Rosaria. Rosaria, sensing she was going to be scolded, looked up at Reed, biting her lips. "Rosaria." "Yes..." "It''s true that you caused trouble for others. If you disappear without saying anything, won''t other people have a hard time?" "Rosaria was curious... His name is a flower''s name, so I wanted to look it up together." "Understood." Larksper nodded his head, acknowledging that he didn''t know much aboutmunication methods. His willingness to admit it was admirable, unlike his barbaric appearance when he pulled out the horn of the Rhinotodus. "Do you want to learn characters?" Larksper nodded. "Larksper wants to learn." "Why?" "Larksper adapts, adapts to help the tribe." "Who taught you thatnguage? Is it the same person who taught you to speak?" "A wandering mercenary captain. His name is Kal. Kal taught Larksper a lot." "What happened to that mercenary captain?" "He died. Goblins attacked. Ambushed, died." "He died in vain." "That''s why Larksper couldn''t learn characters." Chapter 76.2 The mercenary captain was his teacher. ''He must have wanted to be familiar with civilization by practicingmunication to some extent in Imorun.'' He wouldn''t be uninterested in learning about civilization. However, it''s not a world that is generous to orcs. "If you want to learn, I''ll teach you. Is that okay?" But Larksper surprisingly shook his head. "Tower Master, you are kind. However, I have a teacher." "You have a teacher?" "Rosaria is my teacher." "You want to learn from Rosaria?" Larksper nodded. "She''s just an 8-year-old kid. She couldn''t even speak properly a year ago. Do you think you can learn from such a child?" "Rosaria treats Larksper like a person." "Is that why you like her?" "Larksper felt it for the first time. Kal didn''t treat me that way." Even Kal didn''t consider him as a person. Reed thought about his words. ''Would this be a good opportunity for Rosaria?'' It was clear that Larksper had no ill intentions. Still, the fact that he was an orc made Reed feel uneasy about letting Rosaria get close to him. He couldn''t tell if this was due to his outdated mindset and overprotection, or if it was his sharp intuition. ''Maybe it''s the former.'' If prejudice makes him avoid Larksper, then Larksper would also avoid him in the same way. Reed didn''t want that. "There''s a condition if you want to learn." "What is it?" "Learn only in ces visible to others. A ce where both you and my daughter can be seen. There should be a study room with full-length ss windows; you can study there. Even if my daughter wants to go elsewhere, you must stay there. Do you understand what I''m saying?" "Larksper understands." Larksper nodded. Yes, this is the right thing to do. Reed could only pray that his choice was correct. *** "Now, Rosaria is your teacher!" "Understood." "If you don''t know something, you have to ask Rosaria!?" "Understood, teacher." Her face looked confident. Hearing the word "teacher," she looked up at Larksper with a proud expression. Rosaria and Larksper studied in the open study room. Since the soundproofing was solid, it was impossible to know what conversations were taking ce. The only certainty was that Rosaria was an enthusiastic but clumsy teacher, and Larksper was focusing on her passionate lectures with the eyes of a warrior. It was so serious that no one could tell if they were ying house or preparing for an entrance exam. After five days, an astonishing change took ce. "That orc is starting to read the book?" "Isn''t he just pretending to read?" "No. Looking at his eyes moving, there are parts he reads once and then reads again. There''s no doubt he''s actually reading." "Can he read all the characters in just a week?" Larksper started reading the book by himself. Teacher Rosaria watched him with a proud face and read the book together,ter starting to doze off. Then, Larksper silentlyid her down and began to study alone. *** Weekend at Silence Tower. Reed was sitting in his office trying to solve all the tasks he had put off. Knock, knock. Someone knocked and cautiously entered. With her blue hair and neat blue uniform. It was Dolores, the Tower Master of the Wallin. "Hello." "Come in." "Don''t rush me. I''ll go slowly." "......What?" "Hehe." She approached with a mischievous smile and sat on the opposite side of the desk. "Funny, right? Funny, right?" Was it funny? Was this something tough about? Reed pondered for a moment. He said toe in, but she said she would go slowly. Is that a funny thing? On closer thought, it seems a little funny?? While pondering, Dolores'' face turned red. "What''s wrong? I thought it was a gag that would make youugh at your age..." "......The gag you just made is on par with Rosaria." "What?" Dolores narrowed her eyes sharply. Reed shrugged and enjoyed her reaction. "Rosaria told me about the orc today. Larksper, right? She bragged about teaching him characters." "Yeah, she taught him characters." "Aren''t you worried? Even though they are orcs." "I was worried at first, but Larksper seemed to have no ill intentions, so I left them alone." Hearing that, Dolores stared at Reed. "Are you close enough to call him by name?" "If you have a problem, I can call you Dolly." "Ugh... I hate that nickname..." She sent a stop gesture by waving her palm in the air. "As a Tower Mage, I''m a bit worried about having an orc around. Besides, she''s my only disciple." "Now you have two, don''t you?" "Oh, right... If I say this, Yuria will scold me again..." Dolores looked around to make sure Yuria wasn''t nearby. It meant that Yuria''s personality was quite strong. She also became a disciple and starteding to the Silence Tower every weekend to match the time when Dolores came. Reed wasn''t too concerned about any security issues. Yuria had stronger self-control than Rosaria and behaved like ady. "How''s Yuria?" "Her rivalry is too strong. One side is burning with passion, while the other side has a happy-go-lucky atmosphere. Should I say?" "Pr opposites." "Totally pr opposites. The lessons themselves are fine, but I still think they might fight someday..." "It''s a rule that fights only happen between simr people, so there shouldn''t be any issues." "You''ve changedpletely from the past. Totally like an old man." "Is that strange?" "It''s not strange, but..." ''That''s good too...'' She couldn''t say those words, so she just twisted her body. Dolores nodded her head and quickly turned her gaze away. Reed knew from her behavior. "There''s something else you want to say?" "......I heard you stayed overnight in Imorun with your secretary." "Yes." "What did you do... there?" Dolores asked cautiously. She looked up at him with eyes like a kitten''s. Chapter 77.1 Larksper (3) What should I say to this kitten? I decided to answer truthfully for now. "That day, Deputy Tower Master Phoebe did a lot for me, so we had dinner together and looked around at the things in Imorun." "¡­What about sleeping?" "We used separate rooms." Worried that Dolores might have some strange imagination, Reed firmly drew a line. At that, Dolores looked up at Reed with a somewhat relieved expression. "Deputy Tower Master Phoebe is quite a beauty and has a good style... so nothing happened, right?" "She is beautiful. But she''s just like a puppy when I see her." "What about me?" "You look like a kitten." ''Hmm... No, wouldn''t a puppy suit her better? At first, she felt like a cat, but now she seems more like a puppy.'' Dolores smiled at those words. "It''s a pity that nothing happened." "You seem happy about it." "Of course not." Despite what she says, her face gives it away too much. This is why it''s hard to tell if she''s the tower master of the Wallin Tower or a youngdy from some family. "I heard that monsters attacked at night, was everything okay?" "¡­There was no problem. When I asked, they said it was just an emergency situation and nothing happened, so don''t worry." "I see, that''s a relief." It seemed she hadn''t noticed what Phoebe had done. Dolores let out a sigh, twirling her hair. "I wish I could go somewhere with you like Phoebe... " "Where?" "Somewhere bustling, or quiet, like ake, or a royal road... " Her appearance, sneakily ncing up while twirling her hair with her index finger. It looked as if she couldn''t choose one side and was pushing the choice to Reed. "Take your time to think about it. I''ll apany you anywhere." "Really? I''m not sure if it''s okay in my tower if I take two days off..." "What do you mean?" "Without me, things wouldn''t work properly, so I''m worried. My subordinates seem to rely on me a bit." "¡­" ''She doesn''t know.'' The reason why it seems like they rely on her is because if she doesn''t like it, she throws it away and if it''s not right, she gets rid of it. He thought that it was better to ask before making a decision that might hurt her feelings. And the fact that a party is held every time Dolores leaves the Wallin Tower. Dolores values discipline and only knows how to work, so she is more strict than other tower masters. It felt like a single woman boss throwing a tantrum in the tower. Although her intention was for the sake of the Wallin Tower, her strict control must have been suffocating. Weekends when Dolores was out were the rare party time for them. ''If I tell her they sent a thank-you card, they would die, right?'' How desperate must they have been to write a card saying, "We are always grateful to the Master of the Silence Tower. - Wallin Tower Staff." Feeling pity, he decided not to mention it. "If you''re busy, there''s nothing I can do. Then just one day..." "No! Two days! One night, two days!" Dolores suddenly shouted, her eyes wide open. The kitten-like impression instantly turned into a fierce re of a wild cat. I don''t know why she said that. "Alright, I''ll look for a good ce for staying a day." "I got it. I''ll be looking forward to it." Dolores was sitting still, looking at Reed. As she looked down at her nails without showing any sign of getting up, Reed had no choice but to open his mouth. "Shouldn''t you go now that your tutoring is over?" "Why? Do you want me to go that badly? What are you going to do?" "Isn''t it because your tower people get anxious without you?" "So what? Can''t you be with me for an hour or two? It''s a weekend today." "Do I look like I''m just ying in your eyes?" "I want to watch you work. As Rosaria''s tutoring fee." "Do as you please." He couldn''t stop her from mentioning the tutoring fee. He tried to focus on his work without caring, but her faint smile bothered him. Dolores didn''t say a word. She just quietly watched Reed and asionally answered when he spoke. It bothered him even more that she didn''t seem to have any intention of interfering. ''I hope this time they repay me with something more precious than a card.'' Reed, for his part, wished for something to drink. *** Larksper was an orc with excellent adaptability and the ability to learn. Larksper''s speech might make him seem like a low-intelligence being, but he was actually trying his best tobine the words he knew and make them sound as natural as possible. Magicians who were interested in Larksper''s intelligence began to approach him one by one, helping him correct his speech and vocabry. As he wanted to assimte into human society, he knew how to respect them, and anyone without ill intentions could be friends with Larksper. Perhaps that''s why? Magicians who talked with Larksper and found him interesting handed Reed this project proposal. "We thought this research might be helpful whilemunicating with the orc Larksper you brought this time, so we came up with this idea. What do you think?" -Customs and Expressions of Orc Tribe- Type: Research Authors: Mike¡¤M, James¡¤K We research the customs, expressions, andnguage of the orc tribe to find ways to incorporate them into magic engineering. Hypothesis established: X Research progress: - Sess probability: 100% Orc race information is updated. (100%) You can ''improve'' magic engineering items. (100%) One magic engineering item project is unlocked. (10%) What they proposed could be seen as quite an impromptu research topic. "What exactly do you have in mind?" "Orcs are still a barbaric civilization, but they have a certain level of intelligence. "Are you thinking of assimtion?" "That''s right." ''The improvement means that it will undoubtedly be something useful for the orcs. But it can also go in a good direction for humans.'' In some cases, it could also be convenient for humans. The concept of magic is quite weak among orcs. There are shamans who can use magic, but it''s almost a different concept from human magicians. ''What if we bring the orc tribe to our side?'' What if, instead of just helping Larksper, he reached out to the entire orc tribe? Reed thought about the benefits he could gain through this. The empty list seemed to fill up in an instant. ''Then such a project is definitely necessary.'' Thanks to their support, Reed got an idea. "Thank you." "Pardon?" "No, go ahead and start the project as you guys intended." "Understood!" The magicians, who couldn''t be sure if this research itself would be approved, left the office with bright expressions. ''I guess it''s okay to keep Larksper in the tower for the time being.'' There were no problems with his affinity, and he didn''t raise any issues, so Reed thought it would be enough. Chapter 77.2 The capital of Hupper Kingdom, Cohen Castle. The regent Adonis, who was working in the inner castle, looked up at Reed. "Are you saying that you want to register an orc as an adventurer?" A question as ifs he heard it wrong. Even if other nobles who were not tower masters had said that, she might have asked the same way. "Of course, I wouldn''t ask for this if it were just an ordinary orc, but this friend is a bit special." "I can believe you when you say it''s special, but..." Adonis looked up at the orc. Unlike other orcs who exposed their upper bodies and showed off their muscles, he came here wearing proper clothes. He dressed like a human, and just by standing, he felt like a very tall human. "Hmm..." A brief hesitation. And immediately, she shook his head as if to shake off any distracting thoughts. "Even so, issuing an adventurer''s certificate to an orc is risky. Above all, other lords won''t permit it." Although royal power has been strengthened, she didn''t ignore the words of the nobles and ministers. If they opposed, Adonis would undoubtedly have to reject Reed''s request. It was inevitable. Reed didn''t feel offended by his words that he could refuse. An adventurer''s certificate was such a thing. It reduced the chances of being treated badlypared to being a wanderer, and in case of an emergency such as using a weapon or a problem arising among humans, most crises could be avoided with a certificate. Reed looked up at Larksper after hearing that story. "Sorry, but could you step aside for a moment?" Larksper nodded and walked out onto the red carpet. In the space where they were alone, Reed spoke to her. "One reason I''m asking for this is because of the resources, not just because I like that friend." "Resources?" "Do you know about the Kalton Mountains?" Adonis nodded. "Yes, I remember it clearly because I went there and caught an ogre for the Knight Commander''s promotion exam." "The Kalton Mountains are wildnds, full of danger. Conversely, it means that there are many resources to be developed there." They could umte national wealth. Although Adonis''s face remained expressionless upon hearing this, it seemed intriguing. "The ce where that orc''s tribe is located is the Kalton Mountains." "Are you saying that you want to use that orc to monopolize the resources of the Kalton Mountains?" "Yes." Reed nodded. The Kalton Mountains were indeed and of opportunity. Not only diamonds and rubies, but also iron ore for armor, crystals, and magic stones to aid in magic, all kinds of raw materials could be mined. Reed was confident that it could help to regain the shaky pir of the Grancia Kingdom. However, it was also a ce full of danger that no one could properly approach. Especially because of the guardian giants of the Kalton Mountains. As Adonis had taken the test in the Kalton Mountains, she was well aware of such information. As he proposed to break through the Kalton Mountains, which no one dared to attempt, Adonis was a bit worried. "Joining hands with an orc seems quite dangerous." "When have we ever done something that wasn''t risky?" "You should know that we were able to confront the empire only because of the mediation of the Church and the support of the allied kingdoms." "Don''t worry. This is something we can just watch from behind." "What do the tower masters in charge of the area think?" "I n to talk more with the master of the Wallin Tower about that point." "Speaking of which, the area the master of the Wallin Tower is in charge of includes the Kalton Mountains." Adonis nodded. "Let''s call that orc once again. If we canmunicate, I have something I''d like to discuss." "Understood." Adonis snapped her fingers and ordered the guard outside to bring the orc back in. Larksper came back inside. "What''s your name?" "It''s Larksper." "You don''t use an honorific." "I didn''t learn honorifics properly. What''s your name?" "My name is Adonis Hupper. I am the regent of this kingdom, taking care of the work on behalf of the king." "Regent?" As an unfamiliar word came up, Larksper turned his head to look at Reed. "As I said before, she is the person working on behalf of the king." "Working on behalf of the king... Then, she''s the leader of this ce." As he called her the leader, Larksper''s eyes changed somehow. "Larksper." "Why is that?" "Do you want to challenge Adonis or something like that?" "Hmm..." Larksper didn''t deny it. He had the spirit of a warrior, and every warrior wanted to challenge the strong. Larksper knew that Adonis was strong and had the desire to challenge her. "Larksper can feel it. That woman is strong. She''s a tougher opponent than the Rhinotodos." Without even wearing armor and simply by her presence, Larksper gauged her skill. However, Larksper''s action was rude, so he apologized to Adonis. "I apologize if I was rude. No matter how much I was taught like a human, it seems difficult to get rid of the habits of being a barbaric orc." "No, I understand. Doubting your own strength and always challenging the strong. That''s a true warrior." "Larksper is a warrior." "I appreciate the fact that you recognize me as a strong person. Orc warrior, Larksper. I heard that you caught the Rhinotodos by yourself. You broke its horn with your bare hands and stabbed it in the head?" "Larksper caught the Rhinotodos. It wasn''t hard to break the horn." Adonis showed a mysterious smile. With a face simr to Larksper, the fire of the warrior''s spirit inside her ignited. "I am also a warrior. There''s no reason to refuse a challenge from someone who wants to be stronger. If you want to challenge, you can say so." "Is it okay? Then there''s no need to hesitate. Larksper will challenge Adonis." "Of course, killing your opponent is not allowed ording to the rules. When the opponent surrenders and admits defeat, the fight stops. Do you understand?" "I understand not to kill. But if stopping means dying, that''s weakness." "I agree." "......" I don''t know. Perhaps being too immersed in a magician''s work made the spirited faces of Adonis and Larksper seem strangely unfamiliar. I never thought Adonis would want to fight too. There was something that only the two mighty warriors could feel, which Reed couldn''t understand. "There''s no need for more discussion. Follow me to the training ground. Let''s settle this with swords." "I like that." Their conversation continued for a while. Adonis, who had forgotten about Reed, btedly asked for his understanding. "Oh, I was rude. I apologize, but with Larksper..." "It''s fine. You two go ahead and have a good fight." Knowing that there was no ce for him, Reed let the two of them fight on their own. Chapter 78.1 Kalton Mountain Range (1) "Adonis is a great woman. If she catches you with her strength, Larksper can''t escape." "Really?" "She''s different from the humans Larksper has fought so far. She doesn''t use tricks, rather, Larksper had to use tricks because she was so strong." "That''s why you''re all battered and bruised." Dirt and dust kept falling off of him no matter how much he shook himself. He would have to take a shower first thing when he got back. "Larksper enjoys fighting strong opponents." "Really?" "Larksper always fights monsters. Adonis has taught Larksper a lot. Larksper learned a lot from her." Even though his arm was sore enough to flinch when touched, Larksper still had a satisfied expression on his face. Reed asked him, wondering if it was possible. "By any chance, do you feel any emotions for Adonis?" "What kind of emotion?" "Like love, those subtle emotions that lovers have." At that, his happy face contorted. "Larksper likes humans. But they are not targets for reproduction." "I''m sorry." Reed immediately apologized, feeling as if it was an insult to the warrior''s spirit. A momentter, the carriage stopped, and they returned to the Silence Tower. Rosaria, who had been waiting for them at the door, greeted them. With her cheeks puffed up, she looked up at Larksper. "Uncle, where did you go with my dad?" "Larksper went to a ce called Hupper Kingdom." "We have to study today! Unni said so! If we don''t study for even a day, we won''t grow up to be big people!" As she said that, she looked at Larksper with her big, round eyes, then tilted her head. "No, Uncle seems big enough already? Do you want to grow even bigger?" "Larksper is enough right now." "Be an even bigger person! I mean, really big!" Reed couldn''t let Rosaria''s words slide, so he reached down to her eye level and grabbed her cheeks. "Didn''t I tell you not to use the word ''really big''? I don''t know why you don''t listen to your dad these days." "Dadddyyy... Ow... I''m sorry." Despite the gentle pulling, tears welled up in her eyes. Reed, finding her adorable, pushed her stretched cheeks back in. "Uncle needs some rest. He''s already in pain from taking many lessons. Let''s give him a break, okay? Instead, your dad will take that lesson." "Dad?" "Yes, I''ll listen to everything that teacher Rosaria has to say." "Do you not know something, Dad?" "Even though it may not seem like it, there are many things I don''t know. Sometimes, I just pretend to know." "Then today, Dad is a student! Uncle can rest today." "Thank you." Reed patted Larksper''s waist and let him go. "I''ve already informed the mages in the tower, so go wash up, get treated, and rest well." "Tower Master, thank you." Although he looked a bit better when walking, he was more exhausted than when he had faced the Rhinotodus. Larksper went to take a shower, and Reed listened to Rosaria''s lecture. The lecture, created with a child''s perspective and imagination, felt fresh. He yed along with her until he was too tired and fell asleep. *** Leto was only used as a mediator and information merchant. "How''s the news from the Empire?" "The Empire is always doing well. Annoyingly so." Well, yeah. The Empire remains strong. Even after nine years, when thest boss is defeated, the Empire survives very well. Even if the current emperor dies of old age, the crown prince has a high reputation, so the empire won''t fall apart even if it weakens. "How about the Third Prince?" "The Third Prince... As always, he''s quite simr, but if there''s anything strange, I would say his hysteria has increased." "His hysteria has increased?" "Yes, he''s still debauched, but he''s changed a bit. He''s be more cautious indoors, like a woman, but outdoors, he''s like a wild horse that''s been unleashed. Last time I heard, he almost started a fight! He came at me like that, saying, ''Do I look easy to you?''" "Hmm..." "What a crazy child he is, really...!" "What''s the internal evaluation?" "As I said, it''s just quiet. They said he looked very dejected." "Hmm..." There''s no doubt that he hasn''te to his senses, but he''s just being quiet for a while because he''s been lectured after doing something that could have exposed a weakness. As expected, his nature doesn''t change. It was fortunate that he took care of him before he coulde up with something, and that he recorded the prince''s screams. ''The Third Prince is useful to us.'' The Third Prince, William, was an NPC who only held them back when he was an ally. The best thing for Reed was to support the prince, who only had authority to rely on, so that he could hold back the Emperor. ''However, since he''s the Third Prince, I have to use his weakness well.'' It was like cooking. If you cook with too strong a me, it''ll burn, and if you cook with too weak a me, it won''t even cook through; it was such a sensitive ingredient. If it''s too weak, the Empire won''t listen, and if it''s too strong, it''ll lead to extreme choices. That extremity includes taking the life of the Third Prince. If it were the weaknesses of the Crown Prince or the Second Prince, they would try topromise somehow, but the situation with the Third Prince is different. Knowing that, they had to manipte them ambiguously, to the point where it was not enough to cut off their tails. "Is there anything else you''re curious about regarding the Third Prince?" "Let''s talk about something else." He tried to change the subject, as he felt that he might unknowingly leak information while talking about the Third Prince. "How is the price of magnesium?" "It''s on a downward trend these days. Everyone''s reluctant because they wonder what to use it for." "I suppose so." Reed was confident in the recipe, and everyone was focusing on learning magic engineering, so they could boast of having better magnesium processing technology than the Empire. Moreover, the only item Reed had shown so far was a mere recording device. It was an item unrted to magnesium. With no items to imitate or rece, they would have no choice but to give up on magnesium. The time to buy it again is slowly approaching. ''I''d rather mine it myself than buy it...'' Finding a stable source of supply was the best option. It was taboo for the Tower Master to own personal mines ornd. However, if the Hupper Kingdom was involved, it was possible to use loopholes in such taboo matters. ''If I swing it too much, I could get hated...'' Since the Hupper Kingdom said they would handle that part, Reed decided not to worry too much. "By the way, Tower Master, I heard you''re going to the Kalton Mountain Range this time." "...Yeah." They say ears everywhere and nowhere... He secretly prepared, but somehow, he mentioned it as if he had heard it. "If it''s not rude, may I lend you some help?" "What kind of help are you talking about?" "Hehehe, well, investment, for example. I think I can provide you with things that could be helpful to you, Tower Master." "Investment..." He had an impatient face, wanting to get involved somehow. Reed still didn''t trust Leto. "You said you wanted to help me?" "Yes, th-that''s right." "Then try to find out about Grancia." "Grancia... a kingdom near the Kalton Mountain Range." "They must be eyeing the Kalton Mountain Range without a doubt. If you y your role well there, you''ll get a piece of the pie too." "I see... I understand. I will try my best for our Master of the Silence Tower, hehehe!" Leto got up from his seat,ughing like a rat. Grancia will conquer the Kalton Mountain Range. The record of a hero who suddenly appeared, defeated the giant of the Kalton Mountain Range, and then vanished. Many people questioned the hero''s story itself because the record of the conquest was not properly described. Reed intended to make that record clear. Whether that superhero was Larksper or if there really was a superhero who suddenly appeared. Chapter 78.2 Kalton Mountain Range. A wildnd where humans cannot settle. It''s not a ce where only the strong survive, but a ce where only those who survive are strong. Many kingdoms and empires have set foot in the Kalton Mountain Range to conquer it, but the only news that returned was a message of failure. They wanted to burn it all down and conquer it, but for some reason, those rugged mountains and forests never burned or copsed. "I heard that our tower also tried to conquer the Kalton Mountain Range with the kingdom because it was dangerous, but we failed." Dolores, the Tower Master of Wallin Tower, told Reed. "Do you know how they failed?" "The previous Tower Master said that the Grancia Kingdom tried to gather mana and drop a meteor on the guardian giant''s location. but although they seeded in extending the huge mana to the sky, nothing happened." "Hmm..." "Since then, our Tower of Wallin has just been keeping an eye on the Kalton Mountain Range, and we decided to ignore everything that happens within its territory. The previous Tower Master strongly emphasized this point when he retired." It was rather a good thing. If that had happened, the Order or the Empire would have pursued Grancia, and they would have been waiting like hyenas for what they had created. ''There must be a reason why it hasn''t been conquered so far.'' The mysterious ability unique to the Kalton Mountain Range. With the ability to break it, Grancia was able to dominate the Kalton Mountain Range. ''First of all, helping Larksper is the first step to conquering the Kalton Mountain Range.'' A rough man who threw himself into the arena to be the chieftain of the orc tribe, Baltan. On the one hand, he was a man with the nature of a curious adventurer. Reed turned his eyes toward Larksper. He was sharpening his ax and spear with a grindstone from a distance. Before departure, he was meticulously checking his ax and spear. The members entering the Kalton Mountain Range were as follows: Chief Engineer Kaitlyn Ramos. Five mages conducting the orc customs and expression project. Larksper and Dolores, who will guide them. And finally, Rosaria. "Did you bring Lucy too?" "Yes! Lucy will have fun too!" "Don''t lose her, okay?" Dolores gently smiled as she held Rosaria''s cheeks with both hands and rubbed them. She was kinder than any unnie in front of Rosaria. And she looked up at Reed like a spoiled child. "Did you bring Rosaria again?" "Expanding one''s horizons is important." "It''s true, but it''s a bit dangerous here..." "There are two Tower Masters, isn''t that too much worry?" "Oh, no, Tower Master, you are too bold. Who brings their daughter like this?" In fact, Reed didn''t want to bring her that much either. However, since Larksper said he was going to his hometown, Rosaria also insisted on seeing it, so he had no choice but to bring her along. "I believe in you, that''s why." "Ugh, really, who would like it if you say that?" Dolores blushed and twisted her hair in embarrassment. "..." "Hello, Master of the Wallin Tower." At Kaitlyn''s greeting, Dolores returned with a dignified face befitting a Master of the Tower. "Hello. You''re the Chief Engineer of the Silence Tower, right?" "Haha! What Chief Engineer? I''m just a little skilled with my hands." "Although magic engineering is not well-regarded by our mages, I believe that through this event, the Chief Engineer will improve the image." "Haha... Thank you..." An ufortable pressure. Her expressionless face and tense eyes conveyed an aura that couldn''t be ignored despite her being younger than him. As rumored, the Master of the Tower, Dolores, was known for her strictness. It felt very different from when she dealt with Reed. Soon there was the sound of vibrations hitting the ground from the hill above. When he turned his head, knights in armor were riding towards them. It was Adonis Hupper and his knights. Interestingly, they wore rtively light outfits with leather armor and chainmail instead of silver te armor. Showing off in the Kalton Mountain Range would only lead to death. So they chose outfits that sacrificed some defense in favor of increased mobility. Adonis dismounted and greeted Reed. "You arrived early, Master of the Tower. I''m sorry for making you wait." "No, we just arrived, so don''t worry too much." The number of knights Adonis brought was a total of 20. "You said you needed an escort, but isn''t this too many?" "Only half of them will move with me, and the other half will stay here to guard the horses. A support unit carrying supplies is alsoing, so we''ll set up a temporary camp here." "I see." Ten knights and Adonis didn''t seem too dangerous for the journey. Moreover, this wasn''t a simple adventure, and with their guide, they believed they could handle any monster threats or ambushes. Adonis looked at the woman standing next to Reed with his green eyes. "Who is thisdy?" "She is the Master of the Wallin Tower. She came to help us with this matter." Dolores politely greeted him. "Hello? I am Dolores Jade, the Master of the Wallin Tower." "Hello, Master of the Wallin Tower. I am Adonis Hupper, the Regent of the Hupper Kingdom and the Commander of the 3rd Knight Order." "I have heard that His Highness Morgan has passed away. I offer my deepest condolences." "Thank you, Master of the Tower." Unlike the first time they spoke, she now showed no signs of sadness. It meant that she had somewhat epted the futility of hatred since he had died. Dolores looked up and down at her with a strange expression. ''This is Adonis Hupper.'' The marriage candidate Rosaria had mentioned. Having only seen her portrait, she saw the real Adonis Hupper for the first time today. Chapter 79.1 Kalton Mountain Range (2) ''I thought she would have a lot of muscles since she''s a giant yer, but why is she so slim...?'' She looked no different than when she first saw her portrait. Bright blonde hair cut neatly into a bobcut, and jade-like green eyes. A sleek jawline with a restrained beauty in her expression and face. She looked like ady who, if she just took off her armor, any man would easily fall for. ''No, maybe she has a lot of muscles underneath...'' She shook off the ugly jealousy that came up once again. She looked at Adonis with the most polite face she could muster. Contrary to Dolores'' thought that she had calmly moved on, Adonis noticed the subtle change. ''Are magicians always this wary of others?'' Adonis thought that the jealousy Dolores had shown was political vignce. It''s a ce where the rulers of a kingdom and the tower masters in charge of a region confronted each other, so it''s natural to be tense. ''I understand it''s a reasonable thing, but I wish she would let go of such vignce when entering this jungle...'' Knights are protectors. If you don''t trust those who protect you, the knights cannot fulfill their mission. As Adonis was thinking, he quietly approached Reed and started a conversation. "Master of Silence Tower." "Yes, please speak, Adonis." "I have something to tell you about the Master of the Wallin Tower." Hearing Adonis'' worried expression about the Wallin Tower''s master, Reed couldn''t help but be tense. "Is there a problem? If you don''t like the master of Wallin Tower..." "No, it''s not that. Among the magicians, she seems like a nice person simr to the master of Silence Tower... But this is my problem." "What''s the problem?" Adonis''s face turned slightly red. "I''m embarrassed to say, but I don''t know what the most appropriate conversation would be with a woman of the same age...¡± "¡­Excuse me?" Reed blinked his eyes at those words. Seeing Reed''s reaction, Adonis became even more flustered. "I''ve lived among rough men, and since my teenage years, I haven''t had a single conversation with a female peer. In order for the knights to fulfill their duties, I should at least help her rx, but it''s not going as well as I thought." "¡­I understand. Don''t worry too much. I''ll try talking to her." "Thank you." At Adonis''s words, Reed went behind Dolores and called her. "Dolly." "Oh, don''t call me that! Why?" "Adonis is a little awkward with women her age, so I think you need to help her. Is that okay?" "Me, me?" Dolores was taken aback by those words. "If Adonis doesn''t like it, there''s nothing I can do, but at least for this mission, I''d like you to help her rx." When Reed politely asked her, Dolores averted her eyes. It was a simr feeling to Adonis. "Well, even if you say that¡­" "¡­?" "I, it''s my first time too¡­" "¡­" "Even when I was in Escolleia, and when I entered the Magic Tower, I was the youngest... and I achieved the title of tower master at the youngest age too¡­" She didn''t have anyone her age who could be called a friend. Other magicians were also intimidated by the genius Dolores, so she didn''t have any peers who could be called friends. ''¡­How do I deal with these two?'' It was pitiful how they awkwardly tried to smile at each other when their eyes met. "Kaitlyn." "What is it?" "Can you make something that selects conversation topics? Right now." "¡­What kind of nonsense are you talking about?" "No, it was just a silly idea." Reed retracted his words when even the entric inventor Kaitlyn looked at him like he was strange. A momentter, Larksper, who was maintaining his weapons, stood up and spoke to Reed. "Larksper is ready. Can we leave now?" "It should be almost over. Is it safe to go from Kalton Mountain Range to your tribe?" "I can''t guarantee it. There are many monsters in the Kalton Mountain Range. And there are many other orc tribes." It meant that not all orcs were as friendly towards humans as Larksper. "The tower master helps Larksper. Helps the tribe. So you are like my life and my brother." "A brother. Thank you for that". Larksper approached Reed and carefully nudged his head forward. As the big head approached, Reed was surprised and backed away. "What are you doing?" "Um, sorry." With that, Larksper quickly turned his body. Adonis and his knights seemed to have finished their preparations, and the march began. Larksper, the guide, led the way, and the others walked in formation to easily protect Reed and the other magicians. Reed not only observed but also instructed the apanying magicians to use detection magic to help with their vignce. "It''s quiet." About 30 minutes into the walk, Larksper, who was in the lead, spoke, and Adonis agreed. "That''s right. I don''t even feel the presence of monsters." "We should be on guard. Monsters could ambush us." Adonis, who had entered the Kalton Mountain Range during the selection test, and even Larksper, who had lived in the range, felt that this phenomenon was strange. ''It''s fortunate that we don''t have to fight a bloody battle.'' Although it was strange, it was good news for Reed. Because he could morefortably protect Rosaria. As Reed looked down at Rosaria, her ruby eyes, which had been looking up at him for a while, curved into a crescent moon and smiled. Despite everyone being tense, she looked like an innocent person out for a walk. "I feel the presence of monsters." A magician using detection magic said so. Larksper, who was in the lead, walked about ten more steps and raised his right hand, signaling to stop. He picked up some dirt from the ground and sniffed it. Larksper dusted off the dirt and took a deep breath. With a confident posture, he shouted loudly. "Larksper! Lokan! Krea!" Chapter 79.2 Birds perched on the trees flew away at Larksper''s roar. Shortly after,rge orcs who had been hiding revealed themselves. The orcs, just like Larksper, had red skin and lower fangs sticking out. They put away the arrows they had drawn on their bows and gathered around Larksper. "Larksper! Garumdetzvia!" "Larksper!" "Larksper!" The only words that could be clearly understood were Larksper. Everything after that was in the orcs''nguage. Larksper approached the weing orcs, grabbed their heads, and pressed his forehead against theirs. "What is that?" "Well, that''s the greeting of the orcs, mydy. It''s a greeting only shared between brothers who can share their lives, where they touch their foreheads together and feel the bond of their souls." ''A greeting only between brothers... So that''s why he grabbed my head?'' He thought that perhaps he had been too sensitive about the gesture that was a sign of trust. Larksper and the ambushed orcs finished their weing greetings and began a more in-depth conversation. After exchanging words for a while, the orcs nced at the humans. They seemed to have a displeased expression. However, after hearing Larksper''s words, they all put away their weapons. "Did the conversation go well?" "They said they trust Larksper. All we have to do is not cause any trouble." "We didn''te here to cause trouble anyway, so there shouldn''t be any problems. Lead the way." A short timeter, following Larksper, they discovered a pointed fence made of wood. It was the site of a primitive tribe built on the wildnd. Larksper''s tribe was called the Cliff Rock Tribe. The reason for the name became clear when they saw a steep, high cliff attached to the back. "Larksper!" Everyone in the Cliff Rock Tribe recognized Larksper and weed him. On the other hand, they also expressed suspicion and displeasure at bringing humans. When they only saw Larksper, they thought all orcs were of simr size, but Larksper was the tallest among the tribe. "Larksper! Jazkjidetzvia!" An elderly orc, with a bent waist, embraced Larksper, leaning on his staff. He wore a ne made of carved wood, bronze mirrors, and animal teeth on a tough stem. Without a doubt, he was the chief leading the Cliff Rock Tribe. His smile emphasized the ck mushrooms nestled between the wrinkles. "Our chief, Jazkjidetzvia." Without saying a word, they both paid their respects and Larksper continued to talk with the old man. Soon after, Chief Jazkjidetzvia moved on and Larksper spoke to Reed. "Let''s talk inside the tent." "Do we all have to go in?" "Only the tower master and Adonis should enter. Other tower masters cannot." Strictly speaking, Dolores was not invited by Larksper. Moreover, she was a magician Larksper disliked, so there was no reason to trust her. "I''ll walk around the vige with Rosaria." "Alright then." Rosaria, who was holding Reed''s hand tightly, took Dolores''s hand and walked away. Reed and Adonis followed Larksper into the tent. Reed and Adonis sat down, and Jazkjid scooped something from a stone pot on the fire with adle. "Garuz Deviatti." It seemed like he was offering food. A stew mixed with various ingredients, as cooking was not well-developed. A strong herbal scent emanated from it. Smelling that, Reed looked at Larksper and said. "There may be things in the food that the orcs eat in the Kalton Mountain Range that could be poisonous to humans. So I would like to convey that I appreciate the thought but won''t partake." When Larksper ryed Reed''s words, Jazkjidetzvia nodded with a disappointed expression. He then ced the stew bowl elsewhere and poured water into a small bowl. "It''s green tea. It''s the same as what humans drink." If it''s the same as what humans drink, there''s no reason to refuse. So Reed and Adonis epted his hospitality. Only then did Jazkjidetzvia smile. ''It seems they can even make tea and bowls.'' However, the inside and outside of the bowl looked hand-shaped, as if it had been shaped directly byrge hands, rather than being made of smooth ceramics. ''Their lifestyle is no different from that of primitive humans.'' Yet, he glimpsed the possibility that they could live simr lives to humans with just a little learning. ''If they''re simr to humans, they could be recognized if they grow stronger.'' If they are recognized, it would prove that they are the masters of the Kalton Mountain Range. As long as they maintain a friendly rtionship, most of the resources of the Kalton Mountain Range would be at Reed''s disposal. "Could you ask him if he has ever considered leaving the Kalton Mountain Range?" "No tribe has ever left the Kalton Mountains. They say it''s thend of death because every race hase to that conclusion." "Do you think so too?" "I don''t think so now. But I also want to protect my hometown." Larksper lowered his head. "Most of the tribespeople don''t want to leave this ce. The Kalton Mountain Range is dangerous, but it''s our hometown. We want to create our own territory in our hometown." "So you want to be the great chieftain of the orcs, Baltan?" "Yes." When Reed mentioned Baltan, Elder Jazkjidetzvia said something to Larksper. Larksper calmly replied to what seemed like a scolding voice. "It seems I''ve touched on something that I shouldn''t have mentioned." "Baltan is a sensitive issue. The great chieftain is like the sky. So they think it''s arrogant for a tower master to aim for Baltan''s position." "I see." Hearing that, Adonis suddenly had a question. "You said you''re aiming for Baltan''s position, does that mean it could also be the master of the Silence Tower?" "Of course, it''s possible. The great chieftain is like a god. A god can appear in any form." "So it could be a human or even a beast." "Yes. But it''s more difficult to be the great chieftain." "Is it about defeating the guardian giant?" "There''s one more thing. The one who kills the giant. And the one who pulls out the axe." "The axe?" "There''s a rock in the vige with an axe stuck in it. For hundreds of years, no one has been able to pull the axe out of that rock." The one who pulls out that axe is Baltan. Just hearing the story, it was simr to the legend of King Arthur. ''Either pull out that axe or defeat the guardian giant.'' Pulling out the axe seemed easier. As he was thinking about what to do with the axe. -Baltan! -Baltan!! The orcs'' voices loudly echoed outside the tent. Larksper and Jazkjidetzvia went outside the noisy tent with a flustered look, and Adonis and Reed followed them. It was a scene of confusion for everyone. All the orcs in the vige gathered, shouting Baltan with their right hands raised to the sky. And in the middle of them was Dolores. She was holding a strange axe. Chapter 80.1 Great Chieftain (1) While Reed and Adonis were with the Cliff RockTribe elder, the remaining people stayed faithful to their roles. The knights from the Hupper Kingdom gathered and rested near the elder''s tent, ready to respond at any moment. The magicians from the Silence Tower and Kaitlyn, who came for their research, observed and studied the orcs'' lives. Rosaria was exploring the orc vige while tightly holding Dolores'' hand. Curious about everything, Rosaria felt like she was exploring an unknown world as she observed the tribal life during her walk. Her curiosity continued with each step, and Dolores, her teacher and older sister, answered all her questions urately. "Unni, what is this?" "Well, I''m not sure either." There was an object in the Cliff Rock Tribe that even the knowledgeable Dolores couldn''t answer Rosaria''s question about. It was an engraved rock on the cliff of the Cliffrock Tribe''s vige, so clean and untouched that it looked like a sculpture made just moments ago, which even impressed Dolores. A huge stone that could be used as a cornerstone for a building. Unlike the orcs'' houses made of leather tents woven with tough grass stems, it was a sophisticatedly processed rock with a wide bottom and a narrow, converging rhombus shape at the top. The stone itself was peculiar, but what captivated Dolores'' gaze was what was attached to it. In the middle of the stone, there was a long handle, and symmetrically protruding des around the axis. Although it wasn''t clearly visible, judging by the size and shape of the cornerstone, there was no doubt that a double-edged axe used by warriors was embedded in the stone. "Unni." "Yes?" "There''s a picture here!" Dolores looked down at where Rosaria was pointing. It was an ancientnguage that was no longer used. Having studied characters in college, Dolores was able to read the text. "Those who walk towards the light will be wings, and those who walk towards darkness will benterns. O warrior who seeks to prove yourself, move forward......" "A warrior? Is it a warrior''s possession?" "Well, the term ''warrior'' can be found in many other ces too. It could be something else." "Warrior...!" [T/N: She is rting Warrior with the ¡°Little Hero¡± fairy tale.] Rosaria, who admired warriors, had her eyes sparkle. Dolores tried to brush it off with a smile on the surface, but deep down, she was quite serious. ''Neither orcs nor humans would have left this as it is.'' Even barbarians would have been suspicious of the stone embedded in the rock and tried everything to pull out the embedded de. But they all failed. Why? Dolores could only understand the reason after closely observing the stone. ''It''s intertwined with an enormous amount of mana and spellwork.'' The preservation magic, which seemed to have been created over the course of three years, wasyered like an onion peel, maintaining a single form. It was an object that could never be pulled out by anyone unqualified. It even seemed difficult for Dolores to forcefully break the spellwork. Was that why? A desire to challenge arose. ''Let''s try to unravel it.'' Dolores wrapped both her hands around the axe handle and sent her umted mana through her body. Woo-woo-woo-! As she sent mana, a strange vibration echoed from the rock. The mana that Dolores sharply sent out was reacting. After concentrating for about a minute, Dolores exhaled and rxed her focus. ''It''s not possible with my power.'' Even after using half of the mana in her body, she could only unravel a singleyer. It was an intricacy beyond imagination, like the details engraved in immortal masterpieces. Defensive spellwork could be detected as soon as a w was found, but this rock didn''t even show such ws properly. Through her test, she confirmed one thing. ''This is an ancient relic.'' The ancientnguage written in verses. Sophisticated magic that no magician could imitate. Dolores shivered all over. ''Is this why they want to excavate ancient magic?'' The belief of magicians seeking the first magic. Although she couldn''t understand it, she could feel their desire a little. ''I want to unravel this magic.'' With that thought, Dolores wiped the sweat on her forehead and turned her head. Rosaria, who had been standing next to her, caught a researcher from the Silence Tower passing by and asked. "Oppa, do you know what this is?" "Warrior...?" "Ah, are you talking about that rock? ording to Mr. Larksper, that axe is the proof of being able to be the Great Chieftain, miss." "Great Chieftain?" "So... like a leader, simr to the Tower Masters." "Tower Master!" Rosaria cheered loudly as she heard a familiar word. With a realization, she ran towards Dolores and said, "Rosaria wants to be a leader too!" "Are you going to try to pull it out?" "Yes!" Rosaria nodded her head. ''It should be fine, right?'' Although the rock wasyered with defensive spellwork, there was nothing visible that could harm the person trying to unravel it. Since it was an object that allowed anyone who could unravel it to try, Dolores readily granted permission. Rosaria climbed onto the rock and grabbed the axe handle, which was about her height. She then tried to pull it out with a serious expression. Screech-. "Huh?" The sound of the axe scratching the rock was heard as it didn''t budge. It didn''t move any further, and it was clear that Rosaria couldn''t move it with her strength as she struggled. ''Did she actually pull it out?'' There were no signs. With a feeling of disbelief, Dolores put her hand on the handle and applied force. The object, which had not moved at all, slid out like a lie as soon as Rosaria touched it. "Huff, huff... I pulled it out!" Rosaria, whose face turned red from exerting force, cheered, and Dolores looked down at the object she had pulled out with wide eyes. ''Did Rosaria really pull this out?'' She had only managed to unravel a singleyer of the ancient defensive spellwork on the axe handle, but Rosaria pulled it out as soon as she touched it. ''What on earth is her true identity?'' Dolores thought she knew a lot about Rosaria as she gradually learned more about her. However, she was in awe of the fact that what she had seen was merely the tip of the iceberg. "Excuse me, Tower Master of the Wallin Tower...?" "Yes? What''s the matter?" The magician from the Silence Tower cautiously called out to Dolores, who pretended not to be flustered and asked while looking at the magician. The magician had a troubled expression on his face. "Well, the orcs are gathering." "Orcs?" As she turned her head towards where the magician gestured, Dolores finally saw them. The Cliffrock Tribe orcs. Men, women, and children all gathered, looking at this ce. Due to the orcs'' distinctive feature of having nted eyes, their pupils weren''t clearly visible, but now they were staring at this ce with their eyes wide open, enough to see the color of their pupils. "Huh?" Dolores couldn''t hide her confusion as she looked down at the orcs. They were looking up at her as if a goddess had descended. "Bal-tan..." Someone muttered the word as if initiating a chant. The orcs put down everything they were holding and raised their right hands towards the sky. "Bal-tan!" "Bal-tan!!" Rosaria couldn''t understand what they were saying. She could only tell that they were cheering while looking at Dolores. She didn''t know what it was. But it was definitely fun. So she stretched her small right arm to the sky and shouted. "Bal-ta-an!" And that''s how the Great Chieftain was chosen. Chapter 80.2 "That''s how it happened." "......As expected." Dolores didn''t think she had pulled it out. The real expert at causing trouble was Rosaria. The culprit of the ident was happily eating the sandwich she brought with a happy expression on her face. What she was eating was a meatball sandwich. She was eating it deliciously while holding the bottom and smearing sauce on it with her mouth. It was lunchtime, but the elite couldn''t swallow their food because of the current situation. Among them was Laksper. Perhaps he was the most serious among them. "You said the position of the Great Chieftain doesn''t matter, regardless of the race, right?" "That''s right." "It looked like I pulled it out, but in fact, Rosaria pulled it out... What do we do in that case?" ording to the rules, Rosaria, not Dolores, should be the Bal-tan. However, Laksper shook his head at that opinion. "It would be difficult for the teacher to be the Bal-tan." "Teacher? Who are you talking about?" "I''m talking about Rosaria. She calls herself a teacher because she taught me the letters." "Ah, right." Dolores nodded, recalling the briefly forgotten rtionship between him and Rosaria. Laksper, who seemed to have goodwill towards Rosaria, answered the question calmly. Reed looked at the axe that was brought. A long handle with a wide de. Although it had never been maintained, there wasn''t a single rusty spot and it was smooth. "It''s a War Axe. I''ve seen someone in the 2nd Knight Division use one before." It was a great item for dealing with small monsters when they swarmed inrge numbers, used by warriors who boasted about their strength. Reed knew that too. The reason he had looked at it closely was because he had seen this item before. -Ancient Double-edged Axe- Type: Equipment Item An axe so old that its age is immeasurable. However, for an unknown reason, there is not even a trace of corrosion. Durability: 250/250 Attack power: 80~91 : There are no defects. : ''Runes'' are engraved. Cannot be deciphered. In terms of grade, it had an almost end-game like-item with formidable specification. ''The weapon used by the Seventh Cmity, Laksper.'' A 2.5m tall orc who, when wearing armor, swells to over 3m. He wore a helmet with horns attached like a Minotaur on both sides. His threatening charge and brutal attack method of swinging the battle axe cornered Reed during his first try. Laksper was an unreasonable one-man army, taking on everyone by himself. He was a tanker, a damage dealer, and even used magic, making him a truly cmitous figure. There was one contradictory point, and that was Laksper''s ability to use magic. ''There are no orc magicians.'' There were shamans who demanded sacrifices and had varying effects depending on the offering, or elementalists who were friendly with and controlled hidden spirits in nature, but no magicians. This was because the orcs'' minds couldn''t perform the magic manifestation and calctions that only a minority of humans could do. Yet, Laksper was able to use two magics. Haste, which momentarily increased the speed of his movements. Explosion, which umted red power in the axe, struck down, and caused an explosion in front of him. He thought he somehow used magic with the power borrowed through , but after checking the state of the pulled-out axe, he finally understood the true nature of the magic Raksper used. ''The reason he could use it was because of the runes.'' Runes are anguage that magicians discover and try to decipher. Complex calctions, imaginative implementation, and appropriate mana all muste together to create an excellent magic. Magic scrolls are made through a process of transferring the magician''s thoughts directly onto them. Since runes contain meaning and purpose in a single character, they are much more efficient than the dozens of sentences written on scrolls. It was like the Chinese characters in the worldview. If you could interpret and write runes, you could reduce the size of aplex scroll by 1/10, making it an innovative highnguage. ''It''s more amazing than I imagined.'' Not just one or two, but eight runes were engraved on each side of the axe. It was an item that not only warriors but also magicians couldn''t help but covet. "Is this what you call a rune?" "Do you covet it too?" "You''re being direct. Runes are something that everyone would crave. Of course, I''m no exception." "It''s clearly visible on your face." "Uh..." Dolores usually had an ice-cold expression, but she found it harder to maintain when she was with Reed. ''Dolores must be tempted too, without a doubt.'' Reed was secretly worried that an unnecessary fight might break out because of this. Dolores, who had been sneaking nces, asked Reed. "What should we... do?" Chapter 81.1 Great Chieftain (2) What should we do? It was a difficult question to answer. As wizards who love learning, it''s hard for them to say something is just theirs. But as nobles who often say empty words and seem to make concessions, their position is unclear. That was the rtionship between Reed and Dolores. They were close, but they were both worried that their rtionship might be strained because of this issue. "Let the lord of the Silence Tower research the rune characters." "Would that be okay?" "It''s fine. It''s not like I picked them, and it would look bad if I imed ownership, wouldn''t it? I would lose face to my disciple." As they continued their conversation, Reed and Dolores felt a strange sense of incongruity and avoided each other''s eyes, falling silent. "It doesn''t sound like a typical conversation between magicians." "Y-yes?" "Right, our rtionship should be filthy and petty, constantly stealing from each other. So it''s strange that we''re handling this situation so smoothly." "It does seem a little strange for tower masters to be on such good terms..." Dolores showed a subtle sad expression. She was afraid that their rtionship would be strained over such a matter. It wasn''t like they had enough time for each other already, and she didn''t want to fight over whose property it was. ''Does she think I would hate her for something like that?'' He had that question because Reed thought the same way. Were Dolores and Reed not trusting each other enough to argue? It was a problem that seemed both understandable and pointless. ''I don''t like misunderstandings and such situations either.'' Let''s talk about it. With that thought, Reed looked back at Dolores. She was twirling her hair with her index finger. "I''m talking about what we discussed before." "Before?" "The part where we agreed to spend two days together." Reed noticed the tangled hair on her side that she had twirled. He grabbed her blue hair as if scooping up fine sand. His touch brushed past her neck. "Ah...!" Dolores, who had been caught off guard, let out a very faint moan. Fortunately, it wasn''t loud enough for Reed to hear. ''I mustn''t step back!'' She tried her best to hold back her embarrassment and not step back. Dolores''s face turned bright red, and her ocean-like eyes beautifully waved. The words "time for me" were spinning in her head as she looked up at Reed. Silver hair and golden eyes. Despite the nine-year age difference, he looked no older than histe twenties. She swallowed the pointless sound that rose up to her throat with her saliva. Reed carefully untangled her hair. With his gentle touch and a heart-melting voice, he spoke to her. "We''ll go somewhere just for the two of us." "And then?" "We''ll go to a quiet ce where no one can recognize us, listen to the birds chirping, and watch the scenery of a tranquilke being shattered by the wind." "And then?" "We''ll sit under the moonlight, lean on a single candle, and have dinner. We''ll talk, whether it''s something silly or aint that doesn''t fit the atmosphere, anything." "And then?" "...Is there anything more you want?" "Shouldn''t... be?" Dolores''s face turned bright red as she imagined the continuing atmosphere. "No! There''s nothing more!" Dolores strongly denied it. "But why are you talking about this?" "Don''t worry about what you should say as a tower master because of the fear of being hated. If I hated you for such a thing, it would be no different from using you. I have no intention of doing that to you." Dolores looked around. Seeing that there was no one else, she asked, looking up at him shyly. "You won''t... hate me?" "I won''t hate you." "Really?" "Yes." Dolores savored Reed''s words. She shyly extended one finger. "...Then, tell me one more time. That you won''t hate me." "I won''t hate you." "One more time." "...I won''t hate you." "...Just one more time." No matter how many times he said it, her demands didn''t end. But as he continued to say it, Dolores''s expression gradually brightened, so he couldn''t help butply. Reed let go of her hair after untangling it. Dolores stood there, immersed in the lingering sensation. She wanted to twirl her hair again, but she couldn''t bring herself to touch the hair Reed had touched. *** Baltan was born. The orcs of the Cliffrock Tribe went to inform each tribe of the birth of the great chieftain. The Carlton Mountains were a rough and dangerous ce, with monsters lurking everywhere. Unless it was a designated area, they wouldn''t roam around freely. The fact that the orcs were summoning the tribes scattered throughout the region signified a serious matter. As busy as the Cliff Rock Tribe members were, the representatives of each tribe stopped everything they were doing and rushed to the call. As expected, Dolores was the one who became Baltan. She was wearing the same tower master outfit she had worn when she first arrived. Since she had inadvertently be the orc chieftain, she had no intention of adjusting her attire or mindset to suit them. "Then I''ll go out." "Unni, fighting!" Dolores took a deep breath for thest time and put strength into her eyes. Even Rosaria, who had always beenfortable with her unni, became tense due to the changed atmosphere. It was the appearance of the Ice Queen, the tower master of Wallin, not Dolores. She stepped onto the tform. The orc elders and the warriors who would be elders all stood there, looking up at the great chieftain. "I am Dolores Jade, the Baltan who has be your great chieftain in these mountains." Larkspur tranted and shouted to them. Then the old elders and warriors began to murmur. "It seems they are doubting how such a delicate woman can be Baltan." Larkspur then spoke to them with a displeased look. Larkspur argued that they had all seen her tribe and doubted it, and those who doubted closed their mouths. No, some of them stood up, opposing Larkspur''s opinion. "Rokurikansteya!" "Chupayugen! Gorugideya!" "Gorugi!?" The word ''gorugi'' undoubtedly carried a tremendous insult in the context. ''It''s like a poorly tranted soap opera.'' Whether it was humans or orcs, it was easy to understand how they were speaking, even though thenguage was different. A momentter, the orcs reacted fiercely and pulled out the weapons they had hidden in their arms. Sharp stone axes and low-quality iron-made swords. "Stop!" Ice spikes sprouted from the ground, separating the two. The orcs hesitated at the sudden appearance of the ice. Feeling the sudden cold, the orcs wrapped their arms around themselves. Despite the bright weather, the air was no different from midwinter. Dolores looked down at them with her blue, glowing eyes. She stared at them with a cold expression that perfectly matched her nickname ''Ice Queen.'' "What are they doing right now?" "This is a sacred duel. If we cannotmunicate with each other, we determine the superior through a duel. Orcs have always done so." Larkspur exined the situation. "I respect your ways as well." There is trial bybat among the nobles. When knights and knights have conflicting stories about martial arts, they duel with the consent of both parties and the arbitrator. "But do you dare to fight recklessly in front of Baltan?" When Dolores mmed her staff on the ground, a loud thud echoed. "I proved myself in the rules you created. If you still doubt me, I''ll prove it to you directly. Whether I have the qualifications as your Baltan. If you have anyints, tell me!" When Larkspur tranted and spoke, the orcs cautiously stepped back. No matter how thin and short she was, they were not foolish enough to underestimate her strength. Dolores''s charisma was overwhelmingpared to any other chieftains. "I, ''Baltan,''mand. All orc tribes shall join the Cliffrock Tribe. We will expand and strengthen our territory. And we will rule the Kalton Mountains!" Following Baltan''smand, all the orcs reached their hands towards the sky. Their cries of praise for Bal-Tan echoed throughout. Chapter 81.2 The orc warriors began to move back to where their tribes were. Following Bal-Tan''smand, they spread the message for all orc tribes to gather at Cliff Rock. Since they were moving as messengers, the elders had to wait at the Cliff Rock Tribe. If they were going to move anyway, there was no need to carry the elders and go twice. It was not only for efficient operation but also as proof of trust. "Stop!" In case the messengers spread the word and the Cliff Rock Tribe was ambushed, they took the elders hostage. The idea came from Adonis, and Larkspur epted it with praise. Reed and his party decided to stay at the Cliff Rock Tribe. They came for a simple exploration, but things progressed much faster than expected. As a result, they needed a proper ce for them, the guests of the Cliff Rock Tribe. Fortunately, Reed, Dolores, and Adonis had prepared extra tents and bedding for themselves. "Where will Rosaria sleep?" "She will sleep with her father today." "Wow! I''m sleeping with Dad!" Rosaria cheered. It was a rare opportunity for her to sleep with her father. The problem was the other knights and mages. Dolores asked Adonis, "Are there enough ces for the knights to sleep?" "We have prepared individual sleeping bags, so I don''t think there''s anything to worry about." "Even if their safety is guaranteed, they are strangers, so I can''t help but worry. Let''s build a temporary shelter for all the knights to sleep. Using the magic that the Chief Engineer of the Silence Tower told us, we can build a temporary shelter." Dolores stood in front of the clearing where the knights had unloaded their belongings, holding her staff. She was an Archmage. True to her ability to handle three elements, she raised the earth and leaned it against the cliff rock, creating a wall. The defensive magic was applied to create a temporary shelter in no time. "Baltan!" "Baltan!" The orcs, who had been watching, raised their right hands to the sky and paid tribute. From the birth of the great chieftain, they praised her for whatever she did, now calling her Baltan. Dolores seemed to have gotten used to it, raising her right hand in response. "Sometimes you need to inject mana to maintain the wall, so it''s a limitation that you have to stay with other mages, but I hope you understand." "Creating a shelter like this is a great honor for our knights. You truly are the tower masterof Wallin." "Thank you." "......" "......" Adonis and Dolores blinked at each other. "Well." "Yes." They both wanted to continue the conversation, but they couldn''t think of a suitable topic, so they ended up finishing their tasks. There seemed to be no progress in their rtionship. *** Night fell. Darkness descended, and it was the time when beasts roamed, and one could not see even an inch ahead. The sound of insects chirping, the screams and howls of beasts melted into the campfire. Larksper was sitting in front of it. He knelt with his eyes closed, meditating quietly. "Uncle, what are you doing?" Larksper woke up to the childish voice. When he turned his eyes, Rosaria was standing next to him. "Teacher, why did youe out here?" "I just came out because you were here! Dad said it''s okay to talk for a while!" Larksper nced at the tent where Reed was. Reed was looking at them. He sent a signal that it was okay, so Larksper didn''t say anything to Rosaria. He just made a ce for Rosaria to sit. "Is this where you were born, Uncle?" "That''s right." "Then, Uncle! Where does the Larkspur flower bloom? I couldn''t find it on the cliff." "It doesn''t bloom here. It only blooms on that mountain." Larksper pointed to the dark sky. He pointed to the highest peak of the winding mountain range. It was a mountain that shone like a hook in the moonlight. It was so high that clouds could be seen hanging on it. It was a ce people called the de Peak Mountain. It was no wonder Larksper hadn''t seen it, as it seemed very far away. Rosaria eximed, "Oh!" and nodded her head in admiration. "Can''t you climb up there?" "I don''t know." "Why?" "Larksper hasn''t tried climbing." "Aren''t you curious, Uncle? There''s a flower with your name up there!" At that remark, Larksper looked up at the de Peak Mountain. Yes, he was curious. But Larksper had a more important dream. ''Bing the great chieftain.'' Bing the great chieftain to unite the tribes. It was a dream and a mission. However, that dream was now taken away by Dolores. He didn''t hold a grudge. Dolores was a civilized person, and Larksper was a savage who had just stepped into civilization. She would be more knowledgeable about civilization than anyone else, and as the master of a tower, which was no different from a country, if she actively helped, the future of the tribes would flow more smoothly. ''Then can I have another dream?'' It was a sudden doubt. In Larksper''s heart, there lived an honorable warrior. However, deep down, there was an adventurer who grewrger than the honorable warrior, going wherever his feet took him. He knew it. But he turned away from that fact. Could he live following curiosity instead of serving a greater cause? Larksper, who always made sharp decisions, could not easily resolve this doubt. It seemed that Rosaria had thrown a huge homework assignment at Larksper. Chapter 82.1: (Part 1) Guardian Giant (1) The next day, morning. Reed, Adonis, and Dolores got up before sunrise and gathered for a meeting. "It seems like the tribal integration is going well." "Tribal integration is important, but that''s not why we came here, is it?" "That''s right." Adonis hade to pursue interests as the spokesperson for the Huper Kingdom. She came to obtain conditions for developing mines, rare crops, and trading monsters, etc., that the Huper Kingdom could develop and trade. "When the tribes gather, let''s build roads, cut down mountains, and find out the location of minerals." Adonis nodded her head. They wanted to move on to the next step now that the tribal integration wasplete, but. "It''s impossible to build roads. Mining is also impossible." Larksper''sresponse held them back. They had been running smoothly until now, but they were a bit taken aback. "What do you mean? It''s impossible to mine and build roads?" "The giant here blocks everything. They hate digging up rocks. They hate making roads. Even if you do it secretly in a ce that is not visible, the giants will notice everything." "They notice everything..." "The shamans say that the giant is the guardian spirit of this ce. If you do not respect nature while it exists, you will surely suffer." It made sense. They already knew what they did in Gransia without the Guardian Giant in the future. ''As expected, the problem wasn''t the tribal integration itself.'' The original reason foring here was to help Larksper defeat the guardian giant. All they were supposed to do was explore the base. That''s what should have been done originally, and what should have been blocked. "If it appears anytime, anywhere... is the guardian giant a wandering existence?" "No. The guardian giant is always in one ce. The orc tribes know where it is." "Do they know the location of the guardian giant?" "They know where the guardian giant is. They can guide you." "It seems a bit hasty to go into battle right away." At Dolores'' concern, Larksper shook his head. "There is no need to fight. The guardian giant only moves when it gives ''punishment.'' It doesn''t move if you don''t do anything to deserve punishment. If you perform a specific action, the guardian giant wille to that ce. And then it kills the orc. Larksper has seen it once." "What were you doing at that time?" Reed asked just in case. "We were digging the ground. Ignoring the adults'' words, we were digging deep holes to bury bones. That''s why one of our brothers lost his life in the hands of the giant." "Don''t dig the ground too deep... Anything else?" Larksper recalled the other warnings passed on by the shamans. Fortunately, there was no room for any problems reaching the guardian giant. "I think we should do some reconnaissance before we get rid of it." "I agree, but what if that mysterious golem rushes at us, knowing that we have hostile intentions?" "As long as we don''t do something deserving punishment or attack, the giant won''t do anything." The opinions of being careful and going to see it were intertwined. Only Reed''s opinion remained, and he replied. "Let''s trust Larksper." As an experienced warrior who had lived here, he would have some insight into the guardian giant''s behavior. He may have a rough personality and enjoy challenges, but he wouldn''t put his party in danger. With that belief, Reed put Larksper in the lead again. The magicians who hade with them had initiallye to observe the orcs, so they left the six magicians, including Kaitlyn, at the Cliffrock tribe and moved to where the guardian giant was. A momentter, they heard the sound of footsteps from a distance. It was the orcs. Larksper greeted the orc in the lead, touching his forehead to theirs. While the two were talking, Reed looked at the tribespeople who had followed behind. Women and children were all carrying burdens, and the men were standing on the outskirts to protect the group. ''They''re full of wounds.'' Whether they had been attacked by monsters on the way, there were scratch marks, and they had wrapped nt stems tightly topress the wounds. After a while, Larksper returned and warned Reed and his knights. "Be careful. If you move forward from here, Garuda will appear." "Garuda? What kind of monster is that?" "It''s a monster that looks like a bat. It sticks to the wall, thenes down and attacks one by one." "I think I know what kind of monster it is. We''ll proceed in a circr formation." Adonis and his knights understood immediately and took up the appropriate formation. Although it was a slow march in a position that surrounded all directions, it was the best tactic for escorting. While they had be safer by walking with enough preparation, the effect of safety due to the formation could not be considered. "It''s quiet." "It''s unbelievably quiet." The monsters that had exhausted and injured the orcs they had met earlier had disappeared without a trace. Dolores tried to use detection magic just in case, but there was not a single monster within her detection range. She wasn''t particrly skilled in detection magic, but she could confidently say that her uracy was reliable for identifying misceneous monsters. "Come to think of it, we came safely when we arrived, right? I don''t think there was a single monster attack." She suddenly recalled the feeling when they first entered. At that time, they hadn''t even felt threatened, let alone attacked. "Does this kind of thing happen often?" "When going to another vige, one always risks their life. It''s notmon." Larksper also found this situation unusual. As Reed was wondering what was going on, someone tugged at his cor. When he lowered his head, he saw Rosaria walking with him. "What''s up?" "Look! There''s a pretty flower over there." "Yeah, it''s really pretty." Rosaria, who had been holding Reed''s hand tightly while walking, smiled, and Reed replied with a faint smile. Seeing her face without a single worry, he felt as if he were carrying her share of the burden as well. "We''ve arrived." At the end of a three-hour mountain march. They found a hidden ce in the Kalton Mountain Range without any monster attacks. The in that emerged from the grassy forest was enough to captivate the eyes of humans. Pirs made of stone. Large stone tilesid on the ground. Although they were split by moss and weeds and corroded, there were traces of civilization there. ''I never thought there would be such a ce.'' It was a ce that even Dolores, the owner of the Wallin Tower, didn''t know. "Doesn''t it feel like a temple?" "That''s right." Even Adonis, who couldn''t properly sense mana, could fully feel that reverent atmosphere. Despite thousands of years having passed, despite being left unattended, an overwhelming holiness that could not be hidden or destroyed remained. "Enter through here." The ce Larksper pointed to was a cave that looked like the entrance of a temple. There was no humidity, and they could feel the wind blowing from inside. Reed carefully touched the gauntlet he was wearing. He hadn''t used mana to maintain the same condition since entering the ruins, but he was prepared to fight in case of an emergency. Larksper took the lead and began walking through the square-shaped cave. At the end of the long corridor, a circr dome-shaped space brightened by the intermittent sunlight emerged. An empty ce. In the center of it, there was a statue. At first nce, it felt like a human, but the abnormallyrge right arm and hunched back made it feel like a gori. Reed looked up at a human made of stone. Chapter 82.2: (Part 2) "A golem." Dolores eximed in admiration. Golems were ancient technology. A forgotten technology that no one can use now. At first nce, one might think it''s simply a sculpture, but a magician who can sense the flow of mana would not think so. Because the only thing that had a clear mana in the form of a human-shaped pile of stones was a golem. ''Looking at the runes, the ruined temple, and the golem inside, this must be a treasury for magicians.'' It was thrilling for Reed himself to see two ancient magics that were said to be hard to find. That''s when it happened. A yellow light shed from the golem''s head, exactly from its forehead. Koogugug-! A rough and dull sound caused by the friction of stones. The sound came from the golem that was in human form. The golem had awakened. "Who touched something!?" "I didn''t touch anything!" It wasn''t a good time to find out who made a mistake. Since the golem had awakened, they needed to respond to it. Adonis and his knights drew their swords, and Reed and Dolores prepared the magic spell. The mana that was circting through the golem''s body finally settled into ce. At the same time, a voice with a resounding volume that filled the air rang out. -Oh, wee! Brave believers who step forward with courage! The voice of a boisterous old man echoed. The intense weing greeting was enough to momentarily bewilder those who had been on edge. The guardian giant stroked his chin with his small left arm and raised one eyebrow. "Hmm? Something''s strange. I thought it was our believers, but why are they with outsiders?" "Believers?" Was there anyone in these ruins who could be called a believer? Adonis and his knights were all from the Hupper territory, and Reed and Dolores knew where they came from since they were born into noble households. "Could it be?" Rosaria was the only one who didn''t know where she was born. Peeking over Reed''s shoulder, Rosaria looked at the golem. The yellow eyes shining faintly on the rock face met hers. The guardian giant, who saw her, approached with a booming voice. "Oh! Believers! Shouldn''t you greet me if you''vee?" Thump! Thump! As he approached with his right arm as a cane, the ground trembled. As expected, it was ament about Rosaria. Hearing the golem''s words, Rosaria cocked her head. "Believers?" "White hair and red eyes. You are undoubtedly a brave one, a warrior." Upon hearing those words, Rosaria stepped forward confidently and spoke. "Rosaria is not a warrior." "Is the girl''s name Rosaria!? Hm! It''s too weak! Yor! How about changing it to Yor!" "I like the name Rosaria!" cing both hands on her hips and looking up with a pouty face, the guardian giant chuckled. His voice was so loud that it shook the dust off the ceiling. "Oh, oh. I''m too excited. I didn''t even properly wee you! Wee, outsiders!" Theughing giant greeted them warmly. Upon hearing the greeting, Reed felt that he couldmunicate with this golem. "Where are we?" "We''re at the Umun! This is not my temple or anything!" The voice of a cheerful middle-aged man. Even Larksper or Rosaria could not ept those words. The ce that was supposed to be a temple had already be an ancient ruin, and it was clear that even the maintenance was not properly done as moss and weeds grew between the rocks. "This is now a ruin. The temple copsed a long time ago." "How can you call it a ruin when there are nts growing and moss covering it? This is thend of life, the temple of life. As long as there is life, there will be courage. Let''s move forward with courage!" Although the perspective was different, it didn''t seem much different from what others saw. "Are you the golem that protects this temple?" "That''s right, youngdy!" "Then, your feat of neutralizing therge-scale magic that fell on the Carlton Mountains...that''s your doing?" "Neutralization on arge scale! It''s a little different from that! Erasing the effect of magic that has already been activated is a very difficult task!" "Are you saying it''s not neutralization?" Dolores became interested. It was an interesting story that any magician would have doubts about. ''What kind of trick can make thoserge-scale magic disappear?'' If it''s not neutralization, is it interfering with the magic itself? The guardian giant did not answer such questions. "My mission is to protect the temple by any means necessary until the sessor appears. That is my duty!" "Sessor?" Reed could guess that the word was important in resolving the incident with this guardian giant. "How is the sessor selected?" "It''s always simple! One who is qualified will face me. And through proof, they will be appointed as the sessor of the temple!" In other words, they have to duel. Do they have to have a 1-on-1 battle with this golem? It was unbelievable. Someone approached and stood in front of the guardian giant. "My name is Larksper. I am the son of the Cliff Rock Tribe. Do I have enough qualifications to challenge you?" The yellow gem on the guardian giant''s forehead glimmered again. "An orc! Are you an orc? The mostbative race that the creator has made! There is a soul in everything in the world. Many orcs have challenged me. But they were arrogant. They wanted to be the sessor without even preparing enough. They couldn''t evenmunicate properly. But even at a young age, you are well-trained. The soul of a warrior! Desire! And even curiosity, you have fulfilled them all!" The guardian giant spoke in a tone close to praise, but Laxphur didn''t feel ttered by those words. The guardian giant stroked his chin and then lowered his head. "But you are not ready. It''s better to train more ande back." "What iscking?" -You are still hesitating. "It''s a hesitation unrted to battle. Larksper can fight." -A butterfly''s small wing p can cause a storm somewhere. That hesitation will directly affect your battle! Heed this old man''s advice seriously. I want to choose a sessor, not kill someone. Hearing those words, Larksper looked displeased. -If there is someone who can fight with me... The guardian giant raised his head and looked at Reed''s party. -That person! That person might be worth fighting with me! The person the guardian giant pointed to was Adonis. -An incredible strength beyond what one would expect from a human! A noble soul that refines its beliefs! A knight who has forgiven herself through tough trials! Upon hearing those words, Adonis'' chest throbbed. It sounded vague, but it was a statement that pierced through his inner thoughts. -How about it? Would you like to challenge as a new sessor of this temple? The guardian giant raised his right arm and suggested. Chapter 83.1: (Part 1) Guardian Giant (2) Adonis nodded without hesitation at those words. "Thank you for your offer, but I do not wish to challenge you, Guardian Giant." -Is that so? That''s a shame, a real shame! These days, young people keep challenging me without even being able tomunicate properly, but when they finally meet their match, they back down like this! Despite saying it was a shame, the giant seemed indifferent to the oue. "What do we do if we be the sessor of the temple?" -Wouldn''t the sessor know that better? "That seems like an irresponsible answer." -My mission is to find the sessor of the temple after the duel. That''s all there is to it. The giant didn''t give a proper answer. ''I don''t even know what kind of temple this is, or which god it worships.'' The golem didn''t address his doubts. It just kept repeating the same words like a senile old man,ughing and shouting. However, there was one definite piece of information. In order to rule the Kalton Mountains, the Guardian Giant must be eliminated. The only way to do that is through a 1-on-1 duel. Any other method would result in total annihtion. That''s why the soldiers and orcs who set out to conquer the Kalton Mountains died without even sending a message. ''And the fact that Rosaria is being strangely recognized by the Guardian Giant.'' The giant seemed to take a keen interest in Rosaria''s white hair and red eyes. Red eyes are the eyes of a demon. Many people regarded these eyes as ominous, but those who actually faced Rosaria never said anything about them. Her pure gaze had even melted such preconceived notions. ''This golem isn''t reacting to her purity.'' It must have simply reached that conclusion based on the information stored in its memory or input. ''White hair and red eyes signify a hero?'' It was hard to just let that statement slide. Reed recalled his appearance during the Disaster 7 event. The protagonist had brown hair, and his eyes were barely visible. His appearance was designed to be generic and easy for yers to rte to. It was a character far removed from Rosaria''s distinct traits. There was no resolution to be found by standing here. That''s why Reed secretly sent a signal to the others to return. "Then we shall take our leave." -Oh, are you leaving already? The cheerful old man asked in a seemingly disappointed voice. If it was someone he knew, the voice of the old man would have made them feel guilty enough to stop and think again. -Why not say a prayer at the altar before you go? A prayer? Reed looked around for an altar, but there was nothing nearby. Moreover, there was no one present who would offer a prayer even if there was an altar. The state religion of the Hupper Kingdom was the god of light, Althea, and praying to other gods was forbidden. And mages did not worship gods. If priests epted the will of the gods, mages were those who tried to approach them, which was quite different. "I want to do it!" Rosaria raised her small hand and shouted. Dolores then stopped her. "Rosaria, we mages shouldn''t pray to gods." "Why?" "Because we are such beings. We are beings that are hated by gods just for existing." "But the old man looks lonely..." Rosaria spoke in a crawling voice, rubbing her sleeves with both hands. Dolores'' heart softened for no reason and looked up at Reed. What should we do? That was the look on her face. Reed smiled and stroked Rosaria''s head. "Alright, let''s offer a prayer." Rosaria''s voice straightened up again. She looked up at the Guardian Giant and spoke once more. "I want to pray!" The voice that had seemed to sink to the bottom of the ocean regained its vitality. -Haha! That''s what a believer should do! Come here, brave little girl! The giant swung his huge, menacing right arm to the side, revealing his torso. They didn''t notice when he was covering and moving his body, but when the Guardian Giant bent his knee, something began to appear. His knee area became stairs, and his waist and vital points formed the shape of an altar. He was the altar and the temple itself. ''What kind of god is being worshiped here, for the golem to also serve as an altar?'' It didn''t look crude. On the contrary, it exuded a sense of reverence. Rosaria''s eyes sparkled as she looked at the Guardian Giant who had turned into an altar. Her curiosity got the better of her, and she tried to rush forward, but Reed managed to stop her. "Rosaria, don''t run." "Okay." Reed held Rosaria''s hand and walked together. His steps became cautious as if walking through a relic filled with traps. The Guardian Giant had called Rosaria a warrior. If this were a case of memory confusion, there was no telling when he might take sudden action. Reed didn''t trust the Guardian Giant, so he stayed close to Rosaria as they climbed the stairs on the giant''s knee. Rosaria had a great momentum, but as she approached, she couldn''t do anything. She tilted her head and rolled her ruby eyes up to look at the golem. "How do I pray?" This was her first time encountering the concept of prayer. -It''s simple, little girl! Kneel down and put your palms together. Then close your eyes slightly and offer a prayer for everything you are grateful for! "Kneel down and put my palms together? Dad, what does ''palms together'' mean?" "It means bringing your palms face to face like this." Reed held her hand and put her palms together. Seeing her own hands politely joined, Rosaria closed her eyes tightly. ''If she was the chosen one, divine grace would have descended when she prayed at the altar.'' Reed worried internally if anything would happen. Chapter 83.2: (Part 2) However, after nearly a minute, there was no reaction, and the silent Guardian Giant spoke again in a loud voice. -You may rise now! The prayer is over! "Is it over?" -Indeed. Your prayer will undoubtedlye true! Move where your courage leads you, little girl! The Guardian Giant hit his chest with his small left arm. Impressed by his gesture, Rosaria followed suit and hit her chest too. -By the way, little girl! Do you have a ne? "I don''t have a ne!" -A believer must always have this ne! Otherwise, you won''t be able to receive help from those around you. Our bond is strong, so you''ll be able to receive help anywhere, anytime without fail! The Guardian Giant fumbled with his altar with his left hand and pulled out something small to hand it to her. It was an amulet that every believer of the church would have at least one. "Thank you!" Rosaria smiled brightly as she took the item. Reed looked at the ne she received. It was just an ordinary ne, with no abilities attached to it. A pair of wings, a single sword forming the axis. It was a symbol that even Reed, who knew all the symbols of the church, didn''t recognize. Reed let out a hollowugh. ''There''s not a single thing solved.'' There were so many things he didn''t know in this world. *** "I''d like to help, but I''m afraid I won''t be able to step in this time. I''m sorry." The first thing Adonis did when they left the temple was to apologize. "It''s alright. If we had epted the challenge from the start, the atmosphere would have be even stranger. We can always look for other ways." Since they had safely obtained a clue that neither the Tower of Wallinnor the Kingdom of Grancia had been able to uncover, there was already some progress. That''s why Reed understood Adonis'' intention. Only Larksper was unable to understand Adonis'' actions. ''Refusing a challenge is something only the weak do.'' Even the mercenary captain he had believed in and followed was not that strong. So, when he had to be cunning, he quickly took advantage of the situation and left. But Adonis was not a weak person. A strong person among the strong. On top of that, she was a leader in power. Warriors often feel more when their swords sh than when they talk. Larksper guessed how Adonis was honing her skills through shing swords with her. Training and challenges. She never acknowledged her limits and constantly challenged herself. Through those challenges, she reached a new level and earned the nickname of Giant yer. He knew that. He couldn''t understand why Adonis, of all people, was holding back on the challenge. That''s why Larksper, who was walking in the lead, asked Adonis a question. "Adonis, were you not a warrior?" Adonis heard those words and could tell what Larksper was thinking. She nodded cautiously. "I am a warrior. I also like challenges, so I can be considered a warrior." "Even if others can''t see it, Larksper can. You undoubtedly wanted to challenge that giant. But you didn''t. Why?" "I wanted to challenge myself, but my role as a subjugator is more important than that of a knight." "Is there a difference?" Adonis nodded. "It''s the weight of responsibility, Larksper. If protecting the people and serving the king was the job of a knight, then my job now is to protect the country and take care of the people. That''s the weight of the position I''m in." "Hmm." "That''s what it means to be in a high position. It''s not just applicable to humans. The orc chieftain, Baltan, must be the same." "The orc chieftain, Baltan, must be brave. He must lead the way and face danger more than anyone else." "If you die from that challenge, your name will undoubtedly be left in a bad, but the remaining people will spend a hellish time." "Does that mean the chieftain should never take on any challenges?" "A warrior with a hot heart is not enough. You need a strategist with a cool head, a person who looks to the future rather than the present, and someone who sees the forest rather than the trees. That''s the weight of responsibility." Larksper let out a low sigh after hearing those words. "The weight of responsibility." To protect the country and take care of the people. Uniting the tribes is the same as building a country, and all the tribes are the people. It was a human''s job, but Adonis'' position was the same as the one he chose. If he became the chieftain, he would have to bear the responsibility. "Am I ready to bear that responsibility?" It was difficult to answer. He trained himself to challenge the Guardian Giant. But now, Dolores had be the chieftain. His dream of bing the chieftain had disappeared without a trace. He admitted it. But the spirit of challenging the Guardian Giant still burned within him. "If I had fought and won against the giant, I would have be the chieftain." He imagined himself in that position. Uniting all the tribes. As he became obsessed with the idea of responsibility and duty, he began to feel like it was holding him back. Larksper realized one thing. "The chieftain was not the problem." He wanted to challenge and fight against a creaturerger than himself. It was to prove himself, and the honor that came with it was just a side effect. Adonis gave Larksper, who had simply trained so far, a realization. It was thanks to Rosaria''s question, which made him wonder more deeply. Whether it was an intentional or unintentional question, or simply because of his desire to share his enlightenment with someone, it didn''t matter. Larksper began to respect Rosaria just for that fact. *** Since the Guardian Giant was not something they could deal with right away, Reed and his party decided to return. Dolores, who had be the chieftain, returned to the Tower of Wallinfor a while. During that time, Larksper tookmand and attempted to integrate the tribespeople. Not everyone left. The wizards sent from the Tower of Silence decided to stay there. "Will you stay here?" "Yes, isn''t this an opportunity to finish the project we started?" As they said, there was a significant breakthrough. The research progress, which was stuck at 30% just yesterday, had now suddenly risen to 60%. They would finish it within a week at thetest, so he let them stay here. ''Well, their faces seem to be regretful.'' Suddenly having to live outdoors after living inside the tower would be quite ufortable. Although their faces seemed a little regretful, they had a sense of responsibility for their decision. "When the research is finished, I''ll give you a special vacation. Take some rest during that time." "Excuse me?" "Are you saying you''ll give us a vacation?" "Do you want something else?" "No, no!" "Thank you, Tower Master!" Reed patted their shoulders and encouraged them. His principle was to generously support those who worked hard. "It seems like you want to stay here too, Kaitlyn." "I''m trying to improve the living conditions here. The tents are a mess, and the durability is terrible, so I was hoping you could give me a day or two. Is that not possible?" "Hmm..." There was no harm in it. When the orcs scattered in the tribe gathered, it would undoubtedly be chaotic, and Raksper''s voice alone would not be able to hold everyone tight. For a few days, it was appropriate to focus on improving their living conditions and expanding their territory. ''Besides, an unexpected idea might help us too.'' Reed thought that letting her roam freely within reasonable boundaries would be more efficient for her. "Alright. If there''s anything going on, you''ll be the representative to report it." "Understood." Kaitlyn nodded with a satisfied face. Reed didn''t hesitate any further. The orc elders were watching this ce. Eight of the more than thirty orc elders. They all seemed to be deeply thinking about something, silently staring. Their gaze was fixed on Rosaria. ''Something seems ominous.'' Reed spontaneously embraced her in his arms. Unaware of their gaze, Rosariaughed heartily and hugged Reed tightly. A momentter, the orc elders began talking among themselves, and Raksper stood in front of the couple. "When will youe back?" "We''ll be back soon. The ns for the Kalton Mountains are still not properly in ce." Now that they had gathered all the orcs, they had to find a way to develop without offending the giant. "From what I can see, there are good stones, fertilend, and the terrain advantages can be fully utilized, so if the giant problem is solved, development will proceed very quickly." So they had to find a breakthrough quickly. "Tower Master." Larksper called out to Reed. Worry was visible on his face. The fact that the usually blunt Larksper showed a glimpse of emotion meant that there was a serious issue he was pondering. "Tell me." Larksper asked. "Do humans hate orcs?" Chapter 84.1: (Part 1) For Honor (1) "¡­ I think it''s a matter of gradually improving." "That means it''s not possible right away." "Yes." Reed didn''t deny it. The only way to build a good rtionship is to inform them of the current situation. Orcs are barbarians. They are known to eat humans, and are known as dangerous creatures that must be avoided at all costs when encountered. ''It was like those bandit subjugation quests that came up quite often.'' This is the moment Larksper was most worried about. The orc who wanted to be epted by his own kind. He tried to be stronger to challenge the guardian giant, and eventually became strong, but no one acknowledged him, and he fell into corruption. The seventh disaster, Larksper. "I like Mr. Larksper." Rosaria, with her small stature, bounced around to catch Larksper''s gaze. Larksper knelt down with one knee on the floor and met her gaze. "Do you like Larksper?" "Yes! You''re a good person!" "Thank you, teacher." Larksper reached out with hisrge hand to touch Rosaria''s head. He gently untangled her messy hair and then stood up again. His face seemed much more rxed. "I know well about the boundary between humans and orcs. I don''t even intend to try to be acknowledged." "Just because we are of the same race doesn''t mean we all have the same heart. There are enemies among the same humans. There must be enemies among the orcs as well." "I see." Reed extended his hand to Larksper. "Put your head here." At Reed''s words, Larksper bowed his head. Then, Reed held his head and pressed it against his forehead. It was a greeting that orcs exchanged when they trusted each other. "I am your brother. As long as you think of me as your brother, I will also acknowledge you as my brother." "¡­Thank you, Tower Master." Upon hearing that, Reed detached his forehead from Larksper''s head. "I''m sorry for what happened before entering the Kalton Mountains." "What are you apologizing for?" "For refusing the gesture of pressing our foreheads together. I didn''t know it meant that you trusted me." "The Tower Master is delicate. Larksper is rough. That''s why I think we didn''t understand each other." "It''s ambiguous to say you''re rough. You''re not a rough orc." "What kind of person do you think Larksper is?" "Larksper. Just like your name, you''re a gentle and tender person like a flower." "Hmm¡­" Larksper let out a low breath. He was feeling shy. "Still, I''m curious about the meaning of trust for humans. I want to learn so that I don''t misunderstand like the Tower Master." "Humans do something called a handshake instead." "A handshake?" "It''s holding each other''s hands and shaking them lightly." "How do you do it?" "Like this. Grab my hand." Reed reached out, and Larksper ced hisrge hand over Reed''s hand. Even though Reed''s hand wasn''t small, Larksper''s hand made it feel like a baby''s hand. "And from here, hold it lightly and shake, ah!" "Oops. I''m sorry, Tower Master. I didn''t realize I was using too much strength." Just a small part of Larksper''s tremendous grip strength hit Reed''s hand, but Reed felt pain as if his whole body was being electrocuted. Fortunately, his bones didn''t break. "Are you alright?" "I''m fine enough to regret not pressing our foreheads together instead." Larksper apologized, scratching his head with an embarrassed look on his face. Reed and his party began to descend the mountain. Larksper watched them from a distance, standing still. After theypletely disappeared from sight, Larksper raised his head and looked at the sky. ''Guardian Giant.'' Although the dream of bing a great chieftain had disappeared, his desire to surpass the guardian giant had not waned. Larksper suddenly recalled the conversation he had with the giant. ''He said everything was ready, but heart wasn''t prepared.'' If the giant was right, Larksper needed toplete his heart''s preparation. ''But how?'' What preparation must bepleted? What does it mean to be able to equal the giant? I don''t know. Larksper didn''t think of himself as being smart. That''s why he always thought he was calm. He knew when to be hot and when to be cold as an orc. Now was the time to be calm. He had met many people during his time as a mercenary. It was among them that someone who was called a master, who always maintained a calm demeanor, had taught him. Larksper recalled his words and followed them step by step. He knelt down. He ced his hands on his thighs. He closed his eyes. He went deep into his soul and felt the tranquility. Chapter 84.2: (Part 2) As soon as Reed and his party came out of the Kalton Mountains, they were met with a question. Although they had expected the follow-up force toe and set up a base, the knights were all on guard for some reason. Adonis, the Knight Commander, approached them and asked. "What''s going on? Did monsters appear?" "Look over there." At the vicemander''s words, Adonis turned his head. There, he saw two gs standing on the in. The emblem of the Grancia Kingdom and the emblem of the Church of Light, the Althea Order. Both the order and the kingdom hade here at the same time. "The forces of the Grancia Kingdom and the Order are waiting here." "For how long?" "Over 18 hours. They haven''t made any movements, just waiting in that state." "How many enemy forces?" "Just by the visible number, there are over 5,000." They were no match for them from the start, in terms of numbers. ''If they wanted to fight, they would have attacked first.'' The fact that they were waiting quietly meant they wanted them toe directly. "They probably know what we''re doing, right?" "They must have ears on our side too." They wouldn''t want to cause any trouble either. That''s why Adonis moved with the escort forces. Rosaria stayed behind with Dolores. As the Tower Master of Wallin, it was the worst move for Dolores to make. Bing a new great chieftain, or showing off a double-edged axe with runes, would only lead to more trouble. As they crossed the hill, Reed and Adonis saw arge army standing in front of them, just as they had been told. All Grancia soldiers were standing there, and in front of them was a tent for tactics. "There''s not a single person sent from the Althea Order." "Let''s go and see." Reed and Adonis walked toward the tent, and the soldiers who had been waiting in front of it opened the tent as if they had been waiting, and let them in. "Wee, Regent of Hupper Kingdom." The young man who greeted them inside was the Crown Prince of the Grancia Kingdom, Edward Grancia, the 29th descendant of King James Grancia. Adonis wasn''t particrly pleased. "I assume there''s a reason you''ve brought such arge army to greet us." "Don''t you know what kind of ce the Kalton Mountains are? It''s a ce full of danger. It wouldn''t be surprising if something jumped out from within." "It seems like you''re using a knife to catch a chicken." "Shouldn''t we always do our best in everything?" The best. Yes, they should do their best. Like the Grancia, who are no different from ordinary humans, they should use all their strength to strengthen the royal authority in any way possible. Ordinary bloodlines with ordinary abilities, neither bing a great politician like Morgan II nor possessing outstanding military power like Adonis. Even if such ordinariness is passed down from generation to generation, there will eventually be a limit. That moment was now. ''The trick to somehow steal what''s in the Kalton Mountains.'' And it was thest desperate struggle of the gradually declining dynasty. "I''ve heard that you''re using orcs. Is it true?" "It''s true." Adonis nodded and spoke confidently. "It''s to stabilize the Kalton Mountains, which the Grancia Kingdom failed to solve. We''re just trying to achieve this while the Grancia Kingdom only watches, so why are you trying to make it our fault?" "I think using monsters for stabilization will rather elerate the confusion with a bad move." "The biggest problem in the Kalton Mountains isn''t just one orc. Rather, they are the mostmunicative animals among them. What''s the problem with dealing with animals that canmunicate and think?" "If they gain power in the Kalton Mountains, it will undoubtedly spread throughout the region. This could endanger not only the existence of Grancia but also the surrounding viges." He was right. However, it was no different from the argument made when a lord tries to be independent from a nation. They oppose independence, saying that if people without roots be kings, there will undoubtedly be problems with public order, and everyone, including cows and horses, will rise up, calling themselves kings. They needed a legitimate reason to be recognized as a king. ''The problem is the monsters.'' It was clear that no matter what they did, the long-standing perception would inevitably have a negative effect. It could even be something that deviates from the teachings of the Alte Order, which only fuels false hopes. Edward knew that fact and was trying to use it. "We reported to the Order for the safety of the continent, and they have responded that they don''t view this matter favorably. They are even considering sending the Twin Holy Maidens, depending on the situation." "The Twin Holy Maidens¡­" Upon hearing those words, Adonis and Reed became tense. Two women in white clothes with ck hair and gold-rimmed sses. One of them held a sword, and the other carried a small bell, a sacred bell used in the Order. Their rank was right below the Pope of the Alte Order. They had more power than bishops, and their abilities were second to none. Within the Althea Order, there was no one who could match the power of the Holy Maiden of Light in priestly abilities, and no one who could follow the Holy Maiden of Swords in swordsmanship. In short, they were the worstbination to encounter as enemies: the Twin Holy Maidens. "If the Holy Maidens designate you as a target for judgment, I think you know what will happen." The Althea Order yed a decisive role in binding the kingdom alliance tightly to counter the empire. If designated as a target for judgment by the Althea Order, they would be attacked everywhere the Althea Order''s influence reaches. It''s called judgment and purification. It was no different from a massacre in the name of God. Edward showed that he held a good hand. And he actually thought it was good, and so did Reed and Adonis. But he thought the momentum was in his favor. "Crown Prince." "Yes?" "Do you think the Tower Master of Silence is an easy person to deal with?" Reed was not such an easy person. "Not at all." "A mere crown prince threatening a Tower''s mage is an arrogant act, even if it''s not the Hupper Kingdom." The low tone of the middle-aged man, who felt offended, made Edward sweat involuntarily. "I know that priests and mages have different beliefs and are inherently hostile to each other. But I believe that the Tower Master wouldn''t want to worsen such a situation either. I only mentioned it out of belief and concern." He ims that his only target is the Hupper Kingdom. However, Adonis, the spokesperson for the Hupper Kingdom, did not seem to think so. "Then I guess we don''t have to worry about it either." "Yes?" "Anyway, we''ll never be designated as a target for judgment." Edward was taken aback by her confidence. Reed, who was sitting next to her, also raised a question. She seemed confident, not bluffing, as if she really had a countermeasure. "What makes you so confident?" "Why should we reveal that to you?" Adonis raised an eyebrow and looked incredulous. "Do we have any reason to show our hand to an opponent who threatens us?" "That wasn''t my intention." "Then I don''t think you need to be more curious." "¡­Understood." Edward closed his mouth. "Seems like there''s nothing more to say. May I leave with my knights now?" "Of course." The Crown Prince couldn''t help but smile, feeling bitter about her unwavering attitude. Reed and Adonis stood up from their seats and walked out of the tent. Adonis let out a low breath and rxed his shoulders. They began to talk about what they couldn''t share inside the tent. "Did you think the Order would react this way?" "Yes. His Majesty anticipated it." "His Majesty?" "Since Grancia''s power is not overwhelming, he was sure that they would rely on the Order''s strength when trying to interfere with and wield power over the Hupper Kingdom." "That''s exactly what happened. So, are we supposed to move forward with that countermeasure?" "Yes." "Can I hear what the countermeasure is?" Wondering what the wise King Morgan II''s n was, he asked, but Adonis shook his head. "To be honest, I don''t know either." "You''re sure even though you don''t know?" "Yes. I''m sure we''ll find it. He is a truly wise king." Adonis showed a smile. It was a look of trust in her king and love for her sibling. Seeing that face, Reed couldn''t help but smile as well. "You always smile when you talk about your brother." "Do I?" Surprised, Adonis touched the corner of his mouth. The corners of he rmouth that had risen in surprise were now back to their original state. Not knowing her own facial expression, she felt embarrassed and looked away. Reed subtly shifted his gaze toward her nape. Hanging around her neck was a ne made of jade. It was a green color that resembled her eyes. *** As spring came to an end, Reed finally learned that what was supposed toe had arrived. Just as Grancia had threatened, the Althea Order had started to move. Chapter 85.1: (Part 1) For Honor (2) There were countless religions on the Cloud Continent, but there was only one that exerted the greatest influence. The God of Light, Althea. The Althea religion just began with the doctrine that all living beings are equal. However, unlike their merciful teachings, the Althea Order was ruthless to its enemies. This was the news Reed had received. There were reports that the orcs were gathering. The fact that the orcs that were spread throughout Kalton were gathering meant that they could cause damage to the nearby viges that were spread around the Kalton Mountains. They were considering scouting the orc''s movements and purifying them before any damage urred. "If the twin saints point out the Kalton Mountains as a danger and go inside..." Undoubtedly, a massacre would ur from the orcs'' perspective. Even if they seeded in defending, Dolores, the great chieftain, would be doubted for her abilities and qualities, and the unification of the orc tribes would be impossible, unlike the wishes of Larksper. "There''s still no progress in deciphering the rune text..." Larksper knew how to use runes. If he could make him understand the concept, he thought it would help Larksper defeat the guardian giant. He wasn''t in a hurry, but he didn''t take it easy either. It was just that the movement of the Althea Order was much faster. Reed asked Phoebe, who had reported the situation. "What were the instructions from the Order?" "It seems they want to control all humans entering and leaving the Kalton Mountains." "And if they disobey?" "They''ll be considered heretics." "That means they''ll kill them." Since it wasn''t Reed''s jurisdiction, he couldn''t forcibly enter the Kalton Mountains even if he had business there. The research with the orcs had beenpleted, and there were no more wizards left inside. Reed had no way of contacting Larksper. "It would be nice if we could enter without the Althea Order''s notice, but..." Even if they managed to sneak into the Kalton Mountains, there would be monsters swarming inside, and there could be traps set up in return. There were too many risks involved. "I guess I have no choice but to inform Dolores of this situation." Reed, who had thought of an althearnative n, ordered Phoebe. "Try contacting the Master of the Wallin Tower. Since it''s their jurisdiction, they should be able to do that much." He thought that things would proceed swiftly, but... "Well, that''s..." Phoebe dragged her words out and showed a troubled expression. "I''ve already tried contacting them, but it seems like the Master of the Wallin Tower is not in a good situation either." *** The Wallin Tower, located in the northeast of the continent. Dolores, the Master of the Tower, was the first to hear the news about the Althea Order. "Is this how it''s going to happen?" She had heard the same news as Reed and had nned to inform him first. "Are you going to the Kalton Mountains?" "What about it?" When Dolores asked coldly, his secretary''s face became cautious. "Are you going to stop me?" "I don''t know if I should say the timing is odd... but an order hase from above." "Above means..." "The Master of the Sky Chamber Tower." Hearing that, Dolores'' fierce expression faltered. The Master of the Sky Chamber Tower and the chairman, Helios. He was like a captain to the Tower Masters, and Dolores regarded him as a teacher and a fatherly figure. He does not control the people under him. His near-obsessive cleanliness made him refrain from interfering in every little thing. However, once he started controlling, absolute obedience was required. ''If the Master of the Sky Tower says so, my actions will only make things worse.'' It was always like that when he stepped up. Starting to control meant that at least all towers could be in danger. ''Orcs are important, but I am a tower Master now.'' As a tower Master, she had to fulfill her duties. That''s why Dolores had no choice but to follow the order given by the Master of the Sky Tower. ''But I can''t betray those who trust me either.'' That''s why Dolores concentrated her strength in the palm of her hand. It was a bluebird made of mana. ''This should be undetectable.'' She put his message into it and sent it up into the sky. The bluebird pped its wings uneasily and flew into the sky. Since it was a bird made with a small enough amount to be undetectable, there were problems with stability. Now all she could do was pray that it would safely reach Larksper. *** The residence of the Cliffrock Tribe in the Kalton Mountains. Now, after the expansion, it was the residence of the Unified Tribe. Kaitlyn had made small improvements to their lifestyle, and the orcs were beginning to findpromises and settle their bloodlust in order to adapt to their new way of life. Larksper, who had been meditating with his eyes closed, suddenly felt a sense of foreboding. ''What is it?'' It seemed as if a sign of threat was flowing through the air. It was always a ce where danger lurked, but the danger was different from what he was used to. ''Is it just that my nerves are on edge?'' Having lived in danger, Larksper sometimes became unnecessarily sharp. Most of the time, he could shake it off in his head, but this time it was different. "Huh?" As Larksper raised his head, he saw a bluebird descending from the blue sky toward him. He knew it was a message because Dolores, the great chieftain, had sent it to him several times before. -Larksper. The Althea Order is watching the orcs. I don''t think I cane to help you. Power filled Larksper''s eyes. His foreboding intuition had been correct. ''Dolores is tied up.'' It was the most significant issue. Just as they had unified the tribes and were about to achieve great things, this happened. Larksper felt betrayed by the fact that Dolores couldn''te. As a thinking creature, he couldn''t help but feel bitter that she couldn''t stand up for them. ''It''s not the time to me Dolores.'' She was originally human, the leader of the magicians and the tower Master, and had be the great chieftain unexpectedly. She had tried to fulfill her responsibilities, and Larksper understood that. ''I need to find a solution.'' Larksper closed his eyes. They needed someone who could exude charisma like Dolores since she couldn''te. Was there such a person? ¡®Baltan.'' No. The only one who could exert absolute power in leading the tribe was the great chieftain. ''There''s no time to hesitate.'' He didn''t know when they would attack his tribe. Larksper put strength in his eyes and stood up. The weapons he had were a pair of axes from his time as a mercenary, and a spear. "Brother Larksper, where are you going?" Garum, the orc of the Cliffrock Tribe and Larksper''s younger brother, asked Larksper, who was fully armed. "I, Larksper, will go to catch the giant." "The giant? Dolores has already been chosen, hasn''t she? Are you thinking of bing the new Baltan?" Larksper approached Garum. And he pressed his forehead against Garum''s. "Garum, my brother, we are the only ones who understand our brothers. Even if the goddess of wisdom and Dolores are human, they cannot guide us forever." Larksper pulled his forehead away. "This was something Larksper should have done originally." A superhuman who understands their situation well. A superhuman who will help them no matter what the situation. The ragtag orcs needed such a superhuman. Larksper moved his feet. Chapter 85.2: (Part 2) A temple that has be ruins. Larksper entered and approached the guardian giant. The guardian giant, who had been frozen like a statue, began to move as a yellow glow appeared in its eyes. Recognizing Larksper, the guardian giant shouted. -You are the orc warrior who came with my believer! What brings you here? "My name is Larksper. I havee to challenge you again." -Hmm...! The guardian giant''s forehead sparkled. It felt unpleasant, as if it was scanning his entire body, unlike the glow in its eyes. -It''s still not enough. You''re not ready. The guardian giant shook its head and said. -You are a curious warrior and adventurer. Moving for the understanding of your race will only make you hesitate. "I may not know if that will make me hesitate. But one thing is for sure." -What is it? "My desire to challenge you." Even if it''s not allowed, he will not back down. The atmosphere of the guardian giant, who had been looking down at him quietly, changed subtly. -I''ve heard your determination, young one. The guardian giant stood up from its seat. The voice of theughing old woman had turned cold, like that of a Grim Reaper. Its yellow-eyed pupils turned red. -Please, don''t die. The guardian giant attacked first. Despite its seemingly slow body, it moved quickly and approached Larksper. Larksper did not let his guard down. Its movement was the same as the vicious giant that had killed his siblings when he was young. The giant''s abnormallyrge right arm mmed down onto the ground. Boom! A stone weighing tons fell, causing the ground to shake violently. As the vibration traveled up his legs, Larksper''s legs lost their strength. Larksper btedly realized that the blow had been aimed at him. As soon as he realized it, he saw the giant''s huge right arm mming down on his head. "Gasp!" If he didn''t have teeth, he''d use his gums. If his feet wouldn''t move, he''d use his hands. Using both arms, he flung his body away, escaping the range of the golem''s attack. He had to do anything to survive in the Kalton Mountains, where only the strong could survive, and such harsh conditions had helped Larksper. Thud! Dust rose from where Larksper had been, and the dirt from the ceiling crumbled and fell. -You have excellent skills. The guardian giant spoke calmly, admiring Larksper and turning his body. As Larksper''s legs returned to normal, he picked up the axe on his hip. ''This opponent is different from the others I''ve faced.'' His double-edged axe and spear had always torn through the flesh of creatures. This was a massive piece made entirely of stone. There was no ce to insert a de, and he could only ovee it by breaking its stone body. ''It''s useless.'' It was a moment when his well-maintained and sharpened de was useless. However, he had no intention of justining. It was Larksper''s, and the only weapon in the entire tribe that could counter the guardian giant. Larksper searched for a way to win in such unfavorable conditions. ''The gem on its head...'' It had been glowing throughout the battle. Larksper instinctively felt that attacking it would end the fight. ''But it''s impossible.'' The size of the guardian giant exceeded 6 meters. No matter how high he leaped, Larksper, whose effective range was 4 meters, had no means to touch the gem. So, he looked for other weaknesses in the fight against the giant. Crack! By chance, the de of his axe went into the joint. The stone fragments flowing in the joint did not recover. ''The attack is working.'' A glimmer of hope appeared. His hands holding the axe screamed with the tendons surging. Larksper looked for another opportunity once more. Larksper deliberately moved slowly, waiting for the guardian giant to make a big move. ''Second chance!'' At the end of his patience, a second opportunity came. Swinging his right hand, he attacked once more between the visible joints. "Argh!" However, it was Larksper''s pained cry that burst out. What struck Larksper''s body was the giant''s short left arm. The guardian giant had seen through Larksper''s intentions and deliberately put in a feint. If Larksper aimed for the weak point, the guardian giant knew how to use it against him. Larksper regained his posture. ''My ribs are dislocated.'' He could feel the ribs were battered as he touched them. Although adrenaline lessened the pain, the previous mistake had caused significant damage. His well-maintained stamina and health were gradually depleted, leaving him in a precarious situation. ''There''s no room for even a single attack.'' The ces where he could attack were limited, and he couldn''t evennd a valid hit unless he preempted it through a series of fights. -Do you admit your own arrogance, young orc? "What do you mean?" The guardian giant asked. For Larksper, it was a brief opportunity to recover. -If you had prepared more, you might have fought equally with me. But you are still hesitating. "Hesitation?" -Ask your soul. Is your reason foring here and your determination unwavering? At that question, Larksper''s soul answered. My curiosity is infinite. He wanted to see the sea beyond the horizon, to fight against legends from various ces, and to prove his abilities. That was the answer of Larksper, who loved adventure and challenges. When he won against the guardian giant, he hadn''t thought about his responsibilities. ''I thought they would live well if united.'' He believed that the gears would move on their own and fulfill their roles, and he would throw away all responsibilities and tasks to move on to new challenges. However, the world didn''t work that simply. Larksper realized this through the people he met. He was just a child. Only when he faced a situation where no one could help did he finally realize what it meant to be a great chieftain. So, is your determination unwavering? "The warrior, Larksper''s wish is unwavering." Larksper''s finger pointed at the guardian giant. "I will bring you down." He pulled back his finger and poked his chest with his thumb. "I will be Baltan." He held his axe. "And I will lead our race." The guardian giant knew that Larksper''s words had changed the atmosphere. But that was it. As soon as he sensed the change, the guardian giant lost sight of Larksper in front of him. He moved even faster than before, despite his injuries. Where did he go? Larksper was found on the guardian giant''s enormous right arm. He climbed up the giant arm, kicking off with great force. The guardian giant tried to block Larksper''s charge with his left fist. That''s when it happened. As if he had been waiting for it, Larksper leaped. Floating in the air, Larksper threw away the axe in his right hand and drew the spear from his back. He aimed for the guardian giant''s left arm joint. He threw it with all his might. Swoosh! The spear flew straight, cutting through the wind. Thud! It lodged precisely into the joint. While there was no concept of a fatal blow, it was enough to momentarily seal his movement. As Larkspernded back on the giant''s right arm, he leaped again with the recoil. Larksper''s body soared high into the sky. He swung the tightly gripped axe behind his back. His body curved like a bow with a powerful leap. An unguarded, blunt strike. He aimed for the yellow gem embedded in the guardian giant''s forehead. His falling body, guided by gravity, never took its eyes off the gem. Larksper''s roar echoed. *** The quiet Kalton Mountains. An impact wave with a clear epicenter burst, spreading throughout the entire mountain range. It was not just a wind that shook the leaves and stirred up dust. It was a soul-stirring wave that seemed to be felt by all living things. Even the beasts fighting in the jungle instinctively turned their heads toward the shockwave. All the orcs stopped what they were doing and stood up from their ces. Even the stubborn warrior who vowed not to follow anyone. And the immature boy trying to escape the gaze of adults. They all united and called out that name. "Baltan!" Chapter 86.1 Twin Holy Maidens The headquarters of the Althea Church, Saint Gregory Castle in Pieta. As it ys the role of a strong tie that binds all the kingdoms, it boasts a splendid appearance and interior. He walked with force in his steps in a ce where he should walk with a devout heart. The sound was so loud that everyone turned their heads to look at him. However, the man did not care about such gazes. Edward Grancia. The crown prince of Grancia Kingdom entered the castle with his escort knights. His expression alone hinted that he had note for a pleasant purpose. As he walked down the corridor, Edward encountered the man he came to meet. "Bishop!" The bishop, whose name was called, turned his head in surprise. Seeing Edward''s expression, he could guess what the matter was. "Why has the bishop dispatched to the Kalton Mountains returned here?" "I''m sorry, but it seems there''s nothing more I can help with..." "What do you mean?" Edward tried his best to suppress his anger, but there was nothing he could do about his rising tone. "The strange currents that covered the Kalton Mountains havepletely disappeared, shouldn''t we take advantage of this gap to eliminate the orcs and stabilize the mountains!? Isn''t that the purpose of setting up a camp in the Kalton Mountains?" "I had the same thought. However, I received an order from the Holy Maidens to return from the Kalton Mountains." Edward clenched his fist tightly. The Twin Holy Maidens had threatened them, and now the Twin Holy Maidens were holding him back. "Are you saying that the bishops deep within the Althea Church are being swayed by the opinions of girls with blood still fresh on their heads?" "Watch your words. This is a ce where Althea watches over." The bishop warned him quietly. "I, too, deeply regret not being able to carry out the purification of the evil monsters, but we are, after all, based on doctrine, bestowing purification and mercy." "Are you saying you bestowed mercy upon the monsters?" "They are no longer monsters that harm humans." "What?" As a question arose in Edward''s mind, someone approached him. It was a priest wearing an apprentice cor. "Are you Edward Grancia?" "......Yes." "The Holy Maidens is calling for you." The Holy Maidens? No one knew that Edward hade here since he had entered abruptly. "It seems she saw you..." "...Where was she watching from?" "Of course. There are no blind spots in the Holy Maidens'' sight. She must have heard everything the Crown Prince said without a doubt." The bishop drew a round emblem on his chest and greeted Edward. "The Holy Maidens will clear up your doubts personally, so I will step back. Crown Prince of Grancia." The bishop started walking back, and Edward bit his lip as he watched his back. "Guide me." "Yes, yes!" The apprentice believer led the way for Edward. Deep inside Saint Gregory Castle. If you walk a little further, you''ll see the Pope''s audience chamber. However, he didn''t move that far. Edward stopped and looked up at the door. It wasn''t as grand as the door to the Pope''s audience chamber, but it was a magnificent door adorned with borate carvings. As the door opened, Edward felt his breath stop for a moment. A warm breeze enveloped his entire body. Despite the only source of light being the sunlighting in through the high windows, the room was dazzling. The moment Edward saw the two women in front of him, he felt this sensation. ''I can understand why they are called the epitome of beauty.'' Even though they are each pointing at one ce, the aura surrounding them overwhelms other beautiful women. Edward himself almost forgot his purpose foring due to their beauty. In front of Edward, two identical women were elegantly sipping tea. The Twin Holy Maidens of the Althea Church. ck hair with white jade-like skin and firm pink lips like freshly picked peaches. Even the devout bishops who serve the gods were captivated by their beauty, offering prayers of repentance. The fact that there were two of these faces was truly a blessing from the gods. However, the attire of the Twin Holy Maidens was slightly different. The woman sitting on the right was wearing a white robe embroidered with gold threads, like the bishops, with a ck cloth bearing sacred texts covering her eyes, and a gentle smile on her lips. The woman sitting on the left was wearing a ck executioner''s outfit, also covering herself with the same ck cloth, but instead of her eyes, it covered her mouth. Her pupil color was white. As she stared at him fiercely with those eyes, it felt like he was facing a ghost, so Edward instinctively avoided her gaze. It was a ce where it felt like the goddesses of punishment and mercy hade together. The one covering her eyes was the Contemtive Holy Maiden, Isel. The one covering her mouth was the Silent Holy Maiden, Rachel. The contemtive Holy Maiden smiled and looked up at Edward. "It''s nice to meet you, Crown Prince of Grancia." Her voice was melting, as if putting souls to sleep. Deep in Edward''s heart, he felt a sense of guilt for looking down on her as a woman. "It''s nice to meet you too, Holy Maiden." "You were fighting with Bishop Roenta outside. I called you here because I thought you wouldn''t be convinced by what he had to say." The Silent Holy Maiden, Rachel, put down her teacup and politely gestured to the empty seat with her right hand. "It seems like Rachel wants you to sit down. Please oblige her kind offer." Isel conveyed her message. Edward reluctantly sat on the opposite side, at the mercy of the Saintess who stared fiercely at him. They were seated at the dining table, but the atmosphere was as harsh as a military meeting. "May I ask what you were fighting about?" "The response to the Orcs in the Kalton Mountains was a bit inadequate, so I had a disagreement with the bishop." "Ah, I see. Yes, I know. I was the one who gave the order." Isel smiled and pointed to Rachel sitting next to her. "Of course, Rachel fully agreed with the decision." Rachel nodded calmly. Edward''s expression stiffened. "Grancia has always faithfully donated to the Althea Church. We always pay 30% of our church ie." "I know. Thanks to those donations, we were able to raise the funds to realize Althea''s wishes." Isel smiled, sping her fingers together and cing them on herp. Her emotionless tone only further irritated Edward. "However, may I ask why you are not preventing the threatsing to Grancia?" "Of course, Your Highness." Isel nodded her head. She spoke like a saint rescuing a lostmb. "Althea''s light knows no boundaries. It shines mercifully on those who need it. Anyone can be a believer if they ask for help and respond to the teachings." Chapter 86.2 Edward guessed what she meant by that. It seemed like a hollowugh would burst out. No matter how they thought about it, what they said was ridiculous. "Are you saying that the orcs believe in the Althea Church?" Isel nodded her head. "Yesterday, we finished talking with their chieftain, a person named Larksper. He said they would dly embrace Althea''s light because they have no religion of their own." "Are you sure those capricious orcs won''t change their minds?" Of course, that couldn''t be the case. They are merciful, not naive. "Of course, the Althea Church didn''t easily believe their words. But there was someone who would stand as a witness." "A witness?" "Morgan II of the Hupper Kingdom." "Morgan II?" The young king. Many kingdoms, including Edward, had looked down on Morgan II. "He came to us personally, offered a polite greeting, and shared a conversation. I thought he was still a small and delicate king, but his ability to persuade was no less than that of adults. He was such a king that his future seemed promising, speaking so well." "Listening to that young king, you''re willing to give those barbaric orcs a chance!?" "Those who do not know the light need a chance. If we can''t even give them a chance, there''s no reason for the Althea Church to exist." "But, but!" Edward''s emotions were agitated. "They are orcs! Monsters that plunder civilians and vite women!" "Did that actually happen?" "That... it, it did!" Isel didn''t need to inquire further. His face showed that it was a lie all too clearly. "The Pope has already approved it. We are just acting ording to the doctrine." Be ruthless to enemies, but merciful to allies. As they possess these two extreme tendencies, their doctrine is to be merciful when giving opportunities. Edward''s expression became increasingly distorted. The conquest of the Kalton Mountains had always been Grancia''s desire. However, there was no suitable talent, and all those who bravely went forth died. "Those are beasts! Giving them a second chance is absolutely uneptable......" "Crown Prince Edward." Unable to bear it any longer, Isel interrupted the crown prince''s words. "Without a doubt, there must be a pir of the Althea Church built with Grancia''s contributions. We are always grateful for that and thank you on behalf of the Church." The reason for bringing up the contribution topic suddenly couldn''t be a good one. "And, humbly, we dare to advise you to let go of your greed." "Greed?" "Your mind is full of greed, Crown Prince Edward." "What do you mean?" "The ambition to take over the Kalton Mountains. Even though you know it''s impossible with your capacity, you still yearn for high ideals." Isel''ssmile faded. "That''s why you can''t respect the decisions of ''young girls'' like this. Isn''t that right?" "I, I swear I didn''t mean that. The Hupper Kingdom has long been in alliance with the tower lords and monsters! Especially their close rtionship with that damned Silence Tower lord...!" Edward''s words stopped. If he said anything more, it felt like his throat would be cut. ''What is this?'' Edward broke into a cold sweat. His instinct realized it first, and only then did his reason catch on. The sword at his throat. The one holding that sword was the Holy Maiden of Silence, Rachel. [T/N: Why do i feel she was triggered at the mention of Reed] The knights tried to move btedly. However, knowing that moving wouldn''t do any good, Edward raised his hand to stop their actions. ''I didn''t even hear the sound of drawing a sword.'' Both of her hands were undoubtedly on the table until the very end, and there was no sword nearby. What was aimed at his throat was a jagged, spike-like shape. Edward knew what that sword was. ''The Sword of Punishment.'' It wasn''t a famous sword that could cut a person''s throat in one go. This sword was simply one that caused the opponent to scream in pain and agony. The dark side of the Althea Church. It was a cruel punishment for those who did not embrace the light. But what was terrifying was not the saw-like de that inflicted pain. The eyes of the Holy Maiden of Silence, Rachel. ck hair contrasted with her pure white pupils. Those eyes, which seemed like those of a ghost with flipped eyes at first nce, were the most frightening. As the de approached, Edward cautiously moved his head back to its original position. "Rachel, you are a gentle person. It''s difficult if you threaten like this just because I came off a little aggressively." "......" "Now, please lower your sword." As if calming a child, Isel ced her hand on Rachel''s arm, and as Isel said, she withdrew her sword. Only then could Edward breathe again. "This child tends to act with her hands before her words. Please forgive her rudeness." "No, no." He wasn''t even angry. Overwhelmed by her gaze, all the aggression he had disappeared. "We will do our best to convert everything that can be converted ording to the will of the Althea Church. I hope this answers all your questions." Isel bowed her head lightly. Since it was practically a gesture to stand up, Edward stood up from his seat and walked outside. In that space, only Rachel and Isel remained. Isel turned her head toward Rachel. The serious atmosphere had changed considerably. "Rachel, why did you lose yourposure? I was a little flustered to see you like that." "......" "Hehe, I know. You didn''t like them insulting ''that person.''" "......" "Sparrows do not know the will of the phoenix. No matter how much they insult us, we must not waver." "......" Rachel''s fierce gaze wavered for a moment. Isel seemed to read that expression and held Rachel''s hand with a troubled face. "If you''re so upset, I''ll feel sorry, you know? Really." "......" "It''s okay. I''m the only one who knows this side of you. Just maintain a strict appearance to others." Rachel nodded her head. To Rachel, Isel was like an older sister. No one in the Althea Church could catch up to her in terms of power, but her heart was as tender as a child''s. The only one who could see through Rachel''s heart was Isel. That''s why Rachel relied on her. No, they relied on each other. Where Isel couldn''t step forward, Rachel would. Where Rachel couldn''t step forward, Isel would. Though they had two bodies, they shared a single spirit. "With this, the second fate has changed." "......" "The first miracle could be a coincidence. But there''s no reason to doubt the second miracle." Isel''s emotions welled up, and Rachel''s emotions soared along with her. Strength entered their hands, held tightly together. "He will be our savior." Chapter 87.1 Runes and Spirits (1) The wildnd of the Kalton Mountains had changed so much that anyone could notice. The biggest change was the construction of arge, noticeable road. As the cornerstone of development was a well-maintained road, they first deforested the area and dug up the ground to build the road. Rosaria tugged at Reed''s sleeve as if she found it fascinating and pointed at the road. "There''s a road in the forest!" "Seems so." "It wasn''t like this before!" "Yeah, there wasn''t anything like this." Now that the obstacles in building the road had disappeared, someone had made it easy for a carriage to enter. In front of it stood a muscr orc with dark brown skin. Unlike the shirtless orc men, he was properly dressed in normal clothes. As they approached, the orc man came up to Reed. "Tower Master, right?" He spoke with a muffled tone. It felt as if he had just started learning thenguage. "Yeah. And you?" "Garum. I came on behalf of Baltan." "I see. So you''re the one who can speak the humannguage?" "Garum learns humannguage. Other tribes learn too. Althea teaches us." "That''s a good development." "Althea is kind. They teach us well." The missionaries from the Althea Church were naturally kind. Their goal was, of course, to convert the orcs. At least for now, they needed to be able tomunicate with the orcs to preach. Of course, they didn''t neglect their volunteer work for the purpose of conversion. They healed and provided food for the more than ten thousand orcs, winning over their hearts. As arge religious organization, they were experts in capturing the hearts of simple people. ''Orcs believing in the Althea religion...'' The orcs had no proper religion. Their object of fear, the Guardian Giants, might have been the closest thing to a religious figure for them. However, the Guardian Giant was defeated, and a hero was born. Now that the hero was going to believe in the Althea religion, the orcs had no choice but to follow, even if they hadints. ''It''s Morgan, after all.'' He didn''t just prevent turning the orcs into enemies but made it impossible to do so. Adonis'' unwavering trust in Morgan was understandable, considering the brilliant solution he provided. Following that admiration, Reed shifted his gaze to the road he was walking on. "Is the road alreadypleted?" "Yes." Garum nodded. Although it was expected to take two weeks, it only took three days. It was a miracle created by the orcs'' individual strength and stamina, as well as their cooperation under absolute power. "And, Tower Master, the items are very good." Above all, the power of magical engineering was the greatest. Thud-thud-thud-!! The sound of vibration from the ground being struck without hesitation. Rosaria frowned and covered her ears. At the source of the noise, the orcs surrounded arge rock. In one orc''s hand was a steel-made device. It was a rock-breaking machine, a joint work of the Silence Tower and the Hupper Kingdom. It was sessful in making but had the drawback of being too powerful for the user to handle properly. It was a device that was constantly being improved to soften the impact without killing its power. ''But those brainless muscles don''t need that.'' The orcs could withstand the terrifying vibrations and the recoil from the device. Of course, only about 30% of all orcs could ovee the recoil. For them, being able to use the rock-breaking machine was a symbol of strength. "Grosh is weak. Can''t use the rock-breaker." "Grosh is strong. Can do it." Orcs whoughed at the sight of their weakerpanions and orcs who tapped their chests and tried again. It was no different from the way humans lived. "How about the magic stone saw we provided?" "Magic stone saw, dangerous, rock-breaker machine, orc, uses." It meant that only the orcs who could use the rock-breaker were using the magic stone saw, which moved like an electric saw to cut trees. For the orcs working on construction, the electric saw seemed to be the most desirable item. As they talked and walked, they soon arrived at their new settlement. The chosen location was deep in the Kalton Mountains, the site of the ancient ruins. Although it had been neglected for a long time, it wasn''t too difficult to restore it by following the traces that were left behind. Since the surrounding area was rich in stones and resources, if they handed down the technology to make tiles, they could be self-sufficient. There were also many humans among the orcs. There were experts hired from the Hupper Kingdom, as well as wealthy merchants from all over who smelled money. "It''s fortunate we secured it first." All the necessary things, such as mining development rights and research and development rights, had been taken by the Hupper Kingdom. Nevertheless, the fact that merchants were still moving around showed that they knew the development of the Kalton Mountains itself would make them money. Although only a sprout had grown, the fruits seemed to be visible to the eye. It was such an important time, but for some reason, the person in charge was nowhere to be seen. "What is Larksper doing?" "He left for a moment." "Where?" "Larksper said it''s hisst adventure." Thest adventure. It didn''t sound good to Reed. Whether it was good or bad, he was now the great chieftain and had to lead everyone, so it was never a good thing to be in danger. Since grumbling wouldn''t do any good, he changed the subject. "What are they doing with the ce where the Guardian Giant was?" "It''s the great chieftain''s room." "Do they use that ce as a room?" "They said they use it like a human pce." It was arge space, and if they organized it well, it seemed enough to be used as a pce. The huge body of the Guardian Giant was taken by the Silence Tower. If they could figure out how it moved, they would gain the technology to create golems. ''I never thought Larksper would defeat it.'' A pair of axes and a spear. He crushed it with pure physical force using only those weapons. The idea of assisting him with runes so he could fight seemed too excessive, considering his overwhelming victory. ''I''m bing more like a mage.'' When he yed "Disaster 7" multiple times, he preferred physical characters like warriors and archers rather than mages. Mages were a profession that couldn''t survive once their evasion skills failed or they were restricted. Now he was so used to being a mage that he couldn''t trust the reckless fighting and results of warriors. ''Did he change after defeating the Guardian Giant?'' It was their first meeting after Larksper had defeated the Guardian Giant. Reed was secretly looking forward to seeing how much he had changed. "Has the Tower Master arrived?" Larksper''s deep voice was heard from the entrance. Chapter 87.2 Reed turned his head and was slightly disappointed. Unlike Garum who was wearing clothes, Larksper was still shirtless, carrying a basket on his back like a barbarian warrior. The man called the great chieftain looked like a single farmer. "Did youe in a hurry?" "Yes. How did you know?" "Shake off the branches and leaves from your hair and body." "Oh." Larksper brushed his hair and body with his hands. Feeling awkward, he scratched the back of his head. "As the great chieftain, you should be more careful now. What will you do if you''re injured while wandering around?" "Larksper feels the responsibility, too. That''s why I had to go on onest adventure." "What adventure?" Larksper put down the basket he had been carrying on his back and showed what was inside. What he showed was... "Larksper!" Rosaria eximed. It was not the orc Larksper, but a flower named Larksper. It was arge and elongated flower that only the cliff swallows could pollinate. The size of the hole alone was as big as an adult''s fist, and when all the petals were fully spread out, it was a huge flower, not unlike a sunflower. Rosaria approached Larksper. "I wanted to show you!" "Larksper has only been receiving. I wanted to show this to you first." Their first meeting. A little girl approached him without hesitation, showing him a picture of the flower. Although he said he would show it to her, Larksper wanted to show her the flower in person. So, he climbed the de Peak Mountain. Despite the steep slopes and gusty winds, he did not stop and picked the flower that was said to bloom at the highest point. "What do you think?" "It''s really beautiful. Even more than when I saw it in the book!" Rosaria smiled and looked up at Larksper. "This is a gift from Larksper. You can take it." "Thank you!" A pure smile without the barrier of race. Larksper also smiled and replied to her. "Larksper is also grateful to the teacher." A heartwarming story unfolded. As Rosariaughed with the flower in her hand, Reed asked him. "Now that you''ve defeated the golem, you''ve be the sessor of the temple." "That''s right." "Is there anything special about that session?" "I don''t know. When I defeated it, all I felt was that it ended." "No feeling of your body bing lighter than before?" "That''s right." "Hmm... We may not know it yet, but there must be something." Larksper, who had caught it himself, didn''t feel it, but Reed was persistent. The reason he said this was because the "Talent Appraisal" that hadn''t worked on Larksper so far had begun to show its effect. Name: Larksper Job: Orc Great Chieftain Age: 18 years old Disposition: Neutral¡¤Good Health: 1,840/1,840 Stamina: 1,270/1,270 Mana: 0/0 [Traits] "Orc", "Sessor of the Temple", "Survival Instinct", "Barbarian Warrior" [Attributes] "Steel Lv. 4""Agility Lv. 4""Power Lv. 5""Axe Technique Lv. 5""Spear Technique Lv. 3""Sword Technique Lv. 3""Digestion Lv. 3""Commander Lv. 2""Production Lv. 2" The clearly engraved "Sessor of the Temple" trait. Although he couldn''t see its content, Reed was sure there was something special about it. ''I don''t know what it is, but I hope it''s a helpful ability.'' Larksper''s desired tribal unification wasplete. Now it''s time to maintain it. Handling 10,000 orcs might be even more difficult than unification. He wished it to be an ability that would help in such times. *** Reed sat in his office, staring intently at a single word. The ancient double-edged axe. Arge axe whose name was not even known. It was the item that Rosaria had picked and made Dolores the great chieftain. The axe didn''t rust over time and maintained its sturdiness, making it an attractive item for warriors. However, it was clear that this item was more appealing to mages. It was because of the runes. ''There are a total of eight runes embedded in the axe.'' Larksper used only two of the eight characters. ''It''s not just that he can only use those two.'' If he knew how to use one rune, he would have used the other six as well. It didn''t seem like they left that penalty just because it was the first disaster they encountered in the game. The conclusion drawn from the deduction was one. "The axe was broken." When they forcibly pulled out the axe that only qualified individuals could pull out, six of the remaining runes were lost. So it was remade with only the two remaining runes. "Larksper can understand those runes." That''s why he used the two runes that were avable. "It''s not as difficult as I thought." Ignoring Larksper was secretly regretful, but that was the harsh reality. The problem was finding the origin of the easy problem. No wizard in the tower knew about the runes, and neither did Phoebe. "It''s not like I can just give it to Dolores..." At least he hoped to give it to Dolores after he finished interpreting the runes. While he was pondering, someone called Reed. It was the duty worker guarding the gate. "Lord of the ck Sky Tower has arrived." "Lord of the ck Sky Tower?" The ck Sky Tower Master, Freesia. A woman who had lived for more than 130 years but had the appearance of a child. With an explosive temperament that would kick anyone she didn''t like, she was one of the people Reed was most concerned about. "Tell her I''lle down." "Yes!" After conveying the message, Reed immediately went down to the reception room. However, there was no one in the reception room. "Is there no one in the reception room?" "What? What do you mean... She''s inside the reception room right now." "Are you saying my eyes are not good enough to see through leather?" "No, no... that''s not it!" There was no reason for the staff of the Silence Tower to lie. Reed nced down at his feet. Something ck was crawling around, catching Reed''s eye. It didn''t run away, but it was circling around Reed. It seemed to be teasing him. Frowning, Reed stepped on the ck thing. Squish-! With a disgusting bursting sound, ck smoke dispersed into the air from under his foot. "Is it gone now?" "Yes! Uh, where did she go?" Reed sighed. He had a rough idea of where she might have gone, so he didn''t ask the staff, and headed somewhere. It was the Tower Master''s research building. Reed quickly found her without ying hide and seek. "Oh my, Reed. Why are you sote?" The storage room. A ce where there should be no people, only items. A little girl was sitting on a desk. ck hair, red eyes, and a sly smile. She was giggling andughing, being cheeky enough to evade the wizards and trespass without permission. Chapter 88.1: (Part 1) Runes and Spirits (2) ''Damn it...'' There was a sign on the gate saying, "No entry except for the owner of the Silence Tower," but she ignored it and entered. If she were a naughty child, she would have been hit with a p, but he couldn''t do that since she was a 132-year-old grandmother inside. "Mr. Reed, why are you sote?" He replied to Freesia, who asked again. "I apologize. I remember this ce not being a reception room." "Yeah, it''s aboratory. It''s a big problem if our Mr. Reed has memory issues in his own tower, right?" Reed endured her sarcastic tone. "Wouldn''t it be a big problem if dementiaes while having a child''s body?" No, he couldn''t hold back and blurted it out. Freesia''s smiling face didn''t show any disturbance, but her small hand showed some strength. "Our Silence Tower''s owner has been quite rebellioustely. Do you want to die?" "What brings you here?" "Recently, I feel like our rtionship has be too distant. I thought maybe we could talk a bit, you know?" "Are we in that kind of rtionship?" "Of course." Freesia drew a circle on Reed''s chest with her finger, wearing ck leather gloves. "We''re in that kind of rtionship where we''re tightly connected with our lives as coteral, right?" It wasn''t wrong, but it had an unpleasant nuance. "The rumors are quite rampant." "What rumors are you talking about?" "People with eyes see, and people with mouths speak, right? Among those words, I heard that our Mr. Reed brought a very interesting item." He wasn''t surprised, as he had already thought she would know about the existence of the axe when he predicted she would be in the research building. "Especially this." However, he never thought she would find it and pull it out. He had hidden it deep down, so it wouldn''t be detected by mana sensing, but she somehow found it and took it out. Her ck shadow floated in the air, showing the double-edged axe in the shape of a hand. "Does this look interesting?" "..." "Give it to me." "I don''t want to." "Don''t make me angry. Give it to me nicely when I ask." "Anyone would think you left it in my care." "I did leave it. I''m talking about the thing that will cut off my life." "I can''t cut off the owner of the ck Tower''s life with that axe." "You say that quite confidently?" Freesia grabbed Reed''s tie and pulled his face towards her. "While I live day by day in boredom, are you so confident while you chat andugh with women?" "I express my deepest regret. However, I am also looking for a solution." "Don''t just talk, show me results. It''s extremely annoying to see you fooling around. Do you know how angry I am?" "How angry are you?" Freesia pointed to the axe with her little finger. "I''m as angry as the eight runes written here." "Is that so?" "What are you going to do about this? A rage as big as eight runes, huh?" "I still won''t give it to you." Freesia clicked her tongue. She threw the axe she had caught with her shadow like a piece of junk. "Then I''ll have to take the anger of those eight runes in a different way." Without giving him a chance to say anything, her shadow hand sat Reed down on a chair. It was a situation simr to when he went to confront Freesia. But the feeling was strangely different. Unlike back then when she moved to threaten him, this time the atmosphere itself was softer. "What on earth is this..." Before he could ask a question again, she made a sudden move. At that moment, Reed felt his thoughts stop. Freesia sat on Reed''sp. Freesia, who would furrow her brows and wield violence when she didn''t like something, sat like a well-behaveddy. "Touch me like you would your daughter." "Do you mean your head?" "Where else would it be? You seem like a lewd person." He stopped talking. Reed carefully stroked her head. At first, he thought it was a childish prank, but as he stroked Freesia''s head, he realized. This was torture. A meticulously designed psychological torture. Stroking the head of a girl who looks young but is an arrogant old woman, who isn''t even his daughter, was more torturous than any situation. It felt like touching a bomb with a lit fuse. The only difference was that she didn''t say anything while he stroked her head. After about three minutes of silence, Freesia asked a question. "What have you found out about the runes so far?" "There''s no significant progress." "I see. It''s hard to solve without any information on the runes, and it''s difficult even for a genius unless they have outstanding intuition." Freesia looked up at Reed with a mature smile. "If you give it to me, I''ll solve it in a week. What do you think?" Reed shook his head. He didn''t want to ask for Freesia''s help because he didn''t know what she would do afterward. "I''d like to try to solve it myself if possible." "Is it the effort of a genius trying to enter the realm of a prodigy? Why do you only say sexy things? Your body is already sensual, and are you trying to have an attractive brain too?" "That''s sexual harassment." "Would you mind letting me see that brain?" Her words became harsh in an instant. Freesia yfully tapped Reed''s cheek as a gesture of a joke. Reed was bothered by what Freesia had said. "But didn''t you say it''s difficult even in the realm of a genius?" "That''s right." "Are you saying you can do it in a week because you have information?" "Do you want me to reveal the secret of the Tower''s owner? Can you take responsibility? If you take responsibility, I''ll tell you anything." "I''ll pass." "Tsk. You always try to pry and then run away. You''re such an annoying guy." Freesia pushed Reed''s hand away and got up from her seat. She red at him with her red eyes. "Your head-stroking was pathetic. My hair feels messy now." "I have nothing to say but that it''s beyond my ability." "Ipetent people always talk like that. Why don''t you try to be morepetent?" Freesia''s shadow hand reached out and tidied up her clothes neatly. The tomboyish gothic girl, Freesia, walked out the door and said. "Runes are thenguage of spirits." "Excuse me?" "It''s a story from a very long time ago when spirits also roamed the continent. It''s their ownnguage that can''t be understood simply by recording it. To understand it, you have to hear it directly from the spirits." Freesia smiled. "If you want to know the runes, call the spirits. I''m talking about higher spirits that canmunicate in humannguage, not just lower spirits." "It''s easy to say, but isn''t it difficult for humans to control those spirits?" "As for lower spirits, the higher the level, the more demanding the mana and handling bes." In Reed''s case, he had "Elemental Sensitivity Lv. 4" and could barely handle intermediate spirits. "With the ''Eternal Hole'' that your daughter has, it should be enough to capture the hearts of spirits. Maybe even possible for the Spirit King." "Can you tell me that?" No matter how much of a Tower owner he was, a magician''s knowledge was important. There were hardly any cases where they casually threw the biggest clue for an unsolvable problem. "I''m just paying off the debt I owe to that Jude fellow." Jude Roton. He was a magician who was the Tower owner before Reed. "If you think you''ve received too much, try to keep our promise." Freesia took out an umbre from her shadow, opened it, and spun around. She left without saying anything else. Chapter 88.2: (Part 2) The ck Sky Tower. Freesia had returned. The secretary, Ma-Gun, who was reporting at work in front of the Tower owner''s office, stood up at Freesia''s return. "Hello, Ma-Gun. You look ugly today as well." "Freesia is always beautiful." "Isn''t that obvious?" Freesia responded with a sullen expression. Ma-Gun looked down at her and suddenly noticed her messy hair. "Owner. Your hair is a mess." "What?" "Your hair, which is always straight, is not as usual." Only then did Freesia realize the state of her hair. "Oh, I asked Reed to touch it today." "To the owner of the Silence Tower...?" "Do you know, Ma-Gun? Reed has a beloved daughter, but he''s really terrible at stroking her hair. In three months, his daughter will get tired of him and run away from the Tower. When that happens, let''s raise her in our Tower. Wow, this is a good n." Freesiaughed and cursed maliciously. Ma-Gun was more surprised by something else rather than that. "Owner... did you let someone touch your hair?" Ma''s eyes widened at the unusual appearance of Freesia. Freesia always takes care of herself when ites to grooming. With dozens of hands extending from her shadow, she perfectly made her appearance, and if someone ruined it, she would mercilessly turn them into an undead. It was the first time in Ma-Gun''s secretarial career that someone had touched her. At that question, Freesia''sughter abruptly stopped. "Ma-Gun, am I a dog? Am I a thing if you touch my hair?" "No, that''s not what I meant..." "Do you not know what I mean? Do you want me to disassemble your body letter by letter?" "Uh..." Ma-Gun''s face turned pale and she sat down. "No, I didn''t enjoy it when I experienced itst time, so I''d like to pass on that." "Then behave well. I am in a good mood, so don''t ruin it, okay?" "I understand." Ma-Gun nodded her head vigorously, and Freesia returned to her office. Although it was called an office, the ce was structured no differently from a royal chamber. She sat down on her cold throne. "...I am in a good mood?" She mulled over the words she had inadvertently blurted out. She didn''t know when her hair was touched, but having her hair messy was annoying. She must have been annoyed. That emotion must have carried her this far. But why did she say that to Ma-Gun? It might have just been an impulsive statement. She never forgave anyone who messed her up. "Ipetent man." Freesia untangled her messy hair with her own hands. *** After receiving advice from Freesia, Reed pondered. ''The runes are thenguage of spirits.'' If that was true, interpreting the runes wouldn''t be difficult if you could summon spirits. ''But only higher entities canmunicate with humans.'' If the rtionship between lower spirits and humans was like that of humans and dogs, higher spirits were like humans and bodyguards. The problem was that selecting a bodyguard was extremely difficult. Even the talented spirit mages of Escoleia failed to sessfully summon and control higher entities. That''s how difficult it was to tame higher entities. ''Rosaria can do it.'' He nced down at the floor. "Ant''s eyes, chubby~ Chubby today too~." Listening to the recorded nursery rhyme on the recorder, Rosariay on the floor drawing pictures. It was Reed''s office, but since it was Saturday, her interruption could be seen as cute. Taking the opportunity, Reed looked at her abilities. Name: Rosaria Adeleheights Roton upation: Daughter of the Tower Master Age: 8 Disposition: Orderly ¡¤ Neutral Health: 110/110 Stamina: 90/90 Mana: 58,140/58,140 [Traits] "Eternal Hole","Sense of Curiosity" [Ability] "Digestion Lv. 1""Purity Lv. 2""Mana Sensitivity Lv. 7""Magic Lv. 3""Elemental Sensitivity Lv. 3""Magic Theory Lv. 2""Production Lv. 2" [Unreleased Traits & Abilities] "Magic Ruler", "Master of Adaptation" "Magic Lv. 7""Magic Theory Lv. 7""Elemental Sensitivity Lv. 7"...... Through Dolores'' tutoring, the long-stagnant "Magic Theory" level finally reached 2. "Production" level increased as she followed Kaitlyn around and made various things together. "Magic" and "Elemental Sensitivity" were only touched on a few interesting aspects before the "Magic Theory" level increased. Although the level didn''t increase, it wasn''t stagnant. By showing her those intriguing magics, she acquired a trait called "Sense of Curiosity." It was a trait that allowed trying something different from existing theories, like Kaitlyn''s entric trait "Inventive entric." It was an excellent trait for magicians who needed variables to catch their opponents off guard. ""Elemental Sensitivity" didn''t awaken as expected." Dolores also had "Elemental Sensitivity", but it was level 4, simr to Reed''s. That''s why she didn''t teach it. If one wasn''t confident, spirit magic was a technique that should not be taught recklessly. ''Should I let her learn spirit magic?'' Spirits love mana. Even if elemental sensitivity is low, if there is mana, one can contract spirits; however, if elemental sensitivity is high but mana iscking, it is impossible to attract spirits. As Freesia said, her "Eternal Hole" would make spirits want to contract with her, even if her elemental sensitivity hadn''t awakened. Of course, he didn''t just believe Freesia''s words. Larksper had once told Reed before. -The orc elders seem to want to take a closer look at Rosaria. -For what reason? -They are all spirit mages. They seem to say that she has the potential to summon the great Spirit King, Kokun, who can control guardian giants. Although he was intrigued by their words, Reed did not show Rosaria to them. Even if they were orcs with good intentions, he didn''t want to surround her with strangers. Larksper approved of that judgment as well. ''Since both Freesia and Larksper said the same thing, it can''t be a lie.'' As they said, Rosaria could help him get the assistance of higher spirits. But Reed was concerned about that. ''It seems no different from using Rosaria...'' That had been the most cautious part since adopting Rosaria. If he used her for his own selfish desires, wouldn''t he be no different from the fake boss Reed? Even if it was only a little, wouldn''t that little greed gradually inte and affect her? He always guarded himself by recalling his purpose. So, this time, he decided to tell Rosaria the truth. "Rosaria." "What''s up?" "Daddy has a favor to ask Rosaria because of Daddy''s greed." Reed told Rosaria everything. That spirits are needed to interpret the runes. And that Rosaria has the ability to summon such spirits. After hearing everything, Rosaria''s eyes sparkled. "What does Rosaria want to do?" "If Daddy wants it, I''ll do it." She said she would do it, but she didn''t blindly follow. Rosaria never said she didn''t want to do it. Reed sat down and spoke to Rosaria once more. "Since this is just Daddy being greedy, you don''t have to do it if you don''t want to. Are you really okay with it?" Rosaria nodded her head vigorously. Her hair stuck to her nose. "If Daddy wants it, I''ll do it. That''s why Rosaria is working hard too!" "So that''s why you''re working hard?" "Yes!" Rosaria spoke with her hands spread out. "They said a little warrior needs a reliable ally!" "So, you want to be that ally for Daddy?" "Yes! Rosaria will try her best to help Daddy punish the bad guys!" He always thought that she didn''t have such thoughts, but hearing it directly made him feel emotional. How can she be so considerate of others? She could be a little selfish,zy, and whiny. It was a touching feeling as a parent with a child. Reed hugged Rosaria. He hugged her not just because he loved her so much, but also because he was worried that she might show an unpleasant side. Rosaria responded by wrapping her short arms around his neck as if she liked it. "Thank you, my daughter." Let''s stop making excuses about being busy. If we want to be together, let''s be together. He made such a resolution and stroked Rosaria''s head. As Freesia said, he was ipetent at it, but Rosaria didn''t care about it. Chapter 89.1 Runes and Spirits (3) Rosaria will learn the art of spirit magic. Outstanding mages in spirit magic go to the Vortex Tower, located in the southwest. The tower''s master, Gideon Senija, drove out the previous master and took his ce after making a contract with the Fire Spirit King. Although it''s right to go to the Vortex Tower to learn spirit magic, Reed didn''t want to ask for help there. ¡®Nichs gang.¡¯ One of the masters who formed an alliance with the master of the Monolith Tower, Nichs Rottenstein, is Gideon Senija, the master of the Vortex Tower. ''But it''s also a bit dangerous to ask those Orc spirit mages.'' Would he entrust Rosaria to them, not knowing what they might do? Even if they had no ill intentions, he was reluctant to make contact with them unless proven otherwise. ''The person who knows spirits the best...'' As he thought about it, Reed suddenly remembered a race. ''Elves.'' Their affinity with spirits is higher than any other race. Their connected minds always maintain a clear state, so spirits like elves the most. ''Besides, they¡¯re already in good favor with Rosaria.'' Maybe it could work? Reed didn''t hesitate any longer and contacted the master of the Greenwood Tower, briefly exining his situation. -Oh, are you trying to learn spirit magic? "Yes. I know there''s a tower master who excels in spirit magic, but still..." -He is an ally of the master of the Monolith Tower. I understand. The master of the Greenwood Tower nodded. The Greenwood Tower master is on the same line as Dolores, the master of the Tower of Thoughts. Since Reed had shown sessful results in Escoleia, his image had improved significantly. That''s why the master of the Greenwood Tower agreed to help Reed. -I see. I''ll help you. "Thank you, Master of the Greenwood Tower." He thought it was going smoothly, but that wasn''t always the case. -But... You''re not asking for a favor for free, are you? "¡­Pardon?" -Ho ho, I''m just kidding. But today, some good beef came into our tower. It might be nice to have dinner while drinking wine together, don''t you think? "¡­." -If you get too drunk, you can stay for a day and then leave. This wickeddy-like person. Since she was the one offering help, he couldn''t bring himself to curse at her. ''I''ll have to eat and get out of there as soon as possible.'' He had no choice but to use Rosaria as an excuse. Reed forced a smile and replied as if he were pleased. "Thank you, Master of the Greenwood Tower. I''ll look forward to dinner." -Ho ho! You''re wee. Then let me ask once. The telepathicmunication with the Greenwood Tower master ended. And ten minutester, the Greenwood Tower master called back with an answer. -The elders said it''s okay for you toe. You can prepare ande tomorrow. It was a given. The fact that he had to bet dinner on such an obvious matter was both funny and sad to Reed. "Nothing major will happen." That''s what Reed thought. *** * * * dreambigtl dot [Original Source ¨C dreambigtl .] * * * The Tower of Wallin. "Are you going somewhere with Rosaria today?" "Yes." "Really?" Dolores felt upset due to the sudden notice. ''Why would he do that knowing we have a ss today...'' Not being able to see Rosaria bothered her, but that wasn''t her only concern. Dolores, who had been excited to go recharge, felt her energy draining away. "Then we''ll have to cancel today''s ss. It''s not fair for Yuria to have ss alone." "Well... If I go ahead, wouldn''t Princess Yuria be happy?" "You don''t know her personality. Sheins unless she''s under the same conditions as Rosaria. Even if I try to take better care of her, she stillins. She''s so annoying." "Then should inform the Empire?" "Yeah, please do. But why are you crying? What''s wrong?" "No... it''s nothing." This was not his personal sorrow. They were the tears flowing from the Tower of Wallin. The mages who had been waiting for Dolores to leave were undoubtedly sad about the fact that they couldn''t go and enjoy the party today. Dolores, who hadn''t noticed this fact yet, felt a strange feeling. ''Why is someone who usually goes out on Saturdays going out on Sundays?'' Could there be another reason? Feeling awkward to ask directly, Dolores called her secretary again. "Secretary." "Yes, Tower Master." "Do you know anything else about where they¡¯re going?" "I was curious about that too, so I asked someone from the Tower of Silence." "Really?" She had no choice but to be persistent as their only rest time was taken away. "It seems that the youngdy is going to make a contract with a spirit today." "A spirit?" "Yes, I don''t know the exact purpose, but apparently he''s leaving for Yggdrasil territory." "Yggdrasil territory... I see." Dolores nodded her head. Dolores didn''t try to teach spirit magic because she wasn''t confident in it herself. The elves'' spirit magic is excellent, so Dolores had no choice but to agree. "Oh, and he''s having dinner with the master of the Greenwood Tower tonight." Thud. Upon hearing that, Dolores dropped the pen she was holding. "¡­Huh?" One of Dolores'' eyebrows raised. Unaware of her reaction, the secretary continued the report. "He''ll have dinner with Rosaria and return. And¡­ um¡­ Tower Master?" The atmosphere was getting weirder. No matter how slow a person was, they couldn''t help but notice the change. "Why are you doing this?" "Excuse me? What?" "Continue the report." But there was a bigger problem. "Well, the room is getting colder and colder¡­" White frost covered the area around Dolores, and the water in her teacup froze. The source of the cold was none other than Dolores. Her blue eyes shone brightly, and her hair glowed with a brighter color. Dolores didn''t notice the fact. No, she didn''t care enough to notice. Dolores leaned her elbows on the office desk and looked up at her secretary like a ruthlessmander. "Doesn''t it seem like that''s not the issue right now?" "I¡­." "If you don''t want to freeze, finish the report quickly." The cold-hearted ice queen was looking up at her secretary. Chapter 89.2 Yggdrasil territory. It was a closed-off area surrounded by a forest with a World Tree the size of a tower, adjusted for elves to live in exclusively. Reed rode a sky carriage and parked it at the top of the World Tree. Parking there was a radical treatment that even the master of the Greenwood Tower couldn''t do. The elf elder representative, Yustina, was standing there. Yustina greeted him by making a fist with her right hand and wrapping her left hand around it in a salute. "It''s an honor to see you again, Tower Master of Silence, Benefactor Rosaria." "Hello!" Rosaria bowed her head in greeting. "Rosaria, that''s not how you greet elves. You have to greet them like your father." "Is that so?" "It''s fine. What can''t you do for a benefactor?" It was even to the point where she allowed them to touch her ears, which was the biggest offense to elves, so the greeting could pass as a cute gesture. "Wee to Yggdrasil territory, benefactor." "Benefactor." All the elves they encountered greeted Rosaria with clenched fists. "What''s a benefactor?" "It means they''re grateful to Rosaria." "What did Rosaria do?" "Remember when you made the trees grow rapidly?" "I see!" She still seemed unaware of how significant her actions were. "I heard you want to make a contract with a spirit." While walking through the World Tree, Yustina spoke. Reed nodded his head. "Yes." "Spirits are yful. The way to keep them from being capricious is with a calm mind and purity. Only those who can maintain that are consistent. That''s why our elves can handle spirits well." "I''m not sure about the calm mind, but I think Rosaria is a perfect fit for purity." Yustina smiled. "As you said, the benefactor is more than qualified. That''s why I brought you here." At that, Reed looked at the ce Yustina had guided them to. Located roughly in the middle of the World Tree, there was an altar in the middle of an open space where rituals were performed. "After discussing with the elders, we decided it''s okay for you to make a contract with him." "With him?" He sensed that this person was not to be taken lightly since they used an honorific. "The Water Spirit King, Orneptos." "The Water Spirit King?" Yustina ced her hand on the World Tree. The green and brown stem of life gradually became transparent, revealing its interior. It was a blue aquarium. It was simr to the blue pir that made up the Magic Tower, but it was on a different level. While the Magic Tower had an imposing presence created by forcefully pulling it up, the mana pir of the World Tree looked like a school of fish swimming up a passage. ''Naturalness.'' The elves, a symbol of harmony. Their World Tree was so beautiful. In the middle of the vast World Tree, there was a round sphere with a diameter of 2 meters. "What you see in the middle is Orneptos." "It feels more like an egg than a Spirit King." "He''s in hibernation. He''s waiting for a contractor." Yustina looked at Reed with her green eyes. "There are six elements on the continent right now. And there are three who have contracted with their Spirit Kings." "Fire, light, and darkness?" "That''s right. It seems humans know about it too." Reed alone knew this fact. He had learned it while ying ¡°Disaster 7¡±. Reed knew two of the three. The Fire Spirit King belonged to the Tower Master of Vortex. The Light Spirit King belonged to the current Pope. Although Freesia was the most likely candidate for the Dark Spirit King, Reed had seen nothing when he used his "Talent Appraisal" and fell back into the mystery. "Orneptos will remain here, asleep until a new contractor appears." Yustina looked down at Rosaria. "And we hope that our benefactor will be Orneptos'' contractor." Reed, who had only thought of a higher-ranking spirit, ended up making a contract with the Spirit King unexpectedly. As he looked up at the sphere with a bewildered expression, Rosaria tugged at Reed''s sleeve and asked. "Dad, who is Orneptos?" "He''s the Spirit King. The king of the water spirits." "So I''m going to make a contract with the king?" Rosaria had an interested look on her face. Unlike the excited Rosaria, Reed wasn''t entirely happy with the contract. ''I had a teammate who made a contract with the Earth Spirit King.'' To make a contract with a Spirit King, one had to pass through seven gates. Collecting five rare artifacts, catching a dragon, etc.¡­ It was like finding a pearl in a grain of sand or finding the Andromeda Gxy in the Milky Way. After going through all that hardship and sessfully contracting with the Spirit King, Reed had never properlymanded that Spirit King. ''Crucially, during the final hidden boss battle, it refused to be summoned.'' Although it was called a king, it reached the peak of cowardice when faced with a stronger opponent. So Reed didn''t include spirit magicians in his party after going through the trouble of making a contract with the Spirit King. ''I wonder how the Water Spirit King is...'' He had never dealt with water spirits, so he didn''t know their temperament, but because of the Earth Spirit King''s temperament, Reed didn''t have a good image of the Spirit Kings. ''Spirit Kings are a bit troublesome.'' If a snobbish Spirit King stands on equal footing with Rosaria and tries to shake her, it would be a headache. It would be a big problem if a bad child influenced Rosaria, who had made good friends so far. It would be better to summon a stable, high-ranking spirit. Reed organized his thoughts and spoke to Yustina. "I think it would be better to make a contract with a high-ranking spirit." Yustina''s lips twitched. "You can make a contract with a Spirit King, but you insist on making a contract with a lower-ranking one?" "It''s for the child''s safety." "Basically, once the contract ispleted, they can''t harm the magician... I understand." Yustina nodded, thinking there must be a reason. "If it''s a high-ranking spirit, you should call Aurel." Judging by the fact that they didn''t use the honorific ''nim'' for high-ranking spirits, it meant they could be controlled. ''It was the right choice toe to the elves.'' He breathed a sigh of relief at his decision. While the elf elders were drawing a high-ranking spirit summoning circle, Rosaria was looking inside the World Tree shown by Yustina. She enjoyed it as if she hade to an aquarium. "Wow¡­" Something tiny like a speck approached Rosaria, wriggling its way to her. When she looked closely at the jellyfish-like object, its tiny white eyes blinked and looked down at Rosaria. They were water spirits, the lowest-ranking life forms that didn''t even have names. They fed on mana within Yggdrasil and managed the interior of Yggdrasil. As Rosaria approached, the spirits gathered like silk carp waiting for food to be thrown. Yustina released her hand, and everything returned to normal. "Ah, I wanted to see more¡­!" "I can''t show you more because the spirits seem excited. Please forgive me." She spoke calmly, but internally she felt a great sense of alienation. ''It''s too powerful.'' In terms of mana quantity, the World Tree was superior. Thus, it was normal for the spirits living symbiotically within the World Tree to have no interest in any other ce. However, Rosaria''s presence was judged to be more important than the World Tree by the spirits, so they flocked to her. ''She has a frightening talent.'' A talent so valuable that it surpasses any other. One that couldn''t be caught up with even after living for hundreds of years. It was a fearsome talent that could turn the world upside down before adulthood. Finally, after the wait, the summoning circle for Aurel waspleted. A summoning circle meticulously drawn with blue mana. It took less than an hour to create a summoning circle that would take at least a day for a human to make. It was like the magicians who had honed their skills for hundreds of years in the connected minds. "Come this way." Yustina led the way, bringing Rosaria to the front of the summoning circle. "Here, you need to let your mana flow. Can you do it?" "I can do it!" Rosaria ced her hand on Aurel''s summoning circle. Already adept at letting her mana flow, Rosaria instinctively released her mana. Her mana flowed through the drawn magic circle. As the mana that had spread evenly from the edge finally reached the center, the dimly glowing magic circle gradually brightened. It was responding to Rosaria''s mana in the summoning circle. The elf elders stepped back, and Reed followed suit. ''Summoning.'' Although he was counting down in his mind, even when it reached zero, the spirit did not appear. "What''s going on?" Not only Reed, but the elders also sensed something strange. Grrrr! The inside of the World Tree vibrated strongly. There was no doubt that something had been tampered with. The summoning magic had to be terminated, and they had to wait for it to stabilize again. However, despite the strong vibrations, Rosaria did not stop concentrating. Her ruby eyes were focused on the magic circle as if entranced by something. ''I must not disturb her.'' Reed moved behind her to be prepared for any falling debris. He protected Rosaria from behind so that she could continue until the end. Rosaria, who had been concentrating with her eyes closed, suddenly opened them wide. At the same time, the light rising from her summoning circle was covered in bright red mes. ''mes?'' It was strange. The magic circle used by the elf elders was for the high-ranking water spirit, Aurel, and Reed had confirmed it. If it had responded to the summon, the light should have turned into a stream of water, gushing out. Swish! Yes, just like that. "What''s going on?" A stream of water rose as if gushing from a ce without a summoning circle. As the stream rose to a height of about 2 meters, the stem spread out, and began to take shape. Aurel, a high-ranking spirit with a form close to a human. However, unlike Aurel, the shape became increasingly translucent, and colors began to appear. Among them, a spirit so elegant that it could undoubtedly be called the king, clearly revealed its form. It couldn''t have been Aurel. "Awaken from your long slumber, for I have returned." It was the Water Spirit King, Orneptos. Chapter 90.1 Runes and Spirits (4) ''Why was Orneptos summoned?'' Reed looked towards Yustina. It didn''t seem like she would give an answer. Yustina and the elders who had written the ritual were all flustered. ''Did something else get summoned from the outside of the ritual?'' Reed turned his head to look at the summoning circle where the mes had flickered. "Huh?" Orneptos wasn''t the only one summoned. As the mes wrapped around the summoning circle, a fire spirit burst out. It was a lower spirit, a Smander, with a lizard-like appearance and bright red mes covering its body. It was a peculiar Smander. Its head was noticeablyrge, giving it an overall plump and gentle impression. -Meow. The spirit''s cry was weak. It was a situation full of question marks for all wizards. Yustina knelt down on behalf of Orneptos and offered a greeting. "Lord Orneptos, what brings you here?" "A powerful mana woke me up. That''s why I came." "I apologize. We were trying to summon Aurel, not to wake you up." "I know. I came in response to the summoning circle." It meant that the Spirit King had interfered with the summoning circle. A summoning circle is a kind of ritual for calling spirits. A lower summoning circle is prepared for lower spirits, and a higher summoning circle is prepared for higher spirits. Orneptos could be summoned, but they never thought that he would interfere with the upper summoning circle and appear. Orneptos shifted his gaze and looked down at Rosaria. "The white-haired girl, it''s you." Orneptos'' face seemed satisfied. "An unrivaled amount of mana andtent talent... An excellent body. It seems more than enough to make a contract with me." Orneptos reached out to Rosaria. "I specially acknowledge you as a contractor..." Ignoring his hand, Rosaria stepped forward. Orneptos was not in her eyes. There was only one thing in her sight. The Smander she had summoned. -Meow. Rosaria looked down at the Smander, her eyes sparkling, and carefully embraced it. Although her body was wrapped in mes, it didn''t threaten Rosaria. "Your name is now Meowmeow!" -Meow~. The Smander replied with a deted sound. Despite the warm atmosphere, the surroundings grew colder. Reed tried to make sense of the situation. Rosaria, who had summoned the spirit King from Aurel''s summoning circle. Rosaria, who had also summoned the Smander, which had nothing to do with the water spirit. And Rosaria, who wanted to make a contract with the Smander instead of the spirit King. It was confusing. Was this supposed to be normal? He even wondered if he had entered a world wheremon sense was twisted. Feeling that he couldn''t stand idly by any longer, Reed approached the happy Rosaria. "Rosaria." "Huh?" "I understand that you like the Smander..." "Its name is Meowmeow! I just named it!" "Alright, Meowmeow. It''s nice to have Meowmeow around, but it would be nice if you could also pay attention to the spirit King next to you..." Only then did Rosaria notice Orneptos standing beside her. She seemed to have realized her mistake and tried to make up for it with appropriate behavior. "Hello!" What she did was bow her head and greet him. It was a very polite behavior, but it was a situation that made the onlookers'' hearts burn with embarrassment. Orneptos, who was not used to such treatment, had a strangely flustered face. The elf elders standing beside him grew more anxious and spoke to her. "Lord Orneptos, please forgive her..." "I never thought she would act so rudely towards me, but I will let it go this once." The elf elders'' eyes widened. Spirits were all about pride. It was inevitable that they would be surprised by the words of the spirit King, who stood at the pinnacle, saying that he would let it go. ''It means that the spirit King also desires Rosaria.'' Rosaria had the upper hand in everything. The problem was that Rosaria didn''t know that fact, and the spirit King was still arrogant. "Do you know who I am?" "The spirit King!" "Yes, I am the ruler of water, Orneptos." The spirit King looked down at Rosaria and spoke, cing his slender finger on her chin. "If you make a contract with me, you will be able tomand all the spirits I lead. I will create an army for you with those spirits. What do you say?" "Can I see other spirits as well?" "Yes." "Great!" Rosaria nodded very easily. She was more excited about the fact that she could see more spirits than the great power or anything like that. Orneptos shifted his gaze to what Rosaria was holding. He frowned as if he was looking at smelly garbage. "Then, are you going to get rid of that fire hybrid now?" "Why?" Rosaria tilted her head. Dream big tl dot * * * [Original Source ¨C dreambigtl .] * * * "If you''re going to make a contract with me, you can''t y with fire things anymore. That''s the condition of our contract." "Is that so?" "Yes." It was an obvious rule. While using spirit magic was free, opposing elements didn''t get along well, and the higher the rank, the deeper the divide. Rosaria nced down at the Smander. "Then I don''t want to." "Yes, so far away... What?" Orneptos was taken aback. Rosaria answered confidently once again. "If I have to choose between the two, I choose Meowmeow." "What are you... That''s a lowly hybrid. If you make a contract with me, you could be the ruler of water. Are you still giving that up?" "Yes!" She nodded so confidently that Orneptos couldn''t understand. "Because! Daddy needs Meowmeow!" Reed was taken aback by the sudden mention of himself. ''Did I say that?'' He must have said that a higher-ranked entity was needed for rune interpretation. "I''m sure if we raise Meowmeow big, it will give Daddy everything he wants!" Only then did Reed seem to understand why she chose the Smander. The fire spirit, the Smander, ate iron. And the byproduct of the iron it ate was magnesium. He had talked about magnesium a few times in front of her, but he never imagined that she would remember and focus on that story. ''Does she think that raising that creature will make it an upper spirit?'' She believed it would be like a person growing up. ''But...'' There was one thing she didn''t know. Chapter 90.2 "Why are you trying to lower your own value? There''s nothing good for you in being with such an inferior creature." Rosaria frowned at Orneptos'' words. She didn''t like the fact that her favorite thing was being belittled. Rosaria boldly confronted him. "Our Meowmeow will be great!" "No matter how much a lower spirit struggles, it''s still a lower spirit." A spirit''s rank is predetermined. Spiritists can match higher-ranked spirits through growth and training, but there is no change in their essential rank. There is no promotion or evolution. Rosaria didn''t know that fact. So, she denied Orneptos'' words. "No! Our Meowmeow will spout fire, water, wind, and lightning! It will be a versatile spirit that can produce everything!" "A spirit that can handle all elements? That doesn''t exist in the world." It was logically impossible. Rosaria was a child. Children believe they can do anything through ignorance and curiosity. "Our Meowmeow can do it!" One different point was that Rosaria also had the ability to break suchmon sense. Pa-a-at! As Rosaria shouted, light sprouted from her back. Her surroundings were instantly filled with dense mana. All the mana stored in the "Eternal Hole" was released. Despite being so dense, it didn''t disperse at all. Shortly after, it began to be absorbed by the Smander. As the blue mana continuously entered, the Smander''s body began to glow brighter. ''The "Sense of Curiosity"!'' A variable for wizards who can add functions beyond existing magic andmon sense. Her trait was reacting and entering the Smander''s body. Everyone focused on the Smander, which had absorbed all her mana. -Meow. It was still the same big-headed and gentle-looking Smander. Rosaria held the Smander up and said, "Look at this! Earth Meowmeow!" As Rosaria shouted, the mes that wrapped around its body disappeared, and it turned brown, with a hard armor forming. "Good heavens!" "What is this!" The elf elders each eximed in admiration. Reed wanted to do the same. However, it wasn''t over yet. "Light Meowmeow, and Water Meowmeow!" The Smander that emitted bright light, and the Smander that turned into a transparent liquid, revealing its insides. "Fire Meowmeow!" It returned to its original Smander form. Rosaria''s spirit became a versatile one that could change between four attributes: fire, light, earth, and water. ''I''ve seen spirits change depending on the caster, but...'' The change was usually in appearance or attack style. It was the first time for Rosaria to twist the predetermined attribute to its opposite. Yustina and the elders couldn''t help but be astonished. "By Yggdrasil!" "What kind of miracle is this...?!" They unanimously eximed in admiration at Rosaria''s ability. Lastly, they looked up at Orneptos, who had watched it all. Orneptos had an excited face. "With that ability... With that ability, not only can you drive away fire, but you can also open the age of water!" Orneptos shouted excitedly. A power beyond imagination. He imagined using that power to shake the spirit King''s position. It was the situation Reed was most worried about. "Fine, girl. Let''s make a contract with me. You''ll make a contract with me after that lower-ranked lump." Orneptos excitedly extended his hand again. The fact that he allowed a double contract even after contracting with fire meant he had really given up on everything. In response to the spirit King''s words, Rosaria said, "I don''t want to!" She refused with a sharp voice. Orneptos was taken aback by her appearance. "Didn''t I agree to the conditions you wanted?" "You said bad things about Meowmeow. People who say bad things are bad people." "I''m not a person, I''m a spirit." "... spirits shouldn''t gossip either! You''re a bad spirit!" "What, what? A bad spirit?" Orneptos was hit twice in a row. He not only rejected the proposal he had made with his pride put aside but also humiliated himself. The atmosphere was unusual. Reed, anticipating a possible retaliation, grabbed Rosaria''s body and retreated. Seeing that, Orneptos raised his head and looked at Reed. "Human over there, are you that girl''s father?" "Yes, I am." At Orneptos'' words, Reed looked down at Rosaria and said, "Rosaria, no matter how angry you are, you shouldn''t call others ''bad'' And you shouldn''t call spirits ''bad spirits.''" "Is Daddy on that bad person¡¯s side?" Reed smiled and stroked her head. "Daddy is always on your side." That''s why he stood up again and looked up at the Water spirit King, Orneptos. "I apologize for my daughter''s bad behavior. However, we will not make a contract." "...What?" "If I ignore the fact that my child heard someone else''s bad words and pointed them out, I don''t think I''ll be a good father." Orneptos looked puzzled. "Aren''t you a magician? If you''re a magician, you should pursue power. Don''t you want my power?" Power. He wants it. If he''s powerful, there would be more he could do. That''s why the children of magicians often receive treatment as tools. He answered that question like this: "I am a father." He respects Rosaria''s choice. That was Reed the magician. Confusion could be seen on Orneptos'' porcin-like face. The spirit King is an existence that all spiritists, and even magicians, admire and revere. So, when he offered to lend his power, he had never seen a human reject it. Not once, but twice. Her body was boiling. "Is that... what you''re saying?" He reached his limit, and finally, the noble spirit King let his emotions explode. "Fine! If you don''t need my help, that''s great! y with that lower spirit for the rest of your life!" Orneptos'' body disappeared from the summoning circle. Seeing the swirling waterpletely disappear, Reed breathed a sigh of relief. ''It may not have had much power since it was summoned with a small amount of mana, but it disappeared quite obediently.'' The summoning circle is for summoning only. It provides the spirit with just enough mana to deal with whatever it does before it causes trouble. Whether he knew that or not, he disappeared as if he had been cut off like a young child. An awkward silence lingered. Reed felt embarrassed and apologized to Yustina first. "I''m sorry. I brought the spirit King with the help of the elf elders, but it turned out to be such a disgrace..." "No, it''s not. Even if the spirit King is angry, he won''t be able to act rashly." "Why?" "Because the Fire Spirit King has already made a contract and be stronger." "You mean that the Water spirit King, who has been dormant until now, knows that he cannot oppose the Fire spirit King without a contractor... I see." "If he''s not careful, he could even face annihtion, so he won''t be able to act rashly." In other words, Orneptos was not a fool either. He was worried about the bnce of the world being destroyed. ''The bnce of the world...'' Thinking about it that way, he understood why the Earth spirit King did not fight the final boss, Cosmo. "Even so, it seems that I won''t be able to make a contract with a water spirit now." "...Yes." The rune interpretation seemed to have gone across the water for the time being. Reed looked down at Rosaria. Rosaria looked up at him apologetically. "I''m sorry." Rosaria spoke cautiously. Reed smiled broadly and matched her eye level. "Do you regret not making a contract?" Rosaria shook her head. "Then there''s nothing to be sorry about." Taking a detour is fine. Reed had always thought that way. Chapter 91.1 Runes and Spirits (5) Reed bowed his head apologetically to the Elf Elder and Yustina. "I''m sorry for the trouble after you helped us with the contract. It weighs heavily on my heart that we only caused inconvenience." Yustina shook her head. "For us, it was a precious opportunity to see the Spirit King again after hundreds of years, thanks to you. And also¡­" Yustina looked down at Rosaria. "Although I couldn''t say it before, our benefactor has done an even greater deed. I wanted to tell you this." "What do you mean?" Reed asked Yustina. He couldn''t grasp what she was talking about. "You saidst time you came that you couldn''t find the source of the pollution, right?" "That''s right." "Thanks to the removal of that pollution, we can now detect where the pollution ising from more quickly and effectively block external pollution." "Does that mean there is still polluted mana in the ley lines?" "Yes." Reed recalled the contents of the previous Tower Masters meeting. At that time, no one had answered that there was a problem, and the Greenwood Tower Master undoubtedly hadn''t noticed it either. If something had happened, the first person to make a fuss would have been the Greenwood Tower Master. "To contaminate without being detected, there can only be one possibility." Yustina nodded her head. "Someone is intentionally releasing it." Someone is determined to pollute the World Tree. Very slowly. However, when Rosaria went on a study tour to the Sound of Music Project, she not only removed the pollution but also unblocked the clogged veins, causing rapid growth in a short period. If Rosaria hadn''t aplished that task, they wouldn''t have been able to expect the hospitality of the elves. "What''s happening to the ones causing the pollution?" "We''re currently tracking them, but... it''s a matter of going outside Yggdrasil''s territory, so I''m worried. Although we elves don''t know much about the world, we specte that it might be a sign of the awakening of the demons." "Demons... you mean?" Demons. Yes, demons also appear in this game. However, they didn''t have such a big influence. They were a race that only appeared as part of some quests in level-up hunting grounds. The reason was simple. It was because of Reed, who was conducting the "Project: Flower Garden". He used the blood of demons to create the second disaster among the seven disasters. Demons were not a naturally urring race but mutants. Despite being mutants caused by mana pollution, they were a unique race that could increase their numbers through their blood. What if one could obtain absolute power to control those demons through their blood? That idea led to the creation of the second disaster, Peon. The physical and magical abilities of the demon king, the king of demons. And using the unique abilities of demons to trouble the protagonist and his party. ¡®I thought Rosaria and the seven disasters were all demons, but the tracks were different.¡¯ None of the disasters, except for the second one, had epted the blood of demons. It was unclear whether Reed intended it or the other six disasters refused it because they didn''t want to be controlled. ¡®Since the experiment is not being done, the demons will gradually crawl up.¡¯ Thanks to the elves'' spection, he became more alert about the demons. "If you need help, why don''t you ask the Greenwood Tower Master?" Yustina shook her head. "We want to try to solve it with our strength as much as possible. It''s not pleasant to be in debt." "If it''s a bother, we won''te often." "You are an exception. There''s a difference between being in debt and receiving great grace." Yustina looked down at Rosaria and smiled faintly. "Benefactor, I hope you will visit our Yggdrasil''s children once more." "Can Ie again?" "Yes,e anytime. We can hold a festival for our benefactor at any time." "Yes!" -Meow~ Along with Rosaria''s energetic voice, the exhausted sound of the dog''s howl was heard. The contract was over, and Yustina handed a few gifts to Reed and Rosaria. Dream big tl dot * * * [Original Source ¨C dreambigtl .] * * * They were the same items as when they hade before. Reed gratefully epted the gifts and boarded the sky carriage, which then left Yggdrasil''s territory. The Elf Elder and Yustina looked up at the sky, and as they disappeared, they both opened their mouths one by one. "Truly a mysterious girl." "I didn''t expect there would be someone who would refuse a contract with Orneptos." "Although she was our benefactor and had enough ability, I never thought she would be so outrightly opposed¡­" "Since Orneptos didn''t make a big issue out of it, is there anything more to argue about?" "Yes, there isn''t." It was not a pleasant thing for the ever-peaceful elves to be flustered. However, the fact that such a surprising event urred made themugh out loud. The Elf Elders moved back to where the altar was. They retrieved all the items used in Rosaria''s summoning circle, erased the magic circle, and tried to remove all traces. Yustina ced her hand on the tree to check if the World Tree was intact. "Huh?" Yustina felt something strange. She put her hand on the World Tree again and tried to feel it once more. But it wasn''t a mistaken feeling. "What is it?" The Elf Elders noticed Yustina''s condition and asked her. Yustina touched the World Tree for a while before answering. "I can''t sense Orneptos?" "How could that be?" "He said he would be dormant here unless a contractor appeared, right?" "Please try to feel it yourself." The Elders ced their hands on the tree and looked into the World Tree as she said. Then they looked at each other with the same expression as Yustina. Orneptos had disappeared. Chapter 91.2 The contract with the spirit failed. Orneptos showed excessive interest in Rosaria, but she rejected him because she didn''t like it, and as a result, she returned holding a single Smander, or rather, an Elemental Lizard. Reed took advantage of the situation to check Rosaria''s abilities with "Talent Appraisal" As soon as the contract with the spirit waspleted, a change in Rosaria''s traits urred as if it was natural. ¡¸Spirit Contract: Elemental Lizard¡¹ It was named Elemental Lizard, not simply a Fire Spirit, Smander. ¡®I''ve never seen such a creature before¡­¡¯ It was a name he had never heard even once while ying "Disaster 7". It was undoubtedly either lost in ancient times, or Rosaria hadpletely recreated a new creature. ¡®What can this spirit do?¡¯ Rosaria looked at the creature she was holding. Originally a Fire Spirit, Smander. However, the Smander she summoned had arge head, big jaw, and looked like a fat, foolish lizard. Lower spirits had abilities equivalent to those of lower elementalists. If it had the abilities of a lower elementalist who could handle all four elements, it would be a great spirit as both a dealer and a support role. As Reed stared at it, the creature sensed his gaze and looked up at him. -Meow. His hand naturally went up to its head as it let out a gentle cry. Despite having a contract with Rosaria, it didn''t seem to be on guard, and its personality was a perfect match for Rosaria''s. Reed decided to look at Rosaria''s other abilities. ¡®"Elemental Sensitivity" has risen to 4 in an instant.¡¯ He thought that at the moment she summoned the Spirit King, "Elemental Sensitivity" would have transcended in an instant. It wasn''t a lie to expect that, as there was a precedent where "Mana Sensitivity" had risen by 7 at once. ¡®What would happen if "Elemental Sensitivity" reached 7?¡¯ Would she be the spirit itself, surpassing the Spirit King? He was suddenly worried about her future. ¡®She''s holding the Smander well.¡¯ Although it was the size of a 5-year-old child, she held it well. Seeing her holding it like a teddy bear, he thought she was bing a second Lucy. "Meowmeow, you¡¯re heavy?" -Meow. "Now sit in the front seat." -Meow~ Rosaria put the creature in the front seat of the sky carriage, and it stretched out its body and took up the front seat. It couldn''tpete with a teddy bear in terms of mobility. The good thing was that the creature could move on its feet. And as a spirit, it could disappear at any time. "Rosaria, do you want to try de-summoning it?" "Why?" "You need to practice so you can call it anytime." Rosaria looked up at him with an expression that she didn''t understand. "Isn''t it okay to just be together?" "Do you want to be together?" "Yes! Meowmeow is my friend!" Spirit summoners call their spirits friends. But would there be anyone who actually treats them like friends? When they''re not needed, they''re treated like parasites that eat mana, and they''re only summoned when they''re needed in a crisis. ¡®What a cute fellow.¡¯ Reed lightly pinched Rosaria''s cheek. During their conversation, they arrived at the Greenwood Tower in the blink of an eye. Reed looked up at the tower. The Greenwood Tower, as its name suggests, looked like a green tree, and at first nce, it resembled a giant stalk that might appear in Jack and the Beanstalk. The tower was 91 stories tall. As a tower that focuses on Barrier magic, thergest amount of mana was covered on the outer walls, spreading out in all directions. "It looks simr to the tree we went to." "It''s said to be the tower most simr to the World Tree." "I see." Rosaria looked up with sparkling eyes. "And we have to leave Meowmeow here." "Wouldn''t Meowmeow want to see the tower too?" "But the tower Masters only invited the two of us. We shouldn''t cause any trouble, right?" Although that was the pretext, Reed didn''t want to show the Elemental Lizard that Rosaria had created to other tower Masters right away. It was a time when she needed to focus on empathy, and if she became the center of attention, Rosaria''s desired empathy might fail. "Let''s surprise the other tower Masters by introducing Meowmeowter. Okay?" "Yes!" Surprising others is a desire of children. So, they decided to hold back for now. "Meowmeow, I''ll go alone. Is that okay?" -Meow~ Meowmeow curled its tail and sat quietly in the seat. It looked like a well-trained puppy. Rosaria waved her hand onest time and held Reed''s hand as they walked. The huge wooden gate opened, letting Reed and Rosaria inside, and a mage dressed in a green robe greeted them with a polite bow. "Wee, Master of the Silence Tower." "Is the Master of the Greenwood Tower present?" "Yes. They are waiting." Although it seemed like they were calmly weing guests, Reed felt a subtle sense of panic from them. It wouldn''t be because of Reed''s visit. They must have been informed of everything. The green-robed mage got on the elevator and made a request to Reed. "Once you go inside, you may be quite surprised, so it might be best to brace yourself before entering." "What happened?" What had the Greenwood Tower Master done? His words made him tense. "If something is going on, let''s go back now." The mage waved their hand frantically. "No, it''s not that. It''s not that our Tower Master is causing something... Rather, it would be more urate to say they''ve been tricked?" "Tricked?" Just as he was about to ask what that meant, the elevator stopped on the 88th floor. "The other Tower Masters are here." Ding-. "¡­ Other Tower Masters?" Did they invite other people? Reed thought there might be some malicious feelings toward him when they were trying to sneak away. No, there must be malicious feelings. With just the nuance, it felt like a cougar trying to devour him. "May you have a pleasant evening." The nuance of ''Have fun and enjoy'' was stronger than ''Cheer up.'' The mage greeted them politely, and Reed held Rosaria''s hand as they stepped off the elevator. The dining room where the Greenwood Tower Master was located was immediately visible as they got off the elevator. As they entered, the brilliant lighting and decorations greeted Reed. "Wee, Master of the Silence Tower." The one who greeted him was not the Greenwood Tower Master. The Greenwood Tower Master had a forced smile on her face and kept her mouth shut. The one who spoke was the woman sitting next to her. "¡­ Master of the Wallin Tower?" It was Dolores. She was smiling and weing them. ¡®A smile, but¡­¡¯ It was a forced smile that came out while suppressing her emotions. It was ufortable. Rosaria''s hand, which he was holding, suddenly tensed up due to the intense atmosphere. It was surprising enough that Dolores was there, but that wasn''t the end of it. "What''s going on? Is she the star of today?" The Master of the ck Sky Tower, Freesia, was also present. It was surprising that Dolores was there, butpared to Freesia''s presence, it was on a different level. Dolores was on the left. Freesia was on the right. And in the middle sat the Greenwood Tower Master. The expression of the dinner party host was simr to that of a noble caught in a people''s trial. He had to deal with it calmly. He shouldn''t be flustered. Chapter 92.2 "You failed?" "That''s quite a shocking story." Dolores and the Tower Master of Greenwood naturally thought that Rosaria would sessfullyplete a contract with a high-ranking spirit. Of course, Reed had expected that too. "Did the spirits say they didn''t like something? I thought Rosaria would have a pretty good affinity with spirits..." "It''s not a good thing. Rather than the spirit not liking it, Rosaria rejected it." "Rosaria?" "Yes. The spirit''s personality didn''t suit her." A situation where someone is offered a contract because they like it, but the contractor rejects it because they don''t like it. Could that be possible? It was a kind of culture shock for a magician. ''It''s a good thing I didn''t mention the Spirit King.'' If that had happened, they wouldn''t have just been surprised, they would have said something to Rosaria. "It was a bad spirit. So I didn''t want to do it." "A bad spirit...?" Rosaria frowned as she spoke. "So instead... No, no! It''s nothing!" Rosaria covered her mouth. At that age, she was not yet ustomed to keeping secrets, as she tended to talk about everything. "Instead? Is there something else?" "Is there something else?" Suddenly hiding it, they couldn''t help but be curious. Rosaria sneakily raised her head and looked at Reed. It was a pleading look for help. "Instead, she contracted with a Smander. It''s a fire spirit." "Smander?" "With a low-ranking spirit?" Dolores and the Tower Master of Greenwood raised their eyebrows. Freesia asked, seemingly puzzled. "You went all the way to make a contract with a high-ranking spirit, but you ended up with a low-ranking one? What was the point of going there?" Her sharp words irritated Rosaria. At that age, she was not only bad at keeping secrets but also sensitive to provocation. "No! Our doggie can spit fire, water, and rocks!" What if she said that outright? At the moment when a slightly resentful emotion arose, "Puhahaha!" Freesia burst intoughter. "Ha! Your imagination is certainly creative! Reed, is the education of magicians these days all about creativity? Is that the trend among nobles?" Freesia didn''t believe Rosaria''s words. Of course, the Tower Master of Greenwood and Dolores didn''t take her words seriously either. They had been educated that spirits have only one fixed ability. ''I couldn''t even imagine it until I saw it myself.'' Rosaria, who had actually created such a thing, red at theughing Freesia with an annoyed expression. However, thanks to her exnation, the Tower Masters'' suspicions subsided. "Well, it would be great to see it someday, wouldn''t it?" "Yeah! It would be really nice. If you bring that spirit, I''ll stand on my hands for a whole month." "Really?" Rosaria asked. Reed would have reflexively asked the same question. Freesia chuckled and nodded her head. "Yep. No matter how much I act like a spoiled child, I never break such ridiculous promises." "Okay." In an instant, Rosaria''s sullen face turned confident. She was expected to expose the existence of the doggie right away, but contrary to expectations, she kept her mouth shut. One day, she would show it herself. It was a promise. ''She has a cunning side.'' In a situation where everyone already knew who the winner of the bet would be. Reed imagined Freesia standing on her hands all day. Freesia, with her slender hands supporting the ground. The capricious queen, the eternal girl of the ck Sky, doing a handstand. ''It''s the best.'' No doubt, there would be a moment when a smile naturally appeared while looking at Freesia. *** After the long-course meal and some small talk, the night grewte. Reed carried a drowsy Rosaria in his arms, put her to bed, and left the Tower of Greenwood. Freesia had already left. Dolores and Reed walked side by side, looking up at the stars. "Are you going straight home?" "I have to. What about you?" "Me too. Where else would I go?" They awkwardly shared their destinations and looked up at the stars once more. "Do you really like beef?" "Yes, I really like it a lot." "Did you reallye this time just for the beef?" "..." Dolores looked up at Reed. She hated him so much for asking such a question. "Yes." She spitefully answered. As if to say she didn''te because she was worried about him. But no matter what she said, Reed knew she wasn''t sincere. "Next Sunday." That''s why Reed said to her. "Let''s have dinner together. Is that alright?" Her resentment melted away and disappeared in an instant. Dolores was secretly d it was night. Her blushing face wouldn''t show. "Is it separate from the trip?" "It''s separate. Just let me know when you''re avable for the trip, and I''ll prepare." "Then, can I drink alcohol at that time?" "Do you want to show me a fun Dolores when you drink?" "Do you hate it? Hmph, you must hate seeing me drunk. You just like me being a prim and boringdy, right? Fine, I''ll live like that forever." "No, that''s not what I meant..." "I know." As Reed became flustered, Dolores smirked. "I just wanted to see that expression on you. That''s all." She seemed so mischievous. Reed sighed in relief. "Be careful on your way back. With Rosaria." "Okay." "And." Dolores spoke to him in a particrly heavy tone. "You''ll get hurt if you look away." "¡­What?" "I''m talking about driving. You have to be careful with the sky carriage." "Ah, right." "Get in." Dolores got into her sky carriage. Reedid Rosaria down and sat in the sky carriage. "Let''s go." "Yes." The driver responded, and the sky carriage rose into the air. "¡­Ah." Only then did Reed realize. That he had a driver. Chapter 93.1 Runes and Spirits (7) A rune is a magical formation made up of a single character. When a caster understands it and imbues it with mana, the magic is activated. The rune inscribed on the axe during the time of the seventh cmity, Larksper, had been used several times, meaning that it didn''t tear and activate like a mana-filled scroll or disappear upon use. Compared to the brilliantly written scrolls, runes boast an overwhelming efficiency that makes scrolls seem pale inparison. ''But the problem is...'' There are two things. What does this character mean? How to activate this character? ''I''m sure the bottom two are Haste and Explosion.'' All that''s left is to figure out what the remaining six runes mean. Although the hint was that runes are thenguage of spirits, after failing the contract with the high-ranking spirit, it''s back to square one. - Rune interpretation (Research progress: 0%) Usually, even hopeless research would progress by 1%, but since nothing is known, it didn''t even increase by 1%. ''What should I do?'' Should I end my task by handing it over to Dolores, who has a glimmer of hope? If I do that, Dolores will also feel less burdened in using half of the runes. "Hmm..." But Reed didn''t want to think so irresponsibly. Reed and Dolores have a rtionship as tower lords. As they both pursue mutual benefits, Reed didn''t want to appear on good terms by handing over research that hasn''t progressed. His head ached, and his throat felt parched. Let''s take a break and have a drink of water. ''Let''s take a short walk.'' Reed used telekinesis to bring a ss of water, but he reluctantly got up. Torrurr. As the transparent liquid in the bottle filled the ss, a small whirlpool formed. Reed stared nkly at the whirlpool. "Huh?" It''s strange. The whirlpool, which should have weakened and stopped, didn''t stop. Instead, it was getting stronger and stronger. Reed put down the ss and stepped back. A momentter, the water in the ss began to swell and overflow, spilling onto the floor. Like the clean dew that forms at dawn, it didn''t seep into the carpet but beaded and swelled. The water droplets began to take shape. Reed had seen this process once before. In Yggdrasil''s realm. It was when he went for Rosaria''s spirit contract. "It''s quite a task to break through the barrier. But it''s enough with my abilities." The water spirit proudly spoke of its unauthorized entry. Reed recognized who she was by her tone. "Could it be... Lady Orneptos?" "That''s right. I am Orneptos, the King of Water Spirits." [T/N: Orenptos is female.] If there was anything different from their first meeting, it was that the spirit king, who had fully manifested in human form with added colors, was now in a transparent liquid state. It definitely meant that mana wascking. ''Did she exhaust her power by breaking through the barrier?'' Although it wasn''t boasting an imprable defense, the security was still not to be ashamed of. If she had broken through it, a considerable amount of mana would have been consumed. ''That means the probability of this being the main body is low.'' There was no doubt that she had summoned a decoy here in preparation for variables she couldn''t block. The fact that she consumed mana to break through the barrier and send in the decoy meant that she came to talk without a doubt. Reed had the upper hand. -To, Tower Master! The external mana barrier has been breached! "You''re just detecting it now." -So, sorry!! "Today''s workers will take responsibility for restoring and reinforcing it. Depending on the reinforcement, I will impose disciplinary action." If they had to restore and reinforce it, it would be a murderous schedule for a small number of people, working through the night for almost a month. But a magician who fails to maintain the perimeter is as good as dead. To let it go with disciplinary action was the greatest mercy. From the beginning, the barrier of his tower was weak, and the opponent was the spirit king. ''I need to put more effort into my perimeter magic.'' Reed looked up at Orneptos and asked. "What brings the King of Water Spirits here?" "I have something to say about your daughter." He had expected it. Though she disappeared angrily, she had coveted Rosaria''s abilities enough to put aside her pride, so she would definitely reappear. ''However, I don''t know what emotions that reunion would bring.'' Whether it was a desire to destroy what couldn''t be possessed or to cling and cry for it. Reed became cautious with such thoughts. However, one thing was certain regardless of her intentions. "If you try to harm Rosaria, I won''t stand idly by." Reed warned in a clear voice. "I have no intention of doing so. And I can definitely feel that I can''t win against that child in a fight." "Then what is your purpose in approaching my daughter?" "It''s because of the contract. I must make a contract with that child." "Then you should go to my daughter, whye to me?" Orneptos looked down at Reed and said. "That child dislikes me. She will undoubtedly refuse me again." "And?" "Seeing that she follows you a lot, I thought that if you could persuade her, there would be no doubt that a contract could be made." Orneptos'' guess was urate. It is possible if Reed persuades Rosaria. She said that the reason she studied, learned magic, and contracted with spirits this time was all to help her father, Reed. Even if she doesn''t like it, she would definitely make the contract with a strong smile. However, "I refuse." Chapter 93.2 That was not what Reed wanted. Getting stronger and unraveling the secret of the runes was all good, but he didn''t want to force her to do something she hated. Orneptos couldn''t understand Reed''s actions. "Are you saying that you will refuse my words?" "Yes." "¡­I believe there must be a reason worthy of convincing me." Orneptos was patient. She thought there might be a moreplicated story or it was a matter of negotiation. But the reason Reed rejected her words was extremely simple. "As I said, my daughter dislikes making a contract with you." Orneptos ced her hand on her mouth. "I see. You''re being objective because it''s about your daughter? Then let me propose one condition." Orneptos scanned Reed''s entire body with her transparent eyes. "Judging by your abilities, it seems difficult for you to make a contract even with an intermediate spirit. I can provide you with a high-ranking spirit. How about that? An Auriel who will unconditionally obey your words. With that alone, you will be able to treat her as a servant that you couldn''t even dream of and that all spirit mages desire." It was a radical statement. If he had been a spirit mage, it would have been a proposal worth prostrating and epting. However, Reed shook his head. "That''s not the issue. You keep making off-topic remarks." "Are you objecting to my words?" "Yes. And I would like to boldly suggest that you change your behavior." Orneptos'' expression contorted. It was like amoner yelling at a king to straighten up. Orneptos'' body turned red with anger. However, she didn''t dare to attack Reed. Orneptos crossed her arms and looked down at Reed. "Tell me. What''s the problem with me?" "Lady Orneptos, you must ask for my help. It''s not a threat or coercion, but a request." "What''s the difference?" "A request is made by admitting that you are at a disadvantage." "I allowed myself to y with that lowly fire creature for the sake of the contract. Are you saying that''s not enough?" "Yes." Reed nodded. "I know how great you are, and so do the elves. But Rosaria doesn''t know that fact. That''s why she must have made such a remark to Lady Orneptos." "She called me a bad... spirit." How dare she... She swallowed those words. Her expression showed that she was not happy about it. "Rosaria hates fighting. She also really hates speaking ill of others." "Are you saying it''s nder because I called that lowly thing lowly?" "Value is rtive. If you called something Rosaria likes lowly, she would be angry. If someone verbally abused Lady Orneptos, saying you''re an unnecessary spirit, wouldn''t you be angry?" Orneptos'' body bubbled up like carbonated water. "Of course. I am Orneptos, the king of all water spirits! No one can be without me." "Would Rosaria really like to hear that?" "¡­I don''t know." It was the first time the spirit king had encountered such a situation. She had always done as she pleased. Being the king of all spirits, she could endanger humans if she wanted to. Anyone would know that her actions could be a disaster. That''s why they revere her, respect her, and want to keep her close. The Water Spirit King, Orneptos, bows and submits to someone? The very attempt of Orneptos to make a request to someone was a major event that could draw a line in history. Orneptos was aware of this fact and was reluctant. Changing history was what spirits feared the most. "If I were the old me, I might have tried to find a contractor again." It was not the time to turn a blind eye to such fears. "But now, the fire spirit, Borkaus, is getting stronger. I don''t know what you guys are thinking, but we spirits have a duty to maintain the bnce of the continent." So, she had to make a contract with Rosaria, even if it was to maintain that bnce. That was her judgment. Reed smiled at her words. "Shouldn''t you do anything for such a duty?" "What are you going to make me do, Tower Mage?" Orneptos frowned at the ufortable feeling. Reed extended his hand to her and proposed. "Let''s make a contract with me." It was a contract. Orneptos looked down at Reed with a face of disbelief. It was a face of disgust. "So, in the end, you mean to do whatever is good for you." "I will only suggest three things. Other than that, I won¡¯t ask anything from Lady Orneptos. Of course, if Rosaria wants a contract, you can cancel the contract we made at any time." "Then let me propose the conditions first." Reed nodded. Orneptos raised her index finger. "Do not disclose this contract to the outside." "Understood." "Don''t even think about calling me and using me recklessly if you''re in danger." "Understood." "And I have absolutely no intention of lending you the power of water, who has not even a speck of talent." "Understood." The way Orneptos looked at Reed changed significantly. Dream big tl dot * * * [Original Source ¨C dreambigtl .] * * * If she had looked at him with a hateful gaze as a greedy human until now, now she felt a sense of alienation as if she was looking at a strange guy. If she had proposed these three conditions to other spirit wizards, no one would have wanted to make a contract. It was because if Reed kept all of them, there would be no meaning in making a contract with Orneptos. "Tell me, Magician of the Tower." Orneptos'' proposal had ended. Now it was Reed''s turn to suggest. "First, I''d like you to help me a little with my work." "What are you doing?" "I want to decipher the Runenguage." "Hmm, the Runenguage, huh? I haven''t heard that in a long time. I have memories of using it in the past, but no one uses it now, so it would be impossible to teach it. This would be the same for other spirits as well." "Is deciphering also difficult?" Orneptos raises one eyebrow. It sounded like Reed was belittling her. "It''s just old. It doesn''t mean I''m a fool. If I see a Rune I''ve seen before, I''ll definitely remember it." "Then you can help." "That''s right. I''ll ept the first condition." "Let''s move on to the second." Reed spread his middle finger. "Please make an effort to get along well with my daughter." Orneptos expressed doubt upon hearing that. "I''m already making enough effort. Isn''t it your job to help make the contract possible?" "If she shows even a slight sign of disliking it, I won''t encourage it at all. That''s why you need to make an effort, Lady Orneptos." "Hmm... It''s difficult. Does it mean I have to cater to someone''s preferences? Are you asking me to do something I''ve never done before?" She wasn''t sure if she could do such a task well. "That''s why I''m making a third proposal." Reed spread his ring finger and spoke. As he said those words, he could see Orneptos'' face contort and she eventually looked down at Reed with a dumbfounded expression. "¡­Are you serious?" Reed nods his head. Orneptos reconsider''s his words. This is... Yes... No, still... Repeating the process of chewing and spitting out, she looked down at Reed with resentful eyes. For Orneptos, it was a humiliating situation where even if she had drowned an ordinary human, he would have had no words to say. Reed was walking on a tightrope in such a delicate ce. Though it might seem precarious to the onlooker, he was an experienced tightrope walker. "...I have a duty to maintain my dignity externally." "Don''t worry. I will thoroughly keep that fact secret." "...As long as you keep your promise. Fine." She even epted Reed''s outrageous third condition. And so, the contract was established. Chapter 94.1 The Silence Tower, which was constantly developing technologies, was bustling with activity. Although there was a reduction in staff due to the expulsion of rebellious magicians through reforms, more than 150 apprentice magicians and disciples flocked from various academies including Escoleia, bringing the total number of magicians to 238. In addition, they were cooperating with the Hupper Kingdom for joint development, so in reality, they were working with over 300 magicians. Moreover, the Orc Alliance led by Larksper had all the abundant resources of the Kalton Mountains, and they had secured all the development rights, so they had plenty of samples for new materials and research. Kaitlyn''s technology, Hupper''s territory management, and the Orc Alliance''s resources. All three factors were aligned, and the progress of technology development was increasing day by day. The one who secured all three was none other than the tower master, Reed. When he was alone, he was a character whose qualifications as a tower master were doubtful due to hisck of abilities. However, no one doubted his abilities after seeing the influence he had exerted externally until recently. Perhaps he was considered a strange man among magicians. His abilities were not outstanding, but the abilities of those around him were exceptional, and that was why they followed him. But recently, something strange happened that could be said that his abilities were also exceptional. "Wow..." The magicians assisting the tower master gathered around, looking down at something in wonder. It was a water spirit with a young appearance. The body and appearance were around 10 years old at most. It gave the impression of a mischievous girl. This was because she was standing there with her mouth tightly shut, just staring straight ahead. The researchers all looked down at the spirit as if it was fascinating. "Is this spirit really... the one that the tower master contracted with?" Reed had heard that question when he first introduced her, but he willingly answered it again. "Yes." The magicians looked at the spirit Reed had contracted with, their expressions showing disbelief. It wasn''t that they were ignoring Reed. The elements Reed handled were fire and lightning. Contracting with a water spirit, which was the opposite element, was an unusual event among magicians. "It''s fascinating. Miss brought a smander with a big chin, and the tower master brought a water spirit in the form of a young girl." No one was informed until it was announced, but Rosaria''s smander was already a famous figure. Since Rosaria let her spirit roam around without releasing it, many magicians had already witnessed it, and the magicians in the tower master''s research building had watched it closely enough to mimic its cry. Fortunately, since that day, it had not undergone any attribute changes and was only treated as a peculiar smander in appearance. "May I ask what its rank is?" "Looking at its size, it seems like a lower spirit, huh!" The face of the magician who mentioned the lower spirit was pushed away. The magician''s cheek that was pushed away swelled up red, and at the same time, his entire face was soaked. The magicians didn''t see it, but a well-formed water bullet had hit the man''s face. Without a doubt, it was an attack by the girl spirit. Grrr-. The girl spirit, who had been staring nkly ahead, red at each one of them, emitting an aura. It was a fierce expression, like a guard dog tied up in front of a house. Reed btedly urged them as if he had forgotten. "Even though it looks like this, it''s a high-ranking spirit. It will be upset if you treat it as a lower one." "A high-ranking spirit...!" "Do you mean Aurel?" Aurel manifests as a 2m tall woman. She has a beautiful appearance like a statue of a goddess made of ice, but what was in front of them now was a girl who was at most around 10 years old. The researchers who naturally thought it was a lower spirit and were observing it slowly backed away. "No, it''s a spirit called Orphi." "Orphi...?" "There are some peculiar ones among the high-ranking entities. This is one of the water spirits." "I see." "Orphi, I''ve never heard of it." They were all magicians studying magic engineering. Since their majors were either elemental or researching defensive spells, they only knew the basics about spirits. Seeing a high-ranking rare spirit was a precious experience for them. ''In reality, it''s a spirit king...'' The spirit introduced as Orphi was actually Orneptos who had shrunk. The third condition he proposed was exactly that. - When summoned, shrink to the size of Rosaria and pretend to be a different spirit. It was an utterly humiliating proposal for the Spirit King Orneptos. It was asking a race that boasted its existence and pride in size to kill its ostentation and abandon its pride. Reed blocked any factors that could catch his lie when he made such a lie. Orphi, the rare spirit he introduced, was a high-ranking spirit listed in the actual spirit dictionary. Even if spirit summoners came, Orphi was a rare entity, so no one would think it was Orneptos even if a few features of Orphi didn''t match. "Today, I''m going to conduct research alone, so if there''s nothing urgent, you can go home for the day." "Understood." It''s rare to leave work at a set time, but it''s very rare to leave work earlier than the set time. The magicians left theb with light steps without hesitation. The only ones left were Orneptos and Reed. "They seem rude." Orneptos, who had been keeping her mouth shut, opened it again. "What should I do if you attack the researchers?" "Isn''t it annoying? No matter how small I am, I get angry if a magician can''t recognize my worth." "So you didn''t say anything?" "I just didn''t want to mix words." The reason she didn''t open her mouth was simply because she didn''t want to mix words. The reason her eyes were fiercely open was because she didn''t like the sight of the magicians who were treating her like a child and marveling at her. "But don''t resort to violence." "I''m warning you that your neck could fly off next time. And I haven''t broken your conditions." She needed to make an effort to get close to Rosaria, but she didn''t need to get close to other humans. That included Reed. "It would be better to at least pretend to be friendly. If your reputation isn''t good, Rosaria won''t like it either." "The world of humans is difficult." Orphi looked up at Reed with an annoyed expression. "You wouldn''t have summoned me just to show me off like a simple animal, tell me why you called me." "It''s time to fulfill the first condition." The first condition was to teach Reed about runes. He pointed to the axe ced on the floating device to Orneptos. "Since I''m small, it''s annoying to float." Her body, which was walking on the ground, floated in the air and observed the axe. The first nce, which was sullen, became more serious as she looked at the axe. "This is strange." Orneptos muttered. Chapter 94.2 "Is there something wrong with the runes?" "No. The runes are written correctly. It''s just..." Orneptos looked down as if she was in a bad mood. "It''s just that it''s annoying that the runes are written correctly." Reed didn''t understand what she meant. Why would writing runes correctly be a bad thing? "The time when runes were used was in ancient times, before humans learned magic. To borrow the words of humans, it was a time when fire formed the earth, the earth moved like water, and water spread like fire. What was used then was ''runes''." It was the ancient times known as the age of upheaval. It was a story from a very long time ago when the world was so extreme that it was impossible for humans to survive. "But at the end of that meaningless fight, everything ended when harmony was achieved. There was no reason to use runes. No spirits would have used them since then. Undoubtedly, when humans began to learn magic, there would be none who even properly remembered." Orneptos turned her head again and looked at the axe. "It''s truly strange that someone has embedded such runes in an axe without us spirits knowing." It was strange from the spirits'' perspective that someone knew the characters they didn''t use urately. "Since it''s an ancient axe, I''m not sure now." "I''m not particrly interested either. I just think it''s annoying to think who tried to spread this to humans." Orneptos didn''t like the idea of using their exclusive property. "Although it''s vague in my memory, looking at the characters, I can see what kind of magic this is drawing." "Can you exin it?" "Of course, but just because I exin it doesn''t mean you can use it." "Then?" "Don''t magicians know well? Every magic has a set way. If you don''t know that way, no matter how many times you exin it, it''s like reading a sutra to a cow''s ear." Just as you need to know the basics to use magic, you need to understand the basics of runes. "Please teach me the basics." "Runes are not about drawing magic. It''s about engraving mana." Orneptos demonstrated by tapping with her thumb. "What does it mean to engrave mana?" "How do humans manifest magic?" Reed went over it one by one. When humans practice manifesting mana, they match it to the sound of their heart. This is the most natural state and the most suitable for generating the power to draw and gather mana. They then condense the naturally drawn mana into their hands, or auxiliary items like the production arrays. And they add the magic circle drawn in their mind to convert the pure energy into the magic they want to use. That''s exactly what magic is. "That''s what it means to draw directly. Engraving and drawing are different. If you know how to pull up mana and implement it, understanding runes is not difficult. You just need to print out that rune with pure mana." "Print out...?" "Hmm, which rune do you want to use?" Reed chose one of the two characters at the bottom. It''s definitely either ''Explosion'' or ''Haste''. "Look at the shape of the rune character you chose. You don''t need to look closely. If you understand, that rune will be engraved in your mind." Just look at it simply. But even that simple look was not easy. The characters called runes were peculiar. It was a mixture of simple shapes, but like a detailed masterpiece, it was hard to contain everything in your mind. ''I need to correct it...'' It''s hard to understand even one, there''s no doubt that Larksper, who understands both, is a smart guy. Even after listening to her exnation now, Reed didn''t fully understand. "It''s difficult." "It can''t be difficult. As soon as I saw this character, I understood everything." "Isn''t that possible because you''re a spirit?" "Humans, orcs, and spirits are all different. But using mana to cast magic remains the same." Although the color and shape of the blood may be different, the form of mana inherent in it is the same. That''s why Larksper, an orc, was able to use the spirits'' characters. Reed understood and didn''t understand Orneptos''s words at the same time. He realizes that it''s entirely his problem. "I''ll think about it alone for a while." "Do so." Orneptos hid her figure at Reed''s words. Reed stared at the rune character. He tries to draw it himself once. He tries using Explosion and Haste, or uses the opposite magic and looks again. He tried various things, but all failed to understand a single rune character. In the midst of such a series of failures, Reed suddenly questioned why he was doing this. ''Do I really need to know the rune characters?'' Good magic. There are other magics, do I need to know the runes? Then a hollowugh burst out. ''I can''t use that better magic, you idiot.'' Reed is a genius among the mediocre. He was mediocre even when he was rampant. No matter how superior magic appears, Reed can''t use that magic. So Reed was trying to be stronger from something no one knows, and the first thing was magic engineering. ''And the second is runes.'' If he can understand runes, there are countless ideas to utilize. Even the two characters used by Larksper had a wide range of applications. Reed needs to know this. ''Am I thinking too hard?'' Is it hard to think about trying to look really simple? Why could Larksper, which is difficult for other magicians, do it? Suddenly, Reed remembered the problem that only elementary school students could solve. If 1+1=2, 3+7=10, 5+8=1, what is the answer to 9+10=? At first, he thought it was a problem made for fishing, but he was amazed when he heard the answer. A problem that can give the answer to that question because there is not much to know. ''Purity.'' Orcs have a simple way of thinking. They don''t even consider themselves as high life forms. That''s why they hope for the appearance of an absolute being, elevate Larksper to the throne, and follow him. ''Humans know too much.'' Over a thousand years, they have learned and propagated many things. Whether it''s actually an illusion or a truth, they gradually be familiar with that knowledge through repetition and mastery in their gradually hardening minds. Thatplexity besmon sense. ''Let''s think more... more simply.'' He looks at it like Larksper, who shows deep trust in his brother, and Rosaria, who studies for Reed and believes in Reed. He closes his eyes. He pulls up mana. He temporarily put down all the magic he thought wasmon sense. ''Like the first time I saw magic before I possessed Reed''s body...'' He recalls that time when even the small me floating on his palm looked amazing. His senses be distant. His mind is a vast in, a quietke. When he reached a state of nothingness, so much so that he couldn''t even realize nothingness, Reed opened his eyes again. "Ah." The first thing that catches his eye is the rune character he was staring at. Orneptos''s words hit him all at once. The character that didn''t draw an image in his mind was being engraved in Reed''s mind. A rune settles in the quiet in, and he understands its essence. ''I get it.'' It only shows when you let go of everything. The rune was like magic stored in a shortcut key. The essence of this rune that Reed thought of was neither ''Haste'' nor ''Explosion''. It''s not about thinking about the process of wrapping a wind barrier using mana, attributing properties, and instantaneously elerating the human body. Just press it and get faster. With that realization, wind wrapped around Reed''s body. Chapter 95.1 Runes and Spirits (9) I was wrapped in the wind. Without a doubt, it was the effect of Haste. ''It just makes me faster.'' There''s no need to thinkplicatedly, just draw mana and wish to be faster. Then the rune takes care of the rest. ''Not bad.'' It was as if he had assigned a shortcut and pressed it smoothly with five fingers. The answer is to think simply, ignoring the stereotypes. Reed got up from his seat. And it was because of that simple thinking. "Huh?" Reed had forgotten that his body was wrapped in Haste. Whoosh! Unable to control his suddenly elerated body, he crashed straight into the wall cab. The ss cab broke, and he even did a body m into the ss containers inside. ''Damn it...'' Reed bit his lip. ''I was too immersed.'' He emptied everything like a fool who didn''t know magic, and because of that, he had be a real fool who had forgotten even his caution. ''A magic for fools...'' A magic that only needs mana without the need formon sense. It was a magic that was easy to be careless about because thatmon sense was not needed. "..." It was an unbelievable situation even for him. ss shards were embedded in his hand, his nose was broken, and blood streamed down, but Reed didn''t even groan. It wasn''t because it was too painful to make a sound. It was because it was embarrassing. It was an embarrassment beyond simple pain. If someone had seen him like this, it would have been an unbelievable moment that Reed might have considered suicide without moving. Knock knock. Someone knocked on theboratory door. "Ta, Tower Master, are you alright? I''ming in!" It was Phoebe. Reed clenched his teeth and did his best to make a sound. "Don''t...e... in..." For some reason, his voice sounded like a dying old woman. Phoebe''s voice became confused. "N, No? A, Are you okay? It doesn''t seem like you''re okay?" "I''m... fine... uh... So, don''t...e." His voice was clearly not okay. Reed hoped that Phoebe would listen to him and leave. As Phoebe was a loyal hound, she would listen to him. "Just let me see your face for a moment!" But she was a more loyal hound than that. She had the bold judgment to ignore even his instructions if she perceived Reed was in danger. He wanted to warn her once more, but he was too weak to do so and his breathing wasbored. The blonde-haired woman with threatening horns entered theboratory. "Tower Master? Where are you- Kyaaah!" Let''s die; let''s just die. *** Dream big tl dot * * * [Original Source ¨C dreambigtl .] * * * It was a minor injury. It was certain to be a minor injury as it only drained 1/5 of his health. The physical and mental damage was less than when he had bled due to mana exhaustion. "Phoebe." "No!" Phoebe shouted sharply. "I''m fine now, so just..." "You may have recovered, but you need to rest!" "And your tone..." "It''s back to normal!" It didn''t seem right at all. If she usually had a clumsy feeling, now she was sharp and gave the impression of a strict senior. Even her drooping eyes were raised. "You won''t do anything today! You''ll only think about your body! Got it?!" "What if I refuse?" "I''ll force you down with my strength!" He could roughly guess how she would do it. The reason he was sitting on the bed like this was because Phoebe had suddenly lifted and moved him. ''It wasn''t a pleasant experience.'' Feeling a sense of powerlessness from the strength itself, Phoebe seemed scarier for some reason. Reed wanted to say he was fine once more, but he couldn''t open his mouth. Phoebe''s hands, which were smoothing out the nket, were trembling more than usual. It wasn''t due to an acid spill or being affected by ck magic, but simply a minor injury. ''Although there were a lot of minor injuries.'' The wounds weren''t deep, but they were extensive, so he was covered in blood. Phoebe, who had healed the wounds and cleaned up all the shards, would know that they were shallow wounds. However, since she had screamed loud enough to shake the tower, the mental shock must have been greater for her than Reed. ''It''s true that I caused her to worry.'' Reed obediently took Phoebe''s hand. As Reed''s hand touched her, her shoulders twitched. The face of the tense guard dog suddenly softened like a puppy with drooping ears. "I hurt you a lot." "¡­No." "I''ll rest today as you said. And from now on, I''ll be careful, so don''t worry too much." Phoebe couldn''t say anything. She just nced up, raising her golden eyes to him. She seemed a little relieved. "Daddy!" As Rosaria entered, Phoebe quickly let go of his hand and turned her body. She greeted Rosaria with a grin as if nothing had happened. "Youngdy, why did youe here?" "I heard Daddy was hurt. I brought Meowmeow and some medicine... Medicine... What was it?" Rosaria looked down at Meowmeow she was holding. As if to say, how would I know, it asked with a "Meow~." "Do you mean a get-well visit?" "Yes!" -Meow! At the sound of the dispirited Smander''s cry, Phoebe smiled gently, stroking Rosaria as if she were lovely. "I see. You might be the first one to care for the Tower Master like this." "I hope Daddy isn''t hurt." "Yes. I also hope the Tower Master isn''t hurt." Rosaria walked up to the bed, waving the paper she was holding. "Daddy, are you hurt?" "Yes, I''m hurt." "Does it hurt a lot?" Although he had used a healing spell, the aftereffects of the pain remained. It was also because of those aftereffects that he couldn''t muster his energy. "I''m fine." "Hmm. It shouldn''t be okay..." "Do you want Daddy to be in pain...?" When did she be so wicked? As he asked, Rosaria quickly shook her head, eximing, "No! No! I brought a healing spell because Daddy said he was hurt, but I couldn''t use it! I hope Daddy isn''t hurt!" "You brought a healing spell?" "Yes! It''s a spell of healing!" Rosaria handed him the paper she was holding. What Rosaria had drawn was an image of Reed receiving a green aura. Reed, wrapped in green, wasughing with both hands raised to the sky. At least the healing effect was certain. It made himugh even though he was in terrible pain. As Reed smiled, Rosaria, who was watching his reaction,ughed brightly. With a brilliant silver smile, she faced Meowmeow she was holding and shouted. "Meowmeow, Daddyughed. Our masterpiece isplete!" "How pathetic." Chapter 95.2 Orneptos, taking the form of a high-ranking spirit, Orphe, muttered. She was lying alone in the empty Tower Master''sboratory, grumbling about Reed. Reed had dismissed the summoning so he could think alone, but Orneptos had been watching everything. The moment of realizing the runes. And the foolish act he did at the same time as that realization. ''What on earth has be of me, having a contract with such a fool...'' She was worried about her future, but she didn''t just think negatively. ''Considering the speed of understanding, it''s unusual.'' As the King of Water Spirits, all the experiences felt by the water spirits are shared with Orneptos. If Reed had been an ordinary mage with no special traits, she could guarantee that he would have never understood the runes until thest moment of his life. ''There''s something different about himpared to other humans.'' Although it was unpleasant, an interesting person to observe had appeared, so it seemed she would be able to relieve her boredom. Orneptos got up. She considered canceling the summon. There seemed to be no point in being here in this form, as seeing those who look down on her would make her feel bitter. Then it happened. "Hmm?" Orneptos felt something approaching theboratory. Although it was not used, a huge amount of mana was walking around. There was no need to think further. It was a sensation that she had already experienced once. Squeak-. A girl smaller than the door entered. "Alright, Meowmeow. We''re not supposed toe in here, so we have to be quiet." -Meow! "I said be quiet!" -Meow. "Good!" Rosaria entered with a lively voice. After turning her head, she discovered Orneptos looking down at them. "Ah!" Rosaria looked up at Orneptos with a surprised face. "Are you a water spirit?" "Y-Yes..." Orneptos, who had the appearance of a slender woman, now had a young voice as a girl. Rosaria looked at Orneptos with sparkling eyes. "Your way of speaking is unusual. It''s like a king." "Ugh." Orneptos was worried she might be found out. ''This girl would still hate me...'' She had to be as careful as possible. So she decided to change her tone. "I''m not a king." She changed the word "me" used to refer to herself to "I." "Really? Then what are you?" "I''m Orphe." "I see!" Rosaria innocently believed everything she said. "So why are you here?" "I''m currently studying magic with Meowmeow. Magic to heal Daddy!" "So you came to thisboratory?" "I came to get a pen because I didn''t have one! I''m just going to take the pen! Oh, don''t tell Daddy about this! It''s a secret!" "Why is it a secret?" "He said I shouldn''te here recklessly. It''s dangerous for kids. Got it?" Rosaria brought her index finger to her lips. Upon hearing that, Orneptos couldn''t understand Reed. ''Doesn''t that man intend to take advantage of this girl''s talent?'' As she recalled the memories of other water spirits, talented mages were always exploited by their parents. She thought Reed would naturally think the same, but his attitude towards Rosaria was different from other mages. A mage who tells the king of spirits to solve it himself. It was impossible. It wasn''t that she hated Reed, though he was despicable. ''After all, it''s not his fault.'' In the end, it was because of that kid. She nced at the fat, innocent-looking lizard Rosaria was holding. ''Everything fell through because of this guy.'' It could be said that he was the most hated one. -Meow! Meow! Meowmeow struggled as it sensed her presence. Rosaria, who noticed it was because of Orneptos''s gaze, infused mana into Meowmeow''s body. The fire spirit Smander instantly transformed into a water spirit. "Now it''s a water spirit! Don''t hate it anymore." It was an amazing ability. However, she already knew it was a fire spirit Smander, and it was a lower-ranking spirit, so she couldn''t really praise it. "I understand." Nevertheless, she hid her anger. The second promise was to try her best to get along with Rosaria. It was about fulfilling that. Upon hearing Orneptos''s answer, Rosaria smiled brightly. "Orphe is a nice spirit." "Is that so?" "Yeah. The king of water spirits is apletely meandy! But Orphe is a nice spirit." "......" Should sheugh or get angry? As she was pondering, Rosaria grabbed Orphe''s hand. "Orphe, do you want to y with me?" "y?" "Yes. Let''s make a healing spell with Meowmeow, me, and Orphe! Like this!" "Healing... spell?" Even to her, a spirit, it looked like scribbles rather than a healing spell. "It''s going to be super fun." It was a proposal that she would have coldly refused under normal circumstances. Orneptos was not so naive as to join such childish y. ''But, well... Because of the second promise, do I have to go along?'' Her external image wasn''t spreading anyway, and her body was ''Orphe'' after all. ''It doesn''t matter.'' For the sake of the second promise, Orneptos nodded. "Let''s give it a try." "Great! Let''s go together!" Rosaria took Orneptos and returned to her room. *** Reed had eight runes. Half of them were characters to be given to the Tower Master of Wallin, Dolores. He sorted out the four characters he needed from them. ''I don''t need many anyway.'' The magic of the runes was mostly low-level magic. They were spells that required a very short casting time or mental concentration. The advantage of runes is that they don''t require preparatory actions and are triggered the moment you think of them. No matter how far away it is, if you only look at the rune and think of it, it can be activated at any time. The advantage of rune magic was that it could be used as a means of emergency activation during a mage''s battle. And the magic engraved on the axe was also such runes. They were useful spells in closebat waged by warriors, not mages. The four chosen magic were Heal, Mana Shield, Haste, and Explosion. Chapter 96.1 Runes and Spirits (10) Reed decided to engrave the runes on his gauntlet and discussed it with Kaitlyn, the chief engineer. "I just finished researching a magic-responsive glove, and I was about to ask if you wanted to do more research rted to the gauntlet." The unsolved research on "Magic Absorption using Magnesium" was finally resolved. And Kaitlyn was waiting to apply it to Reed''s gauntlet. Reed exined to her about the runes. "Here are the Heal, Mana Shield, and Haste runes in order. Engrave them all in the ces I tell you." "Understood. But then, won''t one rune be left? What is that character?" "That''s the problem." Explosion is basically a magic that activates about 10cm away when it is triggered and causes arge explosion towards the front. However, the Explosion rune was slightly different from what the wizards used. Unlike magic that can cause an explosion at any time, the rune only activates when there is a shock. It couldn''t be used as a beam weapon by cing it on the palm of the hand. ''Rather, should I call it a self-destructing item?'' No matter how much Mana is injected, it''s impossible for Magnesium, which is stronger than steel, to absorb all the instantaneous damage. If it was put on a Magnesium gauntlet, it would only be useful when aiming for a close-quarters battle. "How about making it a throwing object?" Reed suggested. "A throwing object?" "Like embedding the rune in a bead or a coin." "A bead or a coin..." Upon hearing that, Kaitlyn shifted her gaze somewhere and stared nkly into the air. It was a good sign. It meant that her "entric Inventor" trait had manifested. After a while, she turned her head sharply and looked at Reed. Her ck pupils were twinkling. "How about a card?" "A card?" "Beads are not very portable, and coins are not very good for throwing. If both need to recognize the rune, then something wide and thin is needed. In that case, a card is perfect." Reed nodded in agreement at Kaitlyn''s words. He thought that a coin would be better, but if it was made as thin and wide as a card, it would be easier to recognize the rune. There wouldn''t be any problem with practicing throwing anyway, so changing it to a card wouldn''t matter. "Let''s go with a card." "Understood." The Explosion rune was used as a throwing object, utilizing all the runes. Chief Engineer Kaitlyn immediately started working on Reed''s request and began the production. The production time didn''t take long. Magnesium Magic Gauntlet Mk.¢ó Type: Equipment Item A gauntlet made using Magnesium. Unlike regr gauntlets, it is equipped with a magic crystal orb to assist in casting magic. When charged, it is harder than a steel gauntlet. (Equipment) Durability: 75/75 Attack Power: 13~17 Defense Power: 40~48 "Creation Lv. 3": A wless work of craftsmanship. "Magic Engineering Lv. 4": Charge Rate: 50%, Duration: 60 hours "Magic Lv. 4": Equipping a "Colorless Magic Crystal" grants the following effects: -The power of the manifested magic increases by 80%. -Mana regeneration ability increases by 50%. "Magic Lv. 4": Grants the effect of "Magic Absorption". It absorbs the magic thates into contact with the hand up to a certain threshold. "Magic Engineering Lv. 4": ''Runes'' are engraved: Runes of "Heal", "Mana Shield", and "Haste". Runes are fundamentally activated by looking at the rune while drawing up mana. Therefore, the direction of the engraving was changed ording to the purpose of the rune. The rune of Heal was engraved on the palm, the rune of Mana Shield on the wrist, and the rune of Haste on the back of the hand. "The magic charge is not working properly." "It''s because all the ces where the magic gathered for the magic-responsive glove are on the magic stone side, so if it gets overcharged, it explodes." "How much mana capacity does it have?" "Since it''s about 10,000, you should think of it as around 5,000 for half." He thought about inserting more crystals, but he didn''t ask. She had struggled many times for the efficiency of the magic stone, so she would know that using only one would be dangerous. ''In the end, I''m the one who uses it, and I have to manage it.'' Reed wanted to use this responsive glove as his strategic means. It''s like a pseudo "Mana Drain", sucking up all the mana that wizards have and gaining an advantage in mana. However, if it overcharges even a little, the magic stone will explode, making the gauntlet unusable. Since it can''t be released, it was inevitable to be cautious. ''Then, I''ll try to keep the charge rate at a maximum of 10%... and make the most of this magic-responsive glove.'' If it''s 12 hours, it wouldn''t be too difficult to manage as long as he stays alert. Reed thought so and put on the gauntlet. * * * Dream big tl dot [Original Source ¨C dreambigtl .] * * * Now it was time to research how to use ordinary magic and rune magic simultaneously. Switching between human magic, which requires mana to be drawn up and calcted, and rune magic, which simply requires thinking, is quiteplicated since their properties are different. ''It has to be a realm of reaction.'' Instead of seeing, reading, and thinking, he had to recall it as soon as he saw it, like Pavlov''s dog drooling at the sound of a bell. [T/N: A ssical conditioning experiment where food was provided to a dog after a bell sound and soon it associated the sound of a bell with the uing food] ''What would be a good way to do that?'' In his struggle, Reed finally found one solution. Like pressing a shortcut key, he used memories from reality that didn''t exist in this world, as if it were a game. Chinese characters. Reed thought of it like Chinese characters. Chinese characters are ideograms that convey a meaning through a single character. The character for Haste''s rune is ''ËÙ (speed)''. The character for Explosion''s rune is ''±¬ (explosion)''. The character for Mana Shield''s rune is ''·À (defense)''. The character for Heal''s rune is ''Í (recovery)''. Thinking of the runes as Chinese characters and associating them one by one, the magicbination became much easier. All he had to do was adjust it so that he could do it automatically through repeated practice and mastery. ''I''ve never fought anyone who uses runes before... I have the advantage in terms of information warfare.'' Reed was convinced of that. Finally, he felt that he had a means that only he could use. Chapter 96.2 Dolores entered the office of the Silence Tower. She carefully closed the door, tiptoed over, and asked Reed, who was sitting. "Why did you call me, Oppa?" "I called you for business. Please refrain from calling me oppa." "We''re alone, can''t I call you that? You''re so picky." Reed recalled the time when he was at the Cliff Rock Tribe. When he thought about the times when Dolores and he were bothpromising, he felt that it would be enough to interfere with both of their work. So, for each other''s sake, he wanted to keep as much distance as possible in their conversations during work. Unlike Reed, Dolores didn''t have the slightest desire to do so. Anyway, Reed tried his best to maintain his distance from her during business matters. "It''s about the rune characters we talked aboutst time." "Ah, the runes. We agreed to have four each." Dolores nodded her head. "How valuable do you think runes are?" At that question, Dolores tilted her head. "Well, I think the fact that we can see the runes directly is valuable in itself." "Is that so?" "Besides, it''s anguage that no one has seen or deciphered, so as a wizard, it''s an exciting thing. I think that alone is worth enough." "Really?" As Reed made a strange expression as if he had aplished something, Dolores finally realized what he meant. "Don''t tell me... you deciphered it?" "Yes, I deciphered it." "All of it?" "Yes." Dolores'' mouth opened wide in surprise. It was unbelievable that he had seeded in deciphering the characters that no one knew. "How?" "I asked the spirits for help since it''s thenguage of the spirits." "Just getting help wouldn''t make magic easy... Are the features the same principle as regr magic?" "The nature itself is different. This is the magic of fools." "Fool... magic?" "Yes." Dolores couldn''t help but be puzzled by thebination of the two contradictory words. "Show me the magic using runes." Reed stood up from his seat and showed his hand with the Magnesium gauntlet. Reed was seen gathering mana. And then. "Huh?" Dolores widened her eyes as she saw the wind wrapped around Reed''s body. ''I couldn''t see him trying to cast a spell or use magic at all...'' Even if he was casting a high-speed spell, he needed habits like concentrating or a preparatory action. She didn''t notice that Reed was going to use magic even while using Haste. ''It''s an instant activation.'' Just with that, Dolores felt a sense of awe. "Runes are more amazing than I thought. But..." Dolores tilted her head. "Why is it the magic of fools?" "It''s a bit difficult to exin, but..." Reed tried his best to exin what he had experienced so that Dolores could follow. However, Dolores couldn''t act ording to Reed''s instructions. In the first ce, what Reed wanted was to abandonmon sense. But for Dolores, abandoning hermon sense was the most difficult thing, and almost all wizards would be the same. "It''s really hard. Are you sure you''re teaching me well? It looks like you''re teasing me..." "I called you here for work, why would I tease you?" "Even if it''s true... it''s really difficult." Dolores had a troubled face. She knew the principles of the runes, but it was frustrating that she couldn''t actually use them. "Even a genius can''t do this." He inadvertently muttered, but it had already reached Dolores'' ears. She narrowed her eyes and red at Reed. "You look happy? Are you happy that I can''t even grasp this?" "I was just a little surprised, there''s no ill intent." "Just wait and see. I''ll learn it all too. I''ll tten your nose oppa." "Provocations aren''t good. And don''t call me oppa right now. I''m serious." "I don''t like it. What are you going to do?" He couldn''t understand why the quick-witted tower master acted like a child in front of him. "Then I''ll call you in a roundabout way." "Go ahead, try it! Then I''ll call you even more intimately." "How?" "That... so..." Rolling her eyes, Dolores tried to squeeze out words and looked up adorably. "...Oppang?" [T/N: "??" (pronounced as oppang) is a Korean term that refers to a type of sweet bread or pastry. It is a popr snack in South Korea and is often enjoyed by both children and adults.] "Pfft." It was a magical word that made the listener feel embarrassed. Dolores, who actually said it, seemed to be embarrassed as well, as she bit her lips and avoided eye contact. She realized that she had crossed the line. Reed looked down at her with the mostposed expression he could muster. "If you''re going to do it, keep going." "...I''ll restrain myself." Dolores acknowledged her rampage and restrained herself. Reed tried his best to shake off the shock of the word ''Oppang'' as he looked at her. "Anyway, I gave you the information, so now it''s time for me to receive it." "Wait, was that the original purpose?" "Where in the world do wizards just give things away? We have to trade." "Well, I don''t really want to trade since I feel like I received something useless as a tower master. Who gives away unwrapped information in an information trade? It''s the tower master''s fault for revealing its value." Yes, it was a wrong move. However. "I just don''t want to deceive the people I care about." "..." Dolores'' body stiffened. The word ''care'' seemed to tickle her whole body. She looked up at Reed, biting her lower lip hard to suppress a burst ofughter. "You''re really cunning. Talking about business and all, then suddenlying in like this... What do you want?" "We need to strengthen the defense spells in our tower. I''d like you to share the spells used in your tower." "Why? Did someone trespass?" Yes, the Spirit King did. "As you know, we''re not focusing on defense magic as we''re immersed in magical engineering. Although we''re allies, the Hupper territory has offensive wizards, and among the wizards of the towers we can trust, we have to..." "Then, ask the tower master of the Greenwood Tower... No." Dolores started to speak but then hung her head. She was making rational remarks but suddenly remembered the things she had done, and her emotions boiled up. Her face looked like a cat that had its fish stolen. "You''ve made a wise choice. You can count on me." "Is that so?" "I''ll let you know what spells we use in our tower. That''s the end of our trade." "Let''s do that." As a price, Reed gave up four runes. It didn''t matter. He had to give them up anyway, and in return, he obtained spells to strengthen the tower''s defense, so he thought the price was enough. "Now that the business is over, can you call me Oppang?" "I won''t." Her expression was even sharper than when she was asked to call him in a roundabout way. Reed was happy to have one more thing to tease her about. Chapter 97.1 Eternal Teachings (1) There was always a question that the visiting nobles and merchants seemed to ask as if it were a rite of passage. And sure enough, a noble asked that question while riding in a carriage. "Is this really the wildnd of the Kalton Mountains that I''ve heard about?" The carriage rolled along a well-maintained road. Despite the view outside, it didn''t feel wild at all. It looked like a forestndscape along any royal road. "I was surprised too. I came here saying the same thing as you." "I heard it took over a year just to make a path in a ce where no path could be made, but they managed to do it." "It''s literally thend of opportunity! Many nobles are looking to invest right now. I brought you here because I really wanted you to invest as well." "Hmm, it''s not good for a lord to wander around carelessly..." "What lord? He''s no different from a vige chief." "You!" He was a noble with a title and territory, but he was a low-ranking noble who ruled over a remote region, like one who had been exiled far away. Although he was a lord and a noble, there was nothing he could do. At most, he had to go to the kingdom for approval when it was necessary. He could barely be called a noble,cking even the luxury of living off the meager ie for the development fund of the kingdom. Such a noble needed investment, and the merchant had brought him to the Kalton Mountains for that investment. Finally, they began to see something that could be called a building after passing through the forest. ''It''s big enough to be considered a small country.'' Unlike what they had expected from an orc city with wooden walls, the castle was made of stone. Moreover, it was not made of rough stones stacked and hardened with mud, but processed into rectangr-shaped stones. ''There''s an abundance of stone, but...'' Even if there were plenty of raw stones, processing them took a lot of time. There were no mages among the orcs. If they were to make all those stones by hand, it would take a tremendous amount of time just to process them. "Did the orcs hire mages as well?" "I''ve heard that they''re getting help from the Silence Tower, but it has nothing to do with the walls." Knowing where the noble''s question came from, he answered ordingly. "Are you saying it has nothing to do with it? Then are you saying that the orcs made this themselves?" "They helped, but it''s like they didn''t help?" "I don''t understand what you''re saying at all." The merchant chuckled. "You''ll understand when you follow me." Following the merchant''s words, the noble passed through the arch-shaped gate and entered inside. The Orc Alliance, called Barchan, was strikingly simr to the royal roads they had seen before. They had expected that there would be stone buildings since they had the technology to build walls, but they were surprised that even the architectural style was copied. Someone greeted them in front of the entrance, looking up at the wholendscape. "Wee to the Orc Alliance, Barchan." The noble, who had intended to pass by without thinking, stopped in surprise. The one who greeted them with a dull tone was an orc. He was properly dressed and offered a greeting unique to Althea believers. "Don''t look down on him. He''s our guide." "Who said I was looking down on him! Ahem! Greetings, guide sir." As he received the orc''s greeting, the noble offered one in return. "I apologize for my manner of speaking." "It''s fine. This friend here doesn''t care much about that either." "Ahem! A noble must maintain his dignity! ...But it doesn''t matter." The noble took a quick nce at the orc''s figure. He stood at 2 meters tall, and his broad shoulders made even the noble''s rtivelyrge body seem small. ''He wouldn''t look strange even if he was folded in half.'' That''s why the noble couldn''t dare to say anything he didn''t like. "Have you seen me before, merchant?" "Yes. I visited once before for investment. This gentleman here is here for the first time." "Then I will exin once more. Orcs are rough. So just follow the guide. Do not go anywhere else. Understand?" "I understand." The noble nodded, hearing the warning. Although they had developed enough to build high walls, the security was not stabilized. Having given all the warnings, the guide orc nodded and began to lead them. Walking behind him, the noble asked the merchant. "Did the orcs build all this civilization?" "No. I heard they received help from the Hupper Kingdom." "I know well that they have an alliance with the Hupper Kingdom." Although it was his first time in Barchan today, the rtionship with the Hupper Kingdom was well-known. And he had heard it from the merchant beforeing here, so he couldn''t help but know. Thud-thud-thud-! Whiiiiing-! "What''s that noise?" The noise carried by the wind. Instead of frowning, he was curious about the unfamiliar sound. "It''s the sound of a rock-breaking machine, called a magic stone saw." "A rock-breaking machine, magic stone saw?" As the noble expressed his doubt, the guiding orc gestured for them to follow. Following the orc, the noise became rougher, and they arrived at the construction site. "What is that thing...?" The noble''s eyes widened. * * * Dream big tl dot [Original Source ¨C dreambigtl .] * * * Half-naked orcs were wearing helmets and holding something. There were devices for breaking stones and whirring devices for cutting down trees. "That''s a rock-breaking machine. That''s a magic stone saw. The rock-breaking machine breaks rocks. The magic stone saw cuts trees." In an instant, a huge rock was split. Not only that, but they also carved the rock into a certain shape. ''It''s truly an amazing thing!'' It looked like magic as one person aplished the intricate work that would take four or five people to do. "Can I see that thing up close?" "Many people are curious. So we show it separately." As if they had prepared it in advance, they pointed to a table on one side. A magic stone saw and a rock-breaking machine were ced on it. The noble began to observe the rock-breaking machine and magic stone saw they were using. As they observed, they were both surprised at the same point. "I''ve seen this before... Isn''t this the mark of the Silence Tower?" The logo on the device was the same as the one on their recording device. The merchant nodded. "That''s right. It''s a product of the Silence Tower." "So they''ve been making these things while their mentions have be scarce?" "I found out when I came here too. They said they couldn''t announce it yet since it''s still in the testing phase." He came to invest in mine development and rted matters, but what caught the noble''s eye was not such a thing. ''With this kind of thing, there''s no need to ask a mage for help.'' Dealing with mages was limited to lower nobles unless they were of high rank. It was difficult to manage a noble-born mage, and even a skilledmoner mage had high pride, so they wouldn''t do such menial tasks under a lower noble. If it was a problem that could be solved with money, they would rather spend more money, which was morefortable for them. "With such an item, I would think the merchant alliance would be quite interested..." "People like you are already pushing for contracts with the Silence Tower." It provided a means for prideful nobles to maintain their dignity and a desire for merchants who wanted to make more money to monopolize it. Although everyone came to Barchan to invest, the growing interest was in the Silence Tower. Chapter 97.2 The capital of the Hupper Kingdom, Cohen. Morgan II asked Reed, who was sitting on the other side, in an excited voice. "Have you heard about the situation in Barchan?" "Yes. I''ve heard that merchants and nobles are visiting frequently." There was a boom in mining resource investment, so many nobles were visiting. Even if they were not interested, they pretended to ride the trend to show that they were on board. "It seems they are interested in the items from the Tower, as expected." "Isn''t it a joint production? Half of it was all built by Your Majesty." With thepliment, Morgan II smiled. "How is it on the side of the Silence Tower?" "They show interest as you''d expect, given that we want to showcase our products... But there are more love calls than I imagined." Their simple request was to inform them if there were any future products being made. ''A device that frees you from the hands of a mage and makes things easily and conveniently.'' That was the purpose of magical engineering. Knowledge is more important than money. And influence is more important than knowledge. If they show their influence, they will gradually dedicate their knowledge to them. A satisfied smile spread across Reed''s face. As time went by, it proved that he was not wrong, so he couldn''t help but smile. "How is the Hupper Kingdom?" "Thanks to you, our national wealth is umting. Oh! Today, the saintesses are visiting." [T/N: Will be referring to holy maidens as saintesses from now on, as it fits well in the sentence.] "The saintesses... You must be referring to the twin saintesses." "Yes." "Perhaps they are ttering the Hupper Kingdom because the conversion in the Orc Alliance is going smoother than expected?" "Well, a strong financial line is needed for a pious mindset." "You say it without hesitation." "Since I achieved this not alone but with the Tower Master, I can say this much with sincerity, can''t I?" Morgan smiled faintly. Although he smiled maturely, he still seemed like a child in Reed''s eyes. "However, it seems to be mainly due to a cult religion." "A cult religion?" "Do you know about the Eternal Church?" "I don''t." The very mages of the Tower avoided discussing religion. If Morgan II hadn''t mentioned it, he would have never known about it. ''Eternal Church? What is that?'' Considering it was never mentioned even once in , it must be one of the countless cult religions that briefly flourished and then copsed. There were always quests involving cults, and he had seen countless cults destroyed through those quests, so he assumed it was one of them. "Their religion is that death is not the end, and they will be reborn to lead everything correctly." "Rebirth... It wouldn''t be weed by the Althea Church." "It seems they are trying to interrogate to find out their headquarters." "Don''t they have separate interrogators?" "As I mentioned, we are in a position where we are making a lot of profitstely..." Since they both knew the content, they didn''t repeat the words and finished with a smile. Reed stood up from his seat. "Then it''s best to end the meeting here. I''ll take my leave." "Are you leaving already? The saintesses will be here soon, wouldn''t it be good to exchange greetings at least?" "Originally, mages and priests are on bad terms with each other. Although mages of the workshop have the best rtionship with religion, the mages of the Tower will be hostile." "Ah, I see. I''m sorry." "It''s something you wouldn''t know. Just like I don''t know about religion, this is a matter of mages." Having a close rtionship with religious organizations is a different dimension from being friendly with the mages of the workshop. Coborating with the Hupper Kingdom also required setting certain conditions and limitations, and only sharing a certain amount of information. However, if Reed became entangled with the Althea Church, even his position as the Tower Master could be in danger. "Helios, the chairman, always judges everything fairly and justly." He was definitely not someone who would favor Reed. "Then I''ll be on my way." "Yes, please be careful." Reed left the reception room and walked down the corridor. As he walked down the corridor, he saw a knight escorting someoneing around the corner. ''The saintesses.'' The ones they were escorting were the twin saintesses. A woman in ck inquisitor''s clothes. And a woman in white priest''s clothes walked side by side. ''ck is Rachel. White is Isel, right?'' Since they were the most usefulpanions and NPCs, they were deeply engraved in his memory. As useful as they were, they were also dangerous figures. ''They don''t like mages...'' Reed tried to pass them by, pretending not to know them. A white handkerchief fell to the floor where they had passed. With a golden thread, the handkerchief with the symbol of the Althea Church embroidered on the corner was unmistakably the saintess''s handkerchief. As it was noticeably there, Reed, who had to be a gentleman, couldn''t ignore it. Perhaps it could be an opportunity to build goodwill? "Please wait." With that thought, Reed spoke to the saintesses as he turned to look at them. The saintesses, who were moving with their escort, stopped in their tracks. Reed walked towards them with the handkerchief and handed it over. "You dropped this, Saintess." Reed handed the handkerchief to the woman with the ck cloth around her eyes, Isel. Whether it was the correct answer or not, Ihel touched the corner of her mouth with her hand and said, "Oh dear, it seems I identally dropped it. How embarrassing." Isel took the handkerchief Reed handed her. "...!!" Reed was taken aback. Contrary to his expectation that she would take the handkerchief, Isel wrapped her hand around the white cloth and held his hand. Holding his hand tightly as if in prayer, she spoke with a sweet voice, "Thank you very much, Tower Master." Chapter 98.1 Eternal Teachings (2) Isel and Rachel. Only one person can be a saintess, like the Pope, but for the first time, there was an exception in the Althea Order. At noon, when the sun is at its highest. At the same time and day, twin sisters were born, emitting an enormous amount of divine power in the same prophetic moment. They could be considered blessed from the moment they were born, breaking even the existing policies of the Althea Order. One of them, Isel, was the Saintess of Meditation. Always with her eyes closed, she held a ''gentle'' image with her dark nickname. ck hair and white jade-like skin. Despite wearing minimal makeup befitting her devout religious lifestyle, her beauty could not be hidden. It was enough to elicit admiration at first sight. "We also use the tower''s items in our Althea Order." Her sweet voice moistened the ears. Her breath, as it fluttered from her mouth, was as smooth as silk, and Reed was almost captivated. "Are you talking about the recorder?" Reed regained hisposure and smiled politely. Isel nodded her head. The hand holding his stirred and stimted Reed. "Yes. Since I am a saintess, I don''t know much about the outside world, so I hardly ever get to listen to the music of a bard. That''s why I listen to the recordings given to me by the nobles." "How many volumes do you have?" "I have 5." "Thetest ones. We are currently recording volumes 6 and 7. If I had known that you would be listening, I would have prepared them for you." "Is that for me?" "Of course." Isel smiled brightly and showed her white teeth. Reed was taken aback by her reaction. ''Why is she like this, this woman?'' Isel never got close to anyone. She would bestow kindness, but she didn''t give her heart. She always knew where to draw the line, and afterpleting her mission, she treated everyone formally. The same was true for the protagonist. She was what they call an unattainable character. No matter what you do, she wouldn''t open her heart. ''But...'' This woman, even though they just met, was acting familiar with Reed, and she looked at him with a very happy face. ''Calcting?'' No, it didn''t feel like that. He had seen this face before, even with Phoebe. Her face was like that of a girl who had met her idol. It was the look of a child who wanted to hold on for a long time, spilling out every story they had. "Ugh." Reed felt an unintentional chill as he continued the awkward conversation and was taken aback. He subtly raised his head to peek at the source of the chill. The one who clearly revealed the chill was looking at this ce. A woman who looked exactly like Isel but had fierce eyes. ''Is it Rachel?'' The Silent Saintess, Rachel. She wore a cloth over her mouth and had never spoken a word, earning her the dark nickname of silence. If Isel was ''gentle,'' Rachel had a demeanor that suited the word ''strict.'' ''Right, if you have the eyes to see a magician, it should be like that.'' Reed understood as he looked at her. Even though they were twins, there were some things they didn''t have inmon, apanied by admiration. "We always use the tower''s items to listen to our choir''s music." "It''s surprising and a great honor that the saintess uses them. I thought the Althea Order would forbid such things." "We thought it was the best device to spread the teachings. Though it may not be a human voice, if it can guide everyone to be happy under the light, shouldn''t we also take an interest?" "You are very flexible in your thinking." "If it''s a means to convey good words, there''s no need to insist on the old-fashioned." Isel smiled and then, as if realizing something, covered her mouth with her left hand. "Oh, I''ve been holding you up too long. I''m sorry." She let go of Reed''s hand. At the same time, she took the handkerchief he had been holding. "It was nice to meet you, Tower Master." Rachel and Isel started walking again. Reed quietly watched their retreating figures. It was a first meeting with lingering feelings. However, it wasn''t the lingering feeling one would have for the opposite sex. ''It''s strange.'' If he had to say it, it felt like an error in the setting. There is no doubt that Reed approached on purpose, but somehow Reed felt ufortable as if he had been manipted. It was slightly different from the image of the saintess he had seen so far. ''Still, since there''s no trouble in the encounter, is it a good thing?'' Reed knew the two well. Twin saintesses, Isel and Rachel. Within the Althea Order, there was no one who could match the Saintess of Meditation in priestly abilities, and no one who could follow the Silent Saintessin swordsmanship abilities. ''And when the two arebined.'' Their abilitiesbine as if one mind controls two bodies, creating synergy. * * * Dream big tl dot [Original Source ¨C dreambigtl .] * * * Being the best in two fields bes the strongest in every aspect, invincible. They were a reassuring ally, but if they became an enemy, they were one of the people Reed never wanted to fight. ''Should I be grateful that those two do not have any malice towards me for now?'' As long as there are no personal issues, only organizational issues need to be resolved. He could only hope that the tower''s magicians wouldn''t deepen their conflict with the Althea Order. Chapter 98.2 Meanwhile, Isel and Rachel were walking through Cohen''s inner city. They stood in front of the real estate office. "You can go in here, Saintess." "Thank you, Captain. May the light''s protection be with you." Just as Isel was about to open the door, someone grabbed her wrist. It was Rachel. Her fierce eyes stared at Isel. Isel realized the meaning and smiled. She turned her head and spoke to the escorts. "Please go back now. I have something to talk about with my sister for a moment." "We must escort you until you enter. Please understand." "It''s ady''s conversation. It''s a serious offense for men to eavesdrop. So......" Her moist, pale lips parted. "Please." Hearing her words, the men looked at each other. They were loyal knights, but they felt an irresistible urge to listen to her voice. A soft feeling, like stroking a cat on one''sp. Under that gentle pressure, the men stepped back. Only Isel and Rachel remained in front of the office. "Is it because of that time?" Isel asked. "......" "Rachel. It''s difficult when you re at me like that. The Tower Master was embarrassed." "......" "I know you were watching me. But the Tower Master might think differently, right?" "......" "Oh dear, it''s called cutting in line. This is also a strategy, you know. Men like fateful encounters. And we are twins. Rachel is me, and I am Rachel. If they like me, they will undoubtedly like Rachel as well." "......" "Hehe, Rachel. Don''t be so happy. You give it away so easily." Isel joyfully covered Rachel''s face with both hands. When she took them away, Rachel had returned to her stern expression. The mask was remade, and Isel, with a satisfied face, opened the door that hadn''t been opened. "Nice to meet you." Inside, a woman with elegant blonde hair greeted them. It was Adonis Hupper. "Regent Hupper. May the protection of Althea be with you." "Nice to meet you, Saintess. May the protection of Althea be with you." After exchanging greetings with the Althea Order, Isel asked with a smile. "But we were supposed to meet with His Majesty Morgan. Why is the regent greeting us?" "Although he is a king, he still has a tender heart. It must be difficult for him to see his people being punished." "You say his people." Isel smiled. However, Adonis sensed an ufortable nuance subtly emanating from that smile. "I apologize, Saintess. His Majesty Morgan would think so. Please understand for now." "As a sister who considers the king, I understand your affection. However, you must always possess the ability to judge evil. Evil always mixes with us nearby. At first, it may seem right, but the pests that corrupt the foundation will reveal their true nature. Then they will try to test your judgment." A truly devout believer''s statement. It was a cold statement, unlike the impression of a merciful saintess. "I will always be careful." "Well, then let''s go meet that heretic." "He''s in the underground dungeon. Are you going to walk all the way there?" "Let''s go down." Adonis politely guided them to the underground dungeon. As a ce where all sorts of criminals were imprisoned, the smell was terribly foul, like a sewer. Other nobles would haveined about the smell, but the two of them didn''t flinch. The warden opened the iron bars of the prison where the prisoner was locked up. Inside, a man was kneeling, bound with ropes. The guard went in first, followed by Isel, Rachel, and Adonis. The man, who had been quietly kneeling, opened his eyes and raised his head, feeling the sensation of being surrounded. The first thing he saw was the emblem of the Althea Order. "Althea religion...?" "Nice to meet you for the first time." Isel politely greeted him. Then, the man couldn''t hold back his anger and shouted. "Filthy ones! What light are you! Even if it''s a different belief, tying up innocent people like this! Aren''t you who im to be the light ashamed?" "How pitiful. He doesn''t even know what crime hemitted." Isel smiled and shrugged off the insult. "But don''t worry. We will do our best to guide you to the path of light until the very end." Isel knelt and sped her hands. "I will pray for you. What''s your name?" "I have no name to tell you filthy ones!" "I see." Isel smiled. "I don''t know about you, but for us, the Eternal Religion leads us to salvation. We just need their salvation!" "Oh, how pitiful..." Her words carried a hint of moisture. She pressed her lips with the index finger of both hands that were brought to her cheeks. Her eyes were not visible, but they could feel it. How much she pitied this man. Isel began to pray. Lord, Althea. A lostmb strays from your embrace today, walking the wrong path. Please let this youngmb see your light again... After the devout prayer ended, Isel raised her head again. "Saving you who worship false prophets, false prophecies, and falsehoods is our duty." Isel leaned in closer to the man. "So." Isel showed something in her right hand. It was a small piece of paper. "Show us your true self." Ting-. The vibration of the air spread the mana. As soon as they heard the bell sound, a change urred. "Ugh, ugh ugh!" The man''s body twisted with the sound of frothing. Seeing the change, the guards began to be on alert, aiming their spears. When the man raised his head again, everyone''s eyes widened in shock. "Those eyes!" "A demon?!" On top of the white sclera, there were red pupils on the ck iris. It was the appearance of a demon, which had long been hidden and existed only in records. "Is this the salvation you wanted, such a hideous appearance?" "This damned witch...!" "Where has that wronged appearance gone? Even if you can deceive others, you cannot deceive me, you heretic who worships falsehood." Thunk-! The ropes binding him tore like a string. He rushed at the saintess with a speed that couldn''t be that of a civilian. "I''ll slit your throat!" He swung his nails towards the saintess''s throat. But they didn''t reach her. Adonis''s feet were faster. Crash! A loud noise echoed through the underground dungeon. It was a powerful blow that would have killed anyone, even if they weren''t ordinary people. "Ugh..." He groaned, enduring the blow. Thwack! Before the demon could regain his senses, Adonis quickly approached and grabbed his arms. Snap! True to her title of "Giant yer," she crushed the demon''s enhanced body like an empty can. The demon, with his broken elbows, let his arms hang limp. Adonis didn''t stop there; she forcefully kicked both legs with her iron boots. Crack! The demon''s knees bent outward, and he copsed. It took only 0.5 seconds to immobilize all four limbs. A moment''s hesitation had rendered all four limbs useless. "You monster...like child." "It seems you''re the monster." Adonis frowned in disgust. The demon had lost both hands and feet. Yet he didn''t scream once. Instead, he looked up at Adonis with a more venomous face. It was her first time seeing a demon. ''There''s no fear.'' Most life forms without fear were irrational beings that ran amok. But this man''s face was calm. Was he unable to feel pain? He thought, but it was different. He was infinitely rational. "You truly have the skills of Hupper Kingdom''s shield. Thank you for subduing the demon, Regent. Now it''s our turn." "......Yes." "Would you mind stepping aside?" At her request, Adonismanded the guards and left. Isel sat there quietly, and Rachel sat beside her. Her eyes, full of life, stared at the demon. And she felt it. Until their footsteps were far enough away. "Miss, didn''t Althea say she showed mercy to those who are willing to convert?" "...." "If it''s the light of mercy, then we will convert. Will you spare my life? Orcs have converted too, haven''t they? Why can''t a demon?" It was not a sincere expression of the desire to convert, but rather a mockery. The two faces of the Althea sect. Pressuring other religions while showing mercy. Heughed, pointing out that contradiction. If he had said it to a priest, it would have been deeply unpleasant. But Isel didn''t waver at all. When she realized that they were the only ones left in that space, Isel spoke again. "Your religion is the Eternal Church, right?" "Yes." "How many demons have infiltrated the Eternal Church? At least that leader is surely a demon... and even ay believer like you is a demon, so it''s not just the leaders who should be punished." "Do you think we''ll tell you that?" Isel smiled slyly. "Yes. What you want is the death of humans. For that death, individual deaths mean nothing." Isel didn''t interrogate him anymore. Rachel stood up from her seat. A sword had somehow appeared in her hand. "But you will be a very proud martyr of our church. Even though you are a demon, you will admit your own sins and atone for them by dying." "Do you think we''ll be swayed by such a petty trick? Humans don''t understand demons." The demon was confident. "I wonder. Will they really?" Isel approached him cautiously and spoke. "I''ll tell you one secret about myself, a martyr like you." Isel whispered in his ear. As she breathed into his ear, the demon''s face, which had been smirking with every breath, gradually stiffened. His face, which he was sure wouldn''t be shaken by anything, hardened. He looked up at Isel again. Isel, who had a benevolent face, felt like a monster. "To think the saintly bitch was.... was a more wicked than us." "Thank you." The demon, who had learned the secret, could no longer continue speaking. His head rolled coldly on the floor. Chapter 99.2 Reed thought of "Project: Flower Garden", the source of all evil. ''If the research on the Flower Garden had proceeded in secret, there would undoubtedly be no need to worry about this kind of trouble.'' However, "Project: Flower Garden" had been abandoned. And there were no thoughts of reviving it. Since it was a project that used Rosaria, Reed didn''t even consider using it. It was a stubbornness that had arisen sinceing to this world and bing Reed. ''We have magical engineering.'' While otherspete with magic, Reedpetes through magical engineering. He believed that it was enough. "By the way." The Monolith Tower Master, opened his mouth. "If they can transform into humans to that extent, wouldn''t they have blended in to some extent, not only within the Althea Order but also in our towers...?" "Don''t make such assumptions." Helios, the chairman who usually remains silent, cut off the conversation. The Monolith Tower Master, startled by his attitude, closed his mouth. "The division within is precisely what the demon race desires. They want all humans to die. Their job is to parasitize our minds and grow suspicions. Don''t engage in self-doubt." "I apologize, chairman." The Monolith Tower Master apologized, wiping his cold sweat with a handkerchief. It was very rare for the chairman, who usually let everyone speak, to interrupt someone''s words. "Since the Tower Master of Monolith Tower has mentioned it, let''s say this now. For the time being, refrain from making remarks that raise suspicions among the tower masters." Once you start doubting, you can''t do anything. Helios judged that unity was needed at this time. The tower master''s meeting ended with that. "Reed." At the timing of getting up and greeting each other, Freesia, who was handstanding next to him, called him. "Our Reed, who still doesn''t keep his promises, won''t you take a look at your sister for a moment?" "Sure." "Hehe, our Reed used to have a deadly expression every time he saw his sister, but now he''s all smiles. Are you going to die?" "I''m sorry." Although he said sorry, the smile didn''t leave Reed''s face. Freesia could no longer hold back her irritation. "What is this?!" "Ugh!" Although she couldn''t use both hands while handstanding, her legs were free instead. She was adept at kicking, just like throwing a punch. Rather, the target point was higher, making it easier to hit a vital spot. "You were caught off guard. You must have thought I couldn''t do this?" "Indeed... you''re quite flexible." She made a swishing sound with her mouth as she showed off her legwork. It was a frivolous behavior that didn''t feel like a 132-year-old woman. But no matter what she did, Reed kept smiling. Looking down at Freesia''s hand standingwas more thrilling than he had imagined. It was even more so than when he had called her separately two days before the tower master meeting and informed her of the existence of the smander. While recording the video, Rosaria showed Freesia the smander that transformed into four attributes directly. Freesia looked down at the smander with a half-wide-eyed expression and half-irritated expression. -It''s exactly one month. With that, Freesia began hand-standing with her hands. The moment her body flipped upside down, Rosaria''s face shone brighter than ever before. Whether it was the thrill of tricking someone or the wonder of supporting the ground with both hands. In Reed''s opinion, thetter seemed most likely. Because Rosaria had rolled countless times next to Freesia, saying, "I want to try it too!" Although she didn''t intend to provoke her, Freesia''s expression became even more distorted by Rosaria''s innocent actions. "What''s the matter?" "I wanted to talk about this beforehand because I think you''ll have the hardest time with this incident." "What do you mean I''ll have a hard time?" "It''s about that wretch you brought with you." She meant Rosaria. "Does Rosaria have a problem?" "Now that this matter has escted, the tower masters and other mages will dig into Rosaria, the girl''s origins." "Is it because of her red eyes?" "That''s part of it. But if it were just her red eyes, they wouldn''t have been so suspicious. Don''t I have red eyes too?" Like Rosaria, her eyes were red but not entirely bright red; they were mixed with a dull color. "Unlike me, who was originally like this and well-known by all tower masters including Helios, your daughter is different. She suddenly appeared, possesses the ''Eternal Hole'' that mages have dreamed of, and has tremendous potential. Even I see her as the most suspicious one." "I see." "If there''s even a little bit of a w, they will bite and pull on you. You understand what I''m saying?" Reed nodded. "You''re saying I should thoroughly investigate Rosaria. Thank you for the advice." Freesia, hand standing, smiled brightly. "If you''re grateful, Reed, take care of your sister from now on. You got it?" "Yes." "And can I stop hand standing now? I''m thinking about you, Reed, and you can think about your sister just a little bit, right? Huh?" ¡°I can''t do that. It''s not like I made a bet. How can I do that?¡± Reed responded coldly. "You''re such an unhelpful guy." Freesia stuck out her tongue and walked away using both hands. As she said, Rosaria would be suspected. ''And it may not stop at suspicion.'' What if malice goes beyond suspicion? If they be jealous of Rosaria''s talent and harbor ill-will towards her? ''If I have to helplessly watch that happen...'' He shook off the distracting thoughts. He didn''t even want to imagine it. He couldn''t just watch his daughter being harassed by others. To be her shield, Reed had to take action. ''Let''s put an end to this incident quickly.'' He was more enthusiastic than ever before. Chapter 100.1 Demon Race (2) Reed once again asked Leto to gather information about Rosaria. He carefully went through everything from the ce where she was first discovered to see if there was really nothing that could be a clue. Money was not an issue from the beginning. Reed made sure Leto couldn''t have any other thoughts by offering both threats and generous rewards. ''I wish there was some news, even if no news is good news.'' That way, he could deal with it. All Reed wanted was for Leto to be loyal to his role. ''I didn''t know she had the power to detect demons.'' When Reed yed the game, the demon faction itself waspletely reduced, so there was no asion for the saintess to show such power. ''I didn''t even care that much in the first ce.'' A lingering difort that seemed to have been brushed aside. It was remembered, but it felt like a history that everyone disliked mentioning. ''Considering the scale of the emergency, it''s foolish to hope for a glossed-over solution.'' As a tower master, he did his best to bring the weapons owned by the Althea Church. He tried to focus on that. Knock, knock, knock. Heavy knocking sounds. The door slowly opened like a scene from a horror movie, and someone entered. "Ahhhh...." It was Rosaria. Rosaria walked in, dropping tears like chicken droppings. Reed got up from his seat and approached her. Seeing her like that while he was worried, his body instinctively went forward, wondering if something went wrong. "What''s wrong? Huh? Did someone bother you?" "Sniff, sniff. Well, ummm...." "Yeah, yeah. Daddy''s listening." "Mungmungburned Lucy." [T/N: Changing Meowmeow¡¯s name to Mungmung] Rosaria showed Lucy she was holding in her hand. "Oh, no...." He said it as if it was unfortunate, but Reed sighed in relief inside. Compared to his worries, this incident was a piece of cake. "I told him Lucy was precious, but he burned Lucy even though he knew." "I see." "I don''t like the dog. He''s a bad boy." Rosaria wiped her tears with her sleeve and mumbled angrily. Reed hugged Rosaria. He secretly lowered his head. The dog, who had followed her in, hung his head sadly with a gloomy expression. It seemed as if he was insisting that he didn''t do it on purpose. Reed hugged her and sat down on the sofa. "So the dog burned Rosaria''s precious friend. Yeah, that was bad." "Yes." "But the dog probably didn''t want to do that. The dog was originally a fire spirit, right?" "But it''s fine when I touch him. It''s fine for Daddy and the other sisters and brothers, so why is it only like that with Lucy? I''ve told the dog several times." "Do you know why you can touch the dog, Rosaria?" "¡­Why?" "The dog deliberately cools down its hot body, so Rosaria doesn''t get hurt. Just like it''s cold when you go out in thin clothes in the middle of winter, the dog prepares itself to be in Rosaria''s arms." "¡­" "It seems the dog couldn''t properly prepare when it was with Lucy." "I see." Rosaria, with teary and runny eyes from sadness, lifted her head. Knowing that the dog didn''t do it out of malice, half of her sadness disappeared. Reed wiped her tears with his thumb and said. "So, try to talk to the dog well. Let''s solve this issue together." "Yes." She wiped the remaining tears with her own clothes and swallowed her runny nose with a ''sniff''. Rosaria stepped out of Reed''s arms and stood in front of the dog. The red smander. The smander with a peculiarlyrge head had captured Rosaria''s heart. Yes, she could forgive its mischievous behavior. Rosaria hugged the dog. "I''m sorry, dog. I''m sorry for calling you a bad boy." - Meow... "Rosaria is the bad one. I said harsh words to the dog. - Meow! Meow! "¡­Do you think so too? Was Rosaria bad?" - Meow! The dog shook its head with all its strength. The conversation seemed to be getting through, but it was subtly off. The dog leaned its head against Rosaria and licked her face with its tongue. After the warmth of its tongue licked her face several times, the tearful face turned into a smile. ''That''s right, there''s no way that child is a demon.'' Her bright and altruistic personality waspletely different from the demons who sought to destroy humanity. After the two reconciled, Phoebe entered the room. "Oh, Miss. You''re here~." "Phoebe, look at this." "What? Oh my! Why is Lucy like this? Who did this?" "The dog identally burned it. Can you fix it, sister?" Phoebe smiled and patted Rosaria''s head. "Of course~. Phoebe is a doll doctor. I''ll fix it neatly for you." "Sister is the best!" - Meow! Rosaria gave a thumbs up, and the dog chimed in. * * * Dream big tl dot [Original Source ¨C dreambigtl .] * * * Handing Lucy over to Phoebe, Rosaria picked up the dog. "¡­Phoebe." "Yes, Tower Master!" Phoebe, who was about to leave, turned her head. Reed asked her about something that had been bothering himtely. "¡­Do smanders lick people when they''re happy?" "What? Well¡­ do they¡­? I''ve never heard of such behavior¡­" Phoebe also tilted her head. Reed couldn''t remember seeing a smander cuddling up to someone and licking them with its tongue. "It''s kind of like a puppy." "Isn''t it?" The smander named Mungmung seemed to be more and more like a real dog. Chapter 100.2 As a countermeasure against the demons, Reed came up with a n. Since magic research should be the main task, the Silence Tower, which ranks lowest in magical ability, was bound to have no results. That''s why they needed cooperation. "So, you came to me?" "Yes." Reed thought of the tower master of the Greenwood Tower as the target for cooperation. He would have preferred to work with Dolores in terms of human rtionships, but the tower master of the Greenwood Tower had the upper hand in the abilities Reed was looking for. The tower master of the Greenwood Tower, Kamin Macleran Evergreen. She had deep green eyes and orange hair. Although she was in her 30s, she had skin that could pass for her mid-20s, thanks to her consistent care. "It''s not just a matter of relying on you. The fruits of magic research will be given entirely to you, the tower master of the Greenwood Tower, and we ask for the right to apply that knowledge. If you wish, we can provide more information." "Really? I might ask for something big, you know?" "If you want, we can have dinner together again sometime." "Oh, no. Dinner is, hoho¡­" Although there was nothing going on after dinner, Kamin, the Tower Master of Greenwood, could feel it as a woman. "It''s not like I have a n yet, so it''s not a loss to try the n you have, Tower Master of Silence. So, what''s the n?" "Do you know that mana is being constantly contaminated in Yggdrasil''s territory?" "...I just found out today." Yggdrasil''s territory was almost autonomous, and the Tower Master of Greenwood couldn''t interfere with it unless they came out and caused trouble. Kamin''s face turned gloomy. "Although it''s not in Yggdrasil''s territory, continuous contamination attempts are being made from the outside. The Elf Elder believes it''s the work of demons." "If the demons are trying to contaminate Yggdrasil... that means we could capture the demon alive." "We could get an excellent specimen." Even if it was a demon that couldn''t blend in with humans, it was an excellent subject for studying its characteristics. "If I use ¡°Flow Detection¡± on Yggdrasil, I can quickly find the source of the contamination." "Would you like to try?" "Sure. If Yggdrasil''s territory permits it, I''ll do it right away." Kamin nodded. "Thank you for your cooperation, Tower Master of Greenwood." "No problem. And..." Kamin tapped her lips and said. "Since we''re working together like this, how about calling each other more casually?" "What...?" "You call the Tower Master of Wallin, Dolores, don''t you? I''ve heard it all, haha!" Hearing that, Reed felt a little embarrassed. He had been formal with the other Tower Masters, but when had he shown such an attitude? "It''s just a way of speaking. It''s because of Rosaria." "What do you mean? All the Tower Masters know that the Tower Master of Wallin and Tower Master of Silence are in that kind of rtionship?" "Cough." He couldn''t pretend any longer. "I knew you two had a deep connection, but I didn''t expect you to get so close after your engagement was called off, to the point of considering reuniting." "It''s not about reuniting... Wait a minute. But then you''re asking me to have dinner with you?" "Of course." "Why?" "Firste, first served, right?" Reed wondered if he had misheard. This woman also had quite a strange personality. There were many normal people in other professions, but somehow, there were no normal people among the magicians. Kamin frowned as if she knew what Reed was thinking. "Don''t just see me as a strange person. Do you know how many women are after Tower Master Reed these days?" "I don''t know¡­ but I did receive a lot of letters once." "You kindly replied to all the letters. Besides, the Tower Master''s secretary can''t even ask to change the contact because they always receive it." "If it''s the Tower Master''s deputy... Doesn''t the rxed tone make them look a bit easygoing?" "It might be like that among the Tower Masters... but not sure. They say that not everyone asks because of the brisk and strict voice, and they just cut it off without asking." "Is that so?" Was that Phoebe''s way of dealing with it? To be honest, it was a good thing for Reed. Having many women show interest was something he could never have dreamed of in his past life. ''Even in college and after the military, romance itself was like a movie or drama.'' It existed, but it felt distant from him. ''Rather, I''m grateful in a way.'' Although he had cut off contact, Reed felt grateful to Phoebe. If he had received all those calls and talked to them one by one, the stress might have ruined his image instead. "Anyway, please don''t think I''m strange, Tower Master Reed. I''m a woman too." "I understand¡­" Reed decided to let it be. But how did the conversation end up like this? "So, can I call you Reed now?" That''s right, it was about the name. Reed wanted to ask, ''Do we really have to do that?'' but he bit his lip and nodded. "Then, I''m counting on you, Miss Macleran." "Why are you like this? Call me Kamin, Reed." "Yes, Kamin¡­" Since she had brought it up first, Reed had no choice. He felt it, but she was a quite aggressive woman. * * * Yggdrasil''s territory. Reed entered the forest of Yggdrasil''s territory, either because he was not apanied by Rosaria or because Kamin, the tower master of the Greenwood Tower, was with him. The guards guided them to the center of Yggdrasil''s territory, and they were led by Yustina, who was weing them, and went straight up the World Tree. "Wow... I never thought I''d be able to enter a ce where only the elders can enter." Kamin looked around the World Tree with a disbelieving expression. "I heard you came in to ask for our cooperation in your task." "That''s right. Didn''t you mention that the ones causing the contamination seem to be demons?" "Yes." "The Tower Master of the Greenwood is an expert in barrier magic. We intend to use her abilities to catch the one causing the contamination." Reed exined everything he had discussed with Kamin beforeing to Yggdrasil. Yustina listened carefully to Reed''s story, nodding cautiously. Elves don''t usually show their emotions. Not knowing whether their request was epted or not, they tried their best to persuade them until the end. After hearing Reed''s words, Yustina spoke. "In short, you''re saying an outsider needs to touch our mother." "Yes." "It''s quite a difficult matter. It means showing a ce where no one but the elders can look into, even other elves..." Yustina''s opinion was negative. However, the conclusion wasn''t bad. "But, we also want this lingering uneasiness to be resolved as soon as possible. Instead, we''ll need to make a pledge." Kamin nodded her head. "I know I''m not worthy. If the elder wishes, I will make a pledge." Yustina proceeded with the pledge connected to her mana with Kamin. Unlike when she was with Rosaria, it was a pledge of life made with a calm mind. Yustina was the superior party. If Kamin were to disobey her orders or show malice, she would be a corpse without being able to move. Perhaps because of that, Reed thought he should not stay still and requested Yustina. "I''ll make a pledge too. As a sign of trust." Yustina shook her head, unlike when she made a contract with Kamin. "You don''t need to. It''s fine." "Is it just because I am Rosaria''s father?" Yustina shook her head again. "Even that alone wouldn''t be enough to give such trust, would it?" Yustina gave a faint smile. It was an expression as if she knew something about Reed. ''Could it be...?'' Could she know the fact that Reed had made a contract with the Water Spirit King, Orneptos? Since the contract should not be disclosed to the public, Reed was anxious about whether it had been discovered. He roughly asked with his eyes. If she knew. Yustina answered with a nod of her head. She seemed to roughly know what the contract was about, as she didn''t say more than necessary. Reed let out a sigh of relief. Although she knew, she didn''t mention it, which was a thankful matter for Reed. On the other hand, Kamin, who didn''t know the rtionship between the two, swallowed her astonishment as she looked back and forth between Reed and Yustina. ''Could it be even the elf elders...?'' Kamin''s interpretation was quite different. She felt that Yustina was attracted to Reed. Kamin didn''t hesitate to pursue him because he had a refined charm, but she never imagined that even an elf would fall for Reed. The grass is always greener on the other side. However, this grass seemed to grow bigger and bigger as it went. Chapter 101.1 Demon Race (3) As Kamin made the oath, Yustina drew a magic circle behind Kamin''s neck. It was a kind of link device that allowed Kamin to share consciousness with the elves during the operation. "It''s not like sharing thoughts like us, but the elders will keep your mind clear through meditation." As the magic circle waspleted and Yustina poured mana into it, Kamin''s eyes shed for a moment. It was a face that seemed to have encountered ecstasy. "My goodness. I never thought elves would have such a clear mind... Has Mr. Reed ever tried this?" "No, I haven''t. How is it?" "Should I say that every magician would want to have such a clear mind? You know, when they say, ''Don''t think about a zebra,'' you think of a zebra, right? But this feels like a world where you don''t even think about that zebra." One could guess that it meant maintaining a clear mind, only thinking about what was necessary. Reed was curious if that really worked, but he kept his mouth shut. It meant that the elves had already done a great favor by connecting their minds. As soon as Kamin connected her mind with the elves¡¯ thoughts, Yustina immediately used her magic. Kamin pulled up the mana inherent in her body. A thin barrier was wrapped around her body, creating faint waves. The most important thing in a boundary magic is one''s own safety. She was unconsciously spreading detection magic for her own safety. "Flow Detection." Mana spreads into the World Tree like the wind. Her small amount of mana seeps into the World Tree and spreads. To their stems, their pirs, and their roots. "I knew the roots of Yggdrasil would be deep and wide, but I never thought they would be this extensive." "Ahem." "I''m sorry. But it''s just too amazing..." Although she apologized for her slip of the tongue, she didn''t stop admiring it. "How is it, the detection magic?" "I''m in the best condition, so I think I can even set a new personal record. As long as it doesn''t cut off, I can easily do it for a month." "Don''t overdo it." "Don''t worry about me. As long as I don''t suddenly get a cramp, I can do this without moving for days." Kamin continued to concentrate. Reed stayed still, not disturbing her any further. All Reed could do for her while she was concentrating was to wait with her. They had been waiting for days, but there was no significant result. Neither Kamin nor Reed had told anyone except their secretary about their destination when they came here. As the tower masters, they were starting to wonder how their towers were functioning. Reed was, at least, but he wasn¡¯t sure about Kamin. His seated bottom felt prickly, and distracting thoughts began to creep up. ''What if they found out?'' What if they knew that the Greenwood Tower Master Kamin and the Silence Tower Master Reed were in Yggdrasil? It would be like digging in dry, waterlessnd. ''Keep calm.'' This is fishing. To catch a big fish, you need patience. Even if you waste a few days, you have to approach it with the mindset of catching it today. Finally, the result showed. "I found the source of the contamination!" Kamin shouted. *** Outside the territory of Yggdrasil. A man in a ck robe lurked around. A shabby ck robe and an untrimmed beard, at first nce, he looked like a vagabond or a poor adventurer. He seemed to know that Yggdrasil''s territory was thend of the elves and was lurking around it. However, if someone who could see a little more observed him more closely, they would see differently. He was observing the flow of mana in the ground, the ley lines. He searched for something while examining the ley lines that spread out as chaotically as blood vessels in the body. Finally, he found something in between them. It must be part of the roots of the World Tree. Unlike the mana that manifests in blue, what condensed in his hand was a dark and heavy energy. He began to pour the unpleasant energy, which would make anyone frown, into the ground. The man, who thought he had infused enough, took his hand off and stood up. That''s when it happened. Swoosh! An arrow, cutting through the wind, flew fiercely. It aimed precisely at the head of the robed stranger. The one who shot the arrow was the elf sentinel. As soon as they found the location, they rushed and sniped at the one attempting to contaminate the World Tree. The distance was about 300 meters. At that distance, it urately targeted the vital point. Pwoosh! The arrow pierced through the hood of the robe. The arrow, which was aimed at the head, stuck into the ground. However, only a ck cloth was left in the ce where the man had been standing. "¡­!" The elf sentinels, who thought they had hit the target, searched the surroundings. Left? Right? Where did he go? As they wondered, the shadow looming over their heads grewrger. It was above. "Danger!" An elf in a green vest kicked hispanion with his foot. A sharp trajectory creates a shadow of death. The elf sentinel raised her head and checked the green-vested elf who had kicked him. His body was split into three parts. The foot that kicked her, the torso, and the neck. Behind her was the man who had driven him to death. His weapon was his sharp fingernails. A ck hand, now painted with red blood. ''Magic hand!'' As an elf who shared thoughts, she knew what that hand was. She raised his head and checked the man''s eyes. Red eyes with ck pupils. He had the unmistakable features of a demon. His disheveled gray beard parted. "Fortunately." A heavy voice flowed from the man''s rough mouth. One could feel the coldness that could freeze even midsummer. "Elves are delicious to tear apart." The man shook his hand, sttering blood on the ground. The demonic hand, with ck scales and thorn-like fingernails, pointed at the elf sentinel. The elf''s spirit wavered at the sight of hisrade''s corpse. Fear of death, despair, sadness, and anger. But that was only for a moment. The elf maintained herposure without time to dwell on sadness. In the blink of an eye, she red at the monster that had taken a life. The monster attacked the elf at a swift speed. Swoosh! * * * Dream big tl dot [Original Source ¨C dreambigtl .] * * * The woman hit the ground and the sharp w marks streaked through the air. The elf, whonded on the ground, slung her bow over her shoulder and drew a dagger. She absorbed the recoil heading backward with her knee and sprang forward like a spring. The dagger in her hand struck the demonic man. ng! The elf''s dagger was blocked by the back of the demon''s hand. The ckened skin was as hard as metal. At just one sh, the elf sentinel was certain. She wouldn''t be able tond an effective hit on this man. ''He''s a monster I can''t handle alone.'' She couldn''t stop him with his own abilities. With that certainty, she slightly increased the distance between them. "I don''t know how you found out, but I can assure you one thing. You won''t be able to stop me on your own." "¡­" "Why not do a messenger''s job? Instead of both of us dying, it''s better for one to survive and deliver the news of despair, isn''t it?" Whoo, whoo. The elf sentinel didn''t answer. She just caught his breath and adjusted her grip on the dagger. If she can''t defeat him, he''ll buy time so he can''t escape. "Elves are really troublesome." Chapter 101.2 The man sneered. He knew the elf wouldn''t run away. He just hoped to see that kind of attitude. The elf was the first to attack. Thump! She kicked the ground,unching his body like a bullet. Two daggers held in reverse grip crossed in both hands, emitting a sharp light. She aimed for the man''s neck, which was not covered in scales. ng! ng! The man''s hands blocked the attack. Pushing the dagger away, he counterattacked. ng ng! The sound of metal friction as the dagger and hand collided. In terms of martial arts alone, the two were evenly matched, and the oue was hardly determined. However, the hardness of the elf''s dagger was inferior to the man''s arm. Snap! The de broke, and fragments flew. The man''s hand pierced through the fragments and pierced the elf''s neck. Whoosh! "Argh!" She forcibly moved her body to avoid the blow aimed at her neck. But avoiding his attackpletely was impossible. Her neck was torn, and bright red blood flowed down. It was a wound on the carotid artery. The elf forcibly kicked the demonic man''s body, widening the distance. "Haah, haah¡­" The elf wrapped her torn neck with her hand and breathed. She realized that even if she tried any further, she wouldn''t be able to buy time and would die. "Yourrade won''t be lonely." White teeth appeared between the demon man''s beard. He seemed to enjoy the moment, slowly closing the distance and approaching. It was then when the elf needed a glimmer of hope. Something flew towards them. Something flew at the demon man. It was an attack aimed at the head, but this time, he didn''t dodge it and caught it instead. "What''s this?" What flew was not an arrow. It was tter and less aggressive. It was a card. The demon man looked at the card. A single unreadable character was written on it. The character turned bright red. This was not an ordinary object. Realizing that it wasn''t an ordinary object, he tried to throw it away, but it was already toote. Boom! A fiery explosion enveloped the demon man''s entire body. It was an explosion that would have blown up an ordinary person, but the demon man crossed his arms to block the st. Some of the thorns that had sprouted on his arms, which the elf''s dagger had not even touched, broke. "Ugh!" He groaned in pain, but it was just for a brief moment. The broken thorns grew back, restoring their original state. The demon man, whose body had returned to normal, turned his head to where the elf had been. There was a man standing there. Ashen hair with golden eyes. He wore a red uniform on a ck background and had a gauntlet with a crystal orb inserted in one hand. "A wizard, and the Silence Tower Master at that. Were you the one who threw that card?" "Does it matter who threw it?" "A wizard who uses strange objects¡­" "You''re a strange one too." What Reed threw was a card with the rune of explosion engraved on it. Despite its power to inflict serious injuries on anyone off guard, the man quickly recovered as if he had just been scratched. ''Is that a demon?'' Simr to humans, but superior to them. And they always have one purpose. To exterminate all humans. There was no need to know why. From the moment they became demons, they united for that single purpose. "Let''s see what kind of skills the trickster Tower Master has." The demon man charged. But Reed was no pushover either. He thought he had precisely cut Reed''s neck, but what his hand had passed through was an afterimage. ''What?'' The man swallowed his astonishment and looked back at Reed, whom he couldn''t follow with his eyes. He began to stare at Reed, who had been underestimated, with a moreposed gaze. "I know you''re a wizard, but you''re moving like a warrior. Have you trained as a battle mage?" "Unfortunately, I have no connection with that side." The demon man thought the same. He could feel mana permeating his muscles, not inner strength. Even now, the wind was wrapped around his feet. ''Is it a movement created only by the magic "Haste"?'' The demon man was well aware of magic. That''s why he had a second question. ''But he didn''t cast a spell, and it doesn''t seem like he used a scroll, so how did he use it?'' He couldn''t even see a proper preparatory action. "Seeing that you mentioned battle mages, you must be a battle mage, right?" "That''s right." "Which school?" "¡­" The man didn''t want to give any more information. It didn''t matter. Reed had the "eye for talent," and it could be used on enemies as well. Name: ??? upation: Battle Mage Age: ?? years old Alignment: Order¡¤Evil Health: 1,612/1,612 Stamina: 540/540 Mana: 1,632/2,582 [Traits] ¡¸Dismissed Monk¡¹, ¡¸Demon Blood¡¹, ¡¸Warrior''s Tenacity¡¹ [Attributes] "Magic Martial Arts Lv.5", "Iron Lv.4", "Agility Lv.4", "Magic Lv.3", "Blood Magic Lv.3", "Mana Sensitivity Lv.3", "Swordsmanship Lv.2" [Unreleased Traits & Abilities] ¡¸Demon King¡¹, ¡¸All Master¡¹¡­¡­. The ¡¸Demon Blood¡¹ trait is an ability that appears when the power of a demon is activated. It raises all attribute levels and exhibits the characteristics of a demon. ''His ck hand means he has fully adapted to the Demon Blood.'' The unique ck skin of the demons. Hard scales and horn-like spikes protrude, creating an optimized state for battle. ''Could this guy be... that one?'' It would be a difficult spec to deal with if it were another demon, but Reed seemed to know who this man was. That''s why he could strategize against him. "It''s fortunate that you''re a battle mage." "What?" "Didn''t you hear me properly? I said it''s fortunate that you''re a battle mage." The man''s lips twitched. "I said it''s fortunate because you''re a half-penny species that can''t master either side, is there a problem?" It was a remark that would have infuriated any human who walked the path of magic martial arts and battle mages. However, the man just smiled. "Magic martial arts are garbage, I admit." The man walked to the side. Reed watched his movements. "But I''ve broken free from that constraint. I''m different from the fools who admit their limits in the name of the right path." "Do you really think that way?" Reedughed as if it was absurd. "Trying to be stronger by turning into a beast, you seem to be the most pathetic." Breaking away from the right path, even shedding the form of a human, is just trash. The veins on the man''s head bulged. "I''ll make sure you can''t talk so arrogantly anymore." An ominous aura rose from the man''s entire body. The process of bing a demon involves a mutation of mana. As that mutation urs, a murky energy rises instead of the blue mana. The moment he tried to chant a strengthening spell. A card was drawn from Reed''s gauntlet, stuck between his index and middle fingers. He swiftly drew and threw it like a gunslinger from the west. Chapter 102.1 Demon Race (4) What Reed aimed for was not the man''s body, but the ground. He read the trajectory, but the man didn''t move any further. He didn''t know the principle, but he was cautious because he knew the card would explode. Flick! The card stuck in the ground. He watched it closely, but the card didn''t explode. ''It doesn''t explode. Does that mean he can control the explosion?'' If it''s not just touching and exploding, but he can control the explosion itself, there are more variables. Having many variables in battle was a difficult situation for the man. No matter how weak he was among the tower masters, he was still a tower master. ''I need to retreat.'' Feeling ominous about the unknown tools used in the attack, the man tried to strategically retreat. However, he soon had to give up on that thought as well. In the direction he was heading, there was a thin blue barrier. ''A trap?'' At some point, a thin barrier was ced around where he was standing. It was a circr dome-shaped trap that confined them. "You won''t be able to escape. While the elf was holding on, I prepared the trap." "...Cold-blooded." Reed smiled with a grin. "Since you say that, it seems the elves havee up with a proper strategy." If he tried to break it, he could. However, if he did that, he would have to be prepared to die at Reed''s hands. "Still, it worked out well." The demon man grinned maliciously. "Since you can''t escape, you''re the same as me." It was a spacious but limited space. In that case, close range is overwhelmingly advantageous. Once again, he pulled the mana into his entire body and emanated an imposing aura. His body disappeared. The ground shattered. When he appeared again, his sword aimed at Reed''s neck. A streak passed by. Only a bloodstained card was left in its ce. It exploded. Boom! ck smoke billowed. Tearing through it, a man jumped out again. ''As expected, it''s still not good in actualbat.'' The card itself was virtually impossible to inflict damage. If it weren''t for the runes'' explosive power, Reed''s choice of cards would undoubtedly have been the worst choice. Of course, it had no damage on its own, but its uracy in aiming at the target was quite good. ''The opponent won''t stand still like a wooden target.'' He wasn''t skilled enough to hit a moving target. He couldn''t recklessly throw the cards as they weren''t infinite. There were a total of 30 explosive rune cards in the gauntlet. He had used 3, leaving 27 left. ''The opponent is a Battle Mage.'' A Battle Mage is a profession closer to a fighter than a magician. Unlike shooting from a distance, a Battle Mage approaches close-range and strikes. They wrap elemental magic around their fists, dealing both direct physical damage and magical damage simultaneously, making them a bnced damage-dealing character. At first nce, it seems like a great character, and if mastered, it bes an all-rounder. Of course, this is only in theory. In reality, it was both a difficult and ambiguous character. ''But bing a demon has eliminated that ambiguity.'' The ¡¸Demon Blood¡¹ trait supplemented all the shorings he had thought were ambiguous. His defense, attack power, and magic power all rose to levels he couldn''t have reached with effort alone. ''Pursuing power.'' He would do anything to be stronger without regard for means. This man must have received a direct blood transfusion from a demon for that purpose. ''Foolish guy.'' Irritation surged. Seeking strength by any means necessary was like watching Reed using Rosaria before possession. He moved quickly with the haste rune, while attacking with explosive runes. With just that, Reed had the advantage in terms ofpatibility. He raised his arms, which seemed to be wearing heavy and threatening gauntlets, and charged at Reed. Swift movements. The high-ranking magician''s "Haste" was activated again, and the distance between him and the man increased. "You little rat!" The battle mage thought that Reed was annoyingly evasive. He used "Haste" immediately without a moment of concentration, and used it again when the time ran out. With no concentration time at all, it was impossible to aim for a single hit. ''But not all abilities are at the tower master level.'' His magic and trained body gave him one step of advantage. However, closing the distance wasn''t everything. When he thought he was within the attack range, cards flew from Reed¡¯s gauntlet-covered hand, one by one, obstructing his path. Boom! * * * Dream big tl dot [Original Source ¨C dreambigtl .] * * * The card exploded as soon as it touched the ground. The distance widened once again. The ck smoke that rose after the explosion blocked the view. A slight gap. It was enough time for Reed to cast a spell. ""Fire Shot"." The mana condensed in Reed''s hand turned into a fireball and flew. The fireball, piercing through the ck smoke, headed towards the demon man. It was toote for him to escape, so he raised his arms to block the fireball. Boom! The explosion urred, but the damage was weakerpared to the Explosion spell. However, the important thing wasn''t the damage. ''Does he see where I am?'' Seeing the urately thrown fireball towards him even when they couldn''t see each other within the wide range, he couldn''t dare to ignore it. ''I finally understand his battle style.'' Everyone has their own style, but Reed''s method waspletely different from a magician. If anything, it was a hunter''s strategy. He would attack from a position advantageous only to himself. He constantly moved, blocking the opponent''s movement with his tools, and set traps. It didn''t feel like a magician. It was like a game between a hunter and its prey. ''Am I... the prey?'' The demon man began to feel irritated. ''I have the advantage!'' Reading the attack pattern, the demon man rushed towards Reed aggressively. He chased Reed without giving him any gaps. ''Now he won''t be able to attack.'' Even the brief gap that had existed was now gone. Knowing that closing the distance would mean his defeat, Reed could no longer exploit the gap. ''But it means he''s getting excited.'' It meant that it was time to move on to the next stage. Reed picked up three cards instead of just one he had been holding. Now there were only two cards left. The strategy was the same as before, to block his movement. He threw the card in his left hand at the demon man. Boom! Again, he threw another card at the spot where ck smoke was rising. Boom! Finally, he threw thest remaining card. Boom! No matter how determined he was to charge through the damage, he couldn''t help but calm down in the face of three consecutive explosions. He felt the demon man hesitating. Reed quickly concentrated. Matching his heartbeat, he pulled mana throughout his entire body. The crystal on the back of his hand emitted light. It took only 1 second for all the calctions to bepleted. A magic circle appeared in front of his palm and stretched towards the sky. ""me Bombing"!" Whoosh! Dozens of fireballs flew into the sky like anti-air missiles. Like a volcano, the scattered fireballs were pulled down by gravity and began to fall. A medium-scale area attack of fire element magic. Being caught in it would immobilize the target, making it more destructive than the Explosion spell. However, the demon man didn''t try to widen the distance when he saw the attack. Instead, he raised both fists and seized the opportunity to charge in. ''Foolish guy!'' Chapter 102.2 Although the demon man was a Battle Mage, he was also a magician. He knew all the tactics of a magician. Even if it was an indiscriminate area attack, it was certain that Reed had left his surroundings safe. If he took a bit of risk and approached, he would be in a safe area and within the attack range. ''Besides, he won''t be able to use that rat-like tactic.'' If he left his position, he would be caught in his own bombardment. In other words, he couldn''t use his hit-and-run strategy like a hunter. Crackling! The bombardment from the rising fireballs in the sky began. The man dodged the indiscriminate falling bombardment one by one with his agile legs. If it was really unavoidable, he would break through with his arms. After all, the wounds healed quickly. If it meant cutting off the tower master''s lifeline by sacrificing a bit of flesh, it was worth it. Finally, he reached where Reed was standing. "Your shallow trick has strangled you!" At the moment he was about to swing his fist, the man''s body froze. He realized toote. That the shallow thinker was himself. That Reed had calcted the demon man''s battle style and cast the magic ordingly. A fireball falling directly above Reed. It exploded, enveloping both Reed and the demon man. Boom! The man was blown away by the explosion. The result of his attempt to enter the safe zone was that he ended up within the bombardment range. Crackling! The bombardment, which seemed to have exhausted all its mana, finally ceased. The demon man, caught in the bombardment, didn''t even know that. His eardrums burst, and he couldn''t hear anything. More than anything, there was no time to feel anything as he med himself for his shallow thinking. He had miscalcted. ''No, is this a miscalction?'' No. It was because that man Reed was crazy. Where would you find a man who calctes and casts magic that would engulf himself as well? ''Crazy bastard...'' He was truly insane. Although he himself was not unscathed, Reed must have undoubtedly suffered severe injuries as well. It would take 3 minutes to heal. Soon, he would regenerate and be able to stand up. "Demon folks recover from such injuries quickly, don''t they?" "¡­!" The demon man was shocked. The man he thought would have suffered severe injuries had a vibrant voice. The demon man didn''t say anything. He pretended to be dead. He tried to lure Reed closer. "Are you pretending to be dead? Demons who practice magicbat are as despicable as theye." Reed had seen through his thoughts long ago. That''s why he just stood at a distance and looked down at him. It didn''t matter. He would do anything to win. The man kept waiting. A psychological battle where neither side approached. Reed knew he would win anyway. So, he decided to drive the nail in. "If you''re thinking of pretending to be dead and waiting for an opportunity, it''s best to give up, Peon. I already know you''re that kind of guy." "¡­How did you find out?" The demon man called Peon raised his head. They had not used each other''s names while fighting. And he was not a high-ranking man like Reed. There was not even a clue to guess that he had the name Peon from a cross-sectional view. The encirclement of the elf soldiers narrowed ording to their movements. "You bastard, how did you find out my name?" Reed kept his mouth shut. A new white foot had grown where his ankle had been cut off. However, he had already been surrounded and had no choice but to surrender. There was no need to bother exining, especially since he wouldn''t understand the exnation anyway. The fact that he was the second disaster, Peon. "I just knew when I saw you." *** Peon was imprisoned in the Greenwood Tower. Since they decided to focus on magic development, the Greenwood Tower master took care of the experimental subjects. Both Kamin and Reed were satisfied with the fruitful results of the two-week infiltration. ''It was a tough opponent.'' Battle Mage. He fought against an opponent whose "Magic Martial Arts" level reached 5. ''It''s fortunate that I had the runes.'' When casting "me Bombing", Reed had known Peon''sbat style and deliberately waited until it poured down right above his head. Other tower masters don''t use such bold tactics. It was possible for Reed because he had defensive runes. Deploying a barrier just before it fell. He blocked the bombardment targeting himself and recovered. A gamble that could even inflict fatal wounds on himself. ''It may seem that way to others.'' Knowing the exact timing, it wasn''t a gamble for Reed. ''But I never thought that Peon would be the main cause of the contamination of Yggdrasil''s territory...'' The second disaster, Peon. He was the second person to seed in the "Flower Garden" as a disaster figure discovered by Reed. ''His goal was a bit unusual.'' The goal of demons is to destroy humans. However, he tried to contaminate the World Tree. Although elves are human allies, demons don''t usually bother with elves. Peon was a unique figure among those with demonic blood. ''The first thing he did after bing the Demon King was to make everyone with demonic bloodmit suicide.'' As soon as one who was not bound by the instincts of demonic blood came to rule, the first thing he did was to exterminate his own people. The one who reached the peak was left alone. ''Was that the original goal?'' Peon could be the Demon King, the peak of demonic blood. Seeing his potential, Reed must have undoubtedly chosen Peon. However, if he couldmand all demons, it wouldn''t be bad to have them under his control, so why did he resort to such extreme measures? Being an irregr among humans and demons, his intentions were iprehensible. - Mr. Reed. Reed knew why Kamin contacted him. Because he had contacted him with such a face before. "Is he still not talking?" - Yes, we tried all kinds of methods, including casting a confusion spell, but in the end, he only had one demand. "Bring the master of the Silence Tower?" - Yes. A persistent demand. After Peon was captured, they tried to extract information about the demons, but his lips were heavier than they could have imagined. Chapter 103.1 Demon Race (5) "Do you have no gains?" -It''s not like that. It''s just that it''s not a very good sample forparison? He¡¯s a bit different from the ordinary demon tribe. "In what way?" -When asking about the demon tribe, he only gives consistent answers. Based on consistent statements... I guess this demon man really doesn''t want to get involved? ''I guess so.'' -So, I think it would be good for Mr. Reed toe and talk to him, what do you think? If the conclusion reached by the Tower Master of Greenwood was their best effort, it was worth listening to. "I''ll go now." Reed stood up from his seat. *** "Silence Tower Master, I''ve been waiting for you." A magician who greets politely as Reed enters the Tower of Greenwood. As Reed stepped onto the tree-root-like floor and walked inside, he asked the magician. "Do you happen to have a piece of gum?" "Gu, gum, you mean?" "It doesn''t matter if you don''t." "No, I''ll give you one." The magician of Greenwood Tower rummaged through his pocket and took out a piece of gum. A refreshing scent bursting in the mouth. It was mint gum. Reed didn''t particrly like mint, but he began to chew it vigorously. Reed followed the magician to the 5th floor. They arrived at a special detention facility. There, Kamin greeted Reed. "Wee, Mr. Reed." "Isn''t it a bit inappropriate to use that title when I''m here for official business?" "It doesn''t matter. It''s just how I call you." Kamin smiled slyly. It''s an active attitude that makes Dolores feel unfairly pitiful. "Can I see the interrogation records before we go in?" "Of course." Kamin dly showed Reed the documents. As she said, Peon had not shown any signs of giving information since he was captured. "Didn''t he try tomit suicide?" "At first, we put a gag on him, but he''s not stupid enough tomit suicide." It didn''t sound very believable at a nce, but considering the gag was off now, he seemed to be confident. Peon did not fall even after using magic and physical means. ''There''s no need to look further.'' "I''m going in." "Wait a moment, before you go in, let me give you a bug device..." "No." Reed refused the crystal orb she offered. "I''d like to talk to him alone." "Ah, yes." With that, he stepped inside the special detention cell. A cylindrical room with a radius of 2 meters. In the center of it, a man was bound in chains called magic restraints. The battle mage who was defeated, Peon. Gray beard and gray hair. If he hadn''t been living as a wanderer without organizing himself, he could have looked like a leader. His body was generally emaciated, probably because he hadn''t eaten anything during the interrogation. The best way to focus one''s mind was to stimte the three basic desires. "You wanted to see me." Reed opened the conversation while chewing gum. Peon, who had been hanging his head, looked up and greeted him. "Ha, you finally came!" Peon''s expression was lively, even though they had tried every way to push him to his mental limit. "There''s something I want to ask you." Reed didn''t respond to him but instead pulled a card from his gauntlet and spat the gum on the back of it. He then stuck it on Peon''s forehead as if ying Indian poker. The mixed smell of saliva and mint flowed down from his forehead, stimting his nose. Peon looked up with a bewildered expression. "What is this...?" "It''ll explode if you y any tricks. It''ll explode even if it looks like you''re going to try something. You''ve experienced it a lot, so you know, right? You''ll answer my questions like a clever child. Got it?" "I''d like to ask my question first?" "Your question will best. There''s no more negotiation." Peon seemed puzzled by the oppressive attitude but nodded his head. "Fine." Reed dragged a chair from the opposite side, ced it in front of Peon, and sat down. His golden eyes stared at him oppressively. "Why did you try to contaminate the World Tree?" "I wanted to scatter the elves'' minds." "The elves'' minds?" "If the World Tree Yggdrasil is contaminated, it will wither and die. If that happens, the elves will undoubtedly be shaken, and they will release their shared consciousness." "What do you gain by doing this?" "Contaminated mana." The spirits of the elves are connected like a thick gold thread. The fear of an individual was enough to create a state of equilibrium with the connected spirit. Conversely, if infiltration is properly achieved, the elves will copse. Their tranquil minds will be disturbed, and their purity will be corrupted. In that case, it would be a windfall. It was worth the effort. "But it wasn''t sessful, was it? It''s natural since you''re doing it alone." "Of course. This is just my decision. If I told other demons, they would have only held me back." Peon chuckled as he looked up at Reed. The ck and red eyes naturally made him frown. "I never wanted to harm humans in the first ce. All I want is contaminated mana, and I just want to reach the top with it." That''s right; this guy wasn''t interested in humans in the first ce. He had no interest in humans or even the existence of demons. What he wanted was martial power and strength. He was a selfish man who knew nothing but himself. He was a man who would sell his soul if it meant bing stronger. Through their conversation, Reed learned one thing. ''So in the end, he failed to contaminate the World Tree.'' The World Tree, Yggdrasil, was fine, and Peon''s goal was achieved in a different direction. He became the second disaster, reaching the peak of demon blood, and tried to destroy all demons. ''What should I do with this guy?'' In Adonis''s case, she was framed, fell into corruption, and joined Reed. Raksper failed to fulfill his promise, failed to protect his own kind, and became consumed with the idea of revenge. If those two were considered evil with a backstory, ''This guy is pure evil itself.'' He was a twisted warrior, worthy of being called a snake. He only thinks about bing stronger, even selling his own kind. He would sell the useless ones to someone else. He was nothing more than a person threatening Rosaria. Reed opened his eyes again and looked down at Peon. He was smiling and looking up at him. "Now I''d like to ask a question." "It''s not your turn yet." "Even after answering so diligently, can''t I at least ask one question?" Peon protested, but Reed just stared with a cold face. Chapter 103.2 "The reason I''m taking your questionst is simple. Some people shut their mouths as soon as they get a piece of candy." "So, are you saying I should trust that you''ll give me candy?" "You have to trust." Reed pressed the rune card firmly. He reminded Peon of their rtionship. "You have to trust like a devout believer waiting for mercy. If not, what will you do? I''m not the least bit curious about you demons like the Tower Master of Greenwood or other Tower Masters." He bluffs with the coldest eyes possible. He threw a cold nce at Peon. He tried to induce Peon to reveal his best card. "I know how to recognize demons." And he yed it. "Isn''t that what you all want? Aren''t you looking for the demons mixed among humans with your eyes wide open?" "..." That''s urate. After being discovered in the Althea Order, it must have spread to the empire, and spreading rumors was not a big deal. Peon showed that card and proposed a negotiation to Reed. "I''ll cooperate. Just doing that much won''t cause any harm to you guys, right?" Hearing that, Reed closed his mouth and dropped his gaze. He carefully stroked his chin with the hand he had brought to his chin. He contemted. And after a moment, he replied. "I''ll decline." "What?" "I don''t negotiate with demons. That''s the principle. Even after you give everything up, I''ll have to worry about whether to spare you or not, so why should I do that?" His purpose was different from other demons and unique, but it wasn''t beneficial to humans either. There are too many variables. He had no intention of stressing over Peon''s affairs, lest he unwittingly get himself in trouble. At least until it''s clear what kind of person Peon is, there will be no cooperation with him. Reed got up to leave and wiggled his hips. Then Peon grabbed Reed desperately. "Whoa, whoa, if that''s the end of the questions, isn''t it my turn now? That was the condition." "Fine, I''ll give you a chance to ask a question." Reed sat back down. Peon was finally able to spit out the question he had been waiting for. "I thought about what you did overnight. The more I think about it, the stranger it seems. A Tower Master using a tactic that involves bombing himself as well." "I have the means to handle it." "It''s not amonly used strategy. It was a tactic that seemed to know me well. If it wasn''t for me, you wouldn''t have used it." "You''re too conceited." Peon''s words were correct. If Reed hadn''t known Peon, he wouldn''t have calcted a firebomb attack that would engulf himself as well. ''Should I call him a warrior after all?'' Although he lost, by reviewing his defeat, he discovered that Reed had information about him. "How do you know me?" Peon was a trainee who had honed the Western magic martial arts. In order to reach the extreme, he didn''t walk the right path and was defeated, and he made a bet on bing a demon. No one mentions the defeated disciple. It''s impossible unless someone is persistently targeting him. But Reed recognized Peon as soon as he saw him. He provoked him, prated the gap in his thoughts that he hadn''t thought of, and defeated him. "I saw you in the future. And I killed you." "...What?" "As a demon king, you were my second disaster. You were undoubtedly the best opponent. Though I lost." "What nonsense... are you babbling?" Reed chuckled. "See? As soon as I give you a piece of candy, you''re already full of desire to be insincere." It was unbelievable. He thought it was a sweet grape candy, but it was a ginseng candy only old people would eat. Reed removed the card with gum attached from Peon''s face. While the gum was attached, the adhesive force was not strong, so it fell off easily. "That''s why you should always be in a favorable position." Reed held the card and came out of the detention cell. Peon stared at his back for a long time. He didn''t even have the strength to yell. *** * * * Dream big tl dot [Original Source ¨C dreambigtl .] * * * "What did you talk about?" Kamin asked Reed. "It was nothing much. He seemed to not know the reason for his defeat." "Is that so?" "Warriors are like that. They blindly trust their arrogant judgments and refuse to admit it even in the face of death." "You couldn''t get any information about demons, could you?" "Yes, he said he would cooperate... but I doubted it and declined." "Cooperating with a demon... It''s impossible. You did well, Reed." Kamin smiled and looked down at Peon through the ss window. "I''m thinking of asking for help from the Tower Master of Jade''s Tower since it seems like a waste of time to keep him here like this. What do you think? It doesn''t seem like holding onto him myself would yield any results." "Since he''s a Tower Master proficient in curses and poison, he''ll have expertise in cornering them mentally." Reed nodded. Since magic development was not Reed''s responsibility, it was just sharing Kamin''s work, and an expert was needed for such matters. "Is there anything else you need?" "No. Are you leaving?" "I have a lot of work to do." Through this fight, he had organized all the issues to be improved and the points to be honed. He needed to develop further so that he could fight more easily when encountering other demons. *** Reed picked up the card and looked at it closely. He had only seen a Gambler once before However, the gambler''s main role was as a debuffer. Primarily, they cause confusion to their opponents and expose their weaknesses. It was a profession that couldn''t be the main dealer. ''It would be nice to master card techniques more.'' He had be quite familiar with throwing. An ability called "Throwing Technique" had emerged and reached Lv.3. That means he can hit a stationary target urately. ''What if it reaches Level 5?'' Perhaps he could change the trajectory of the card at will and prate even narrow gaps. Of course, Reed didn''t believe his character had such talent. ''It''s better to resort to tricks than to believe in that.'' That''s a tactic too. It was possible because Peon, who would not have been caught if he had faced him head-on, had a secret. He became ustomed to battles with runes, his biggest weapon, and the supporting techniques. While honing "Throwing Technique", he researched what magic could support it. ''Would "Telekinesis" be the most promising?'' If he could control the direction of the flying card, he could imitate "Throwing Technique Lv.5". ''I''ll need practice.'' It needs to be mastered enough to be done reflexively, connecting rune magic to throwing and then to general magic. It''s better to start doing it right away than to think about it quietly. Reed got up from his seat. -Tower Master! At that timing, a worker raised a fuss and reported. He patted his startled chest and asked him. "What''s going on?" -Well, that''s because there''s a guest outside the tower right now. "A guest?" He had no one to meet today. There were asional visitors without appointments, but he couldn''t understand the fuss. "Who''s here that''s causing such amotion?" -It''s, it''s the Saintess! The Saintess. The Saintess of Meditation, Isel, hade to visit the Silence Tower. Chapter 104.1 To Destroy Evil (1) In front of the entrance to the Silence Tower. "Please go back." Phoebe''s usualnguid tone waspletely gone. The mages of the tower hate the priests. They were responding thoroughly to that notion. On the other side, the saintess of meditation, Ishell, apologized in a soft tone. "I''m sorry, Deputy Tower Master. I know it''s rude, but I have toe here today." "You should know that the current situation is not good enough to exchange greetings with the people of the Order?" "Of course, I know." "Then there''s no need to say more. Please step back." A cold atmosphere, as if a fight would break out any moment. Phoebe, ring with golden eyes, and Isel, smiling. "It''s a relief that Rachel didn''te. She''s impatient by nature, so she could have caused a problem. Well, that girl can''t speak, so the conversation wouldn''t have gone well anyway." Isel kept smiling. There was no sign of her backing down. Gradually, Phoebe didn''t want to endure any longer. Tick-tock, tick-tock. The threatening sound that came every time Phoebe''s fingers moved. As she showed off her un-mage-like skills, the escort knights prepared to respond. "What''s going on?" "Ah, Tower Master." The tense atmosphere crumbles. Phoebe''s distorted face returned to its gentle state. "If the saintesses, report it first." "I''m sorry. I tried to handle it on my own, as you seemed busy." "I understand your intentions. Now step back and watch." Phoebe bowed politely and stepped back. Her refined behavior, on the one hand, frightened Reed as well. The mark of the Althea Order on the crown she wore on her head. There was a sun and three ascending lights, and seven descending lights. As the seven lights spread below, they formed a shield-like shape. That was the very appearance of mercy shown by the Alte Order. And the symbol of that, the saintess Ishell, smiled benevolently beneath it. "It''s an honor to meet you again, Tower Master of Silence." "Hello, Saintess. It''s the first time since we met in Cohen." "Hehe, that''s right." Reed didn''tugh. "I didn''t expect the leader of a tower toe down and greet me personally." "It''s just a coincidence. I didn''t know the Saintess was visiting here either." "You said I coulde anytime, didn''t you? I wanted to keep that promise." "Have you alreadye even though the 6th album recording hasn''t started yet?" "It''s not because of that, hehe." "Then you must go back." Reed answered firmly. "To put it bluntly, I shouldn''t be involved with the Saintess right now. Even if our tower walks a different path from other mages, there''s a limit." "You mean you shouldn''t get entangled with the order." "Yes, especially now more than ever." And the fact that the subject was the Saintess was crucial. She was the only one with the ability to detect demons, and showing a close rtionship with her at such a time was the worst. "I won''t ask what business you have here. I''d appreciate it if you''d just go back without saying anything." "I came to inform you, Tower Master." "I said I wouldn''t listen." "You must be curious about how to find demons. I''m sure you are." "Everyone is curious. But that''s not enough to ignore our rtionship." "Are you that afraid of the other Tower Masters?" Reed shook his head. "No, it''s just that I have no reason to trust the Saintess that much." She had built up a devout and virtuous image, but there was no past connection between them. They had only met for a day. And that was the end of a brief conversation thatsted less than 10 minutes. "I don''t have any bad feelings towards the Saintess. However, there are things I cannot break for the sake of my tower''s existence. I''ll take my leave now." Reed politely greeted her. No matter what she said, he didn''t intend to look back. * * * Dream big tl dot [Original Source ¨C dreambigtl .] * * * "Peon, that man is dead." Reed''s steps came to a halt. ''What did this woman just say?'' He looked back at Ishell, unable to swallow his confusion. "What did you say?" "Pheon, I''m talking about the man you, the Tower Master of Silence, captured. You were nning to hand him over to the Tower Master of Jade recently, and today was the day of escort, right?" "......How did you know that?" Reed showed a genuinely displeased expression. Isel just smiled. "Because I killed him." In a saintly and merciful manner. "By my sister''s hand." Chapter 104.2 Tower of Greenwood. They borrowed a sky carriage from the Tower of Jade for the prisoner escort. Having finished the handover by signing the documents, the Tower Master of Greenwood, Kamin, urged them. "Be careful. Keep your guard up." The escort sky carriage carrying Peon took off into the air. The escort captain spoke to the members. "Stay sharp. This isn''t just meeting bandits, it''s a demon escort." "Yes!" There wasn''t much of a problem with the escort. Pheon, who was captured, waspletely sealed with a magic restraint, and his condition was barely maintained with minimal nutrition and hydration. As long as they kept their external defenses up, they couldplete the mission safely. "Huh?" The mages watching the surroundings noticed something bulky among the blue grasses. What was initially small gradually grewrger. It was flying straight toward them. "It''s a sniper attack!" ck arrows flew and struck the sky carriage. The target was the power unit. Boom! A ck explosion urred in the air. With a single shot, the sky carriage was urately shot down. The sky carriage, which had been smoothly sailing through the sky, crashed in a dangerous arc. It fell into the forest. As they entered, the sound of breaking trees and the carriage intertwined. Blood flowed from where the carriage was broken. The escorts did not survive the explosion that urred inside. The mages who were attacked from high in the sky had no time to react. Someone appeared at the crash site of the sky carriage. It was a woman wearing a ck hood and mask. She stood still and watched the fallen site. Something squirmed among the wooden debris. She pulled an arrow from the quiver on her shoulder and put it on the bowstring. "Ugh......" The one who emerged from the wreckage was a man. The escort target, Peon, was trapped in a rectangr iron cage. The explosion had twisted the iron bars, and the cage was broken as the sky carriage crashed. The only thing that didn''t break was the magic-restraining device tightening his wrists. Although his body was a mess with the carriage debris embedded in it, Peon''s regenerative abilities began to gradually recover. The woman carefully released the drawn bowstring and approached him. "Are you one of ourrades who were captured?" Peon raised his head and looked at the woman. A woman in ck leather armor with red eyes. Her bow was wrapped in bulky mana. There was no doubt that she was the one who shot. "That''s right." Peon nodded. "Can you stand up?" "If I recover, I can stand." Peon gestured to the magic-restraining device on his arms. "Or you could just unlock this damn shackle." "It''s beyond my jurisdiction. Anotherrade will take care of that." "Anotherrade?" A momentter, the broken carriage stirred again. The magician who had been sitting in the driver''s seat stood up. Half of his clothes had been blown away by the explosion. "Damn, that hurts." "You''re overreacting." "Huh? You do it next time. I won''t carry you." The man scowled. "Who is that guy? He seems human, but he has excellent regenerative abilities." "He''s not human." Then the man''s battered face began to distort into another shape. Peon, who was familiar with human faces, recognized that it was not the original driver''s face. And he saw the red eyes of the ck leather armor. "Arade." He was a demon. The man waspletely different from the one just before. Peon couldn''t hide his surprise. Even when he was close, he hadn''t suspected that the man was a demon. "So you''re a demonrade. I never would have guessed." "Unless you''re at the executive level, there''s no need to let otherrades know about our existence." "Hmm. So you sessfully attacked the carriage?" Normally, a sky carriage would have a defensive spell deployed. Any attack would be blocked at least once, allowing time to escape. It was pierced in one shot because the enemy had already infiltrated inside. "What happened to the original driver?" "He''s probably somewhere in the Tower of Greenwood, bing food for the beasts. Do you feel sorry for him?" "No, I just wondered if you took care of it properly." The man asked sharply, and Peon frowned as if annoyed. "Why would I betray ourrades like that?" "I''ll praise you for your mental strength. But if you had gone to the Tower of Jade, you would have copsed helplessly." "Let''s not argue about something that didn''t happen." The magic-restraining device was unlocked, and the woman reached out her hand. "Anyway, it''s fortunate that our wanderingrade has escaped. Let''s go to our hideout. We have to report to the boss." Peon was about to follow the two demons when it happened. Swoosh! A sharp sh of light pierced the man''s body and passed through. "Huh?" A sharp and red outline was drawn in the path of the sh. A momentter, his head could no longer withstand the blood pressure and slid obliquely into the sky. Whoosh! It was cut so cleanly that even the cross-section of the bone was clearly visible. His head was severed, and he couldn''t regenerate, so he died on the spot. The demon woman loaded an arrow onto her bowstring and looked around. Finally, they saw something they had not seen or felt before. A woman with a ck cloth over her mouth. Although she wasn''t wearing the Alte Order''s official uniform or ceremonial clothes, but leather armor, the demons knew exactly who she was. "Th-the Saintess! How is the Saintess of Silence here...!" Zing! "Ugh... ah!" Before she could finish her sentence, another sh of light pierced through her head. Her mouth opened wide as her gaze flipped upward towards the sky. With just a swipe through the air, her head was split in half. In less than a minute, the heads of two demons were rolling on the ground. Thest remaining Pheon backed away. The ck hand that had been bound by the magic restraint reappeared but could not easily clench its fist. It felt as if his body was frozen. A chill ran through his bones. The fear was like a sudden cold wave that froze his body. The white eyes on the white snow looked down at Peon. If you didn''t look closely at the round silhouette, it would seem as if her eyes were rolled back. ''How could a girl this young have such strong hatred?'' Even fanatical knights who had been indoctrinated to be wary of demons would not be able to catch up with her. ''Hatred. Have I ever met someone who hates this much?'' He was sure he had never experienced it. It was pure hatred that could not be unleashed without feeling it for decades. The Saintess of Silence, who killed the two in an instant, stepped forward. The light reflected on the blue de of the sword she held was dazzling. Her sword was special. Unlike swords that focus only on cutting, its irregr barbs tear flesh and cause pain. They called it the Thorn of Malice. It awakens the instinct to live. "Wait, if you kill me, the Master of the Silence Tower won''t stand idly¡ª." Peon''s words were cut off as he was thrown into the air. As he rolled on the ground several times, he could see his body stiffening as he tried to block her with his outstretched arm. Peon looked at her pathetically, trying to plead, but she showed no mercy. From the beginning, she had no intention of listening to Peon''s words. With the anomaly in her snow-white eyes, his death was inevitable. She acted as a light to eradicate evil. It was over. No more life could be felt in the vicinity. The Saint of Silence briefly took in the gruesome scene. "......" True to her name, she said nothing. And as if nothing had happened, she disappeared. Chapter 105.1 To Destroy Evil (2) Reed firmly rejected the approach of Isel, the Saintess of Meditation. He was determined not to listen to whatever she had to say. ''The man who would be the second disaster is dead.'' The second disaster, Peon. The man who would be the Demon King had breathed hisst. Everyone knew what a piece of trash that man was, and his death was rather a way to alleviate anxiety. However, it was said that the one who killed him was the twin Saintess, Rachel, who is known as the Saintess of Silence. The one who confessed it was her sister, the Saintess of Meditation, Isel. Reed nced up at Isel. Inside the reception room of the Silence Tower. Isel, sitting on the opposite side, was drinking the tea that Reed had served. Reed had already heard all of her stories. And his mind was so cluttered that he couldn''t utter a single word, remaining silent for 10 minutes. "The tea is nice. It has the same bitter taste I felt when I drank tea from the eastern region. Which region is this tea from?" "¡­I don''t know." The misceneous information he had memorized didn''t seem toe to mind. "You can speakfortably. You are older than me, and above all, you have allowed me to have this conversation, so I have no intention of trying to be equal." "¡­I''ll do that." Isel smiled slightly and put down her teacup. "Hehe, I''m sorry. I shouldn''t be so leisurely drinking tea like this. You must be curious how I know about it." "How did you know about Peon''s transfer and the route?" Reed asked with an interrogative tone, his emotions leaking out. Having a different route to and from was essential in escort missions. It was somewhat understandable that the demons had sniped him through disguise and information exchange, but he couldn''t believe that Rachel had carried out an immediate trial at the scene. Why was Rachel there in the first ce? "I saw the future." "The future?" "I clearly saw that man escaping with the help of the demons. And it came true." Isel said, cing her hand on her chest. "We tried to destroy evil because it was trying to break free. I''m sorry for making you lose a valuable test subject, but we had to stop that man." "Do you expect me to understand?" "If you expect understanding... that would be greedy. No matter how merciful our order is, this is an issue that we mustpensate for." "I don''t know how you n topensate, but I doubt we''ll find apromise." Even though Peon was an undesirable guy, it was natural for the Saintesses to be angry since they killed him without even thinking about how to deal with him. "If we bring a cooperative demon subject, I think you''d be satisfied for sure, wouldn''t you?" "Do you think that''s the end?" "Is it the subject that''s the problem?" Reed answered curtly, and Ishell looked troubled. "I''m sure we can find apromise with you. Let''s have a slow conversation." "You''re sure without any basis." "I came prepared to devote everything to you, Master of the Silence Tower, Reed. If we don''t inform you of today''s incident, our conflicts will only grow." Devote everything? For some reason, that statement made him feel even more irritated. Noticing Reed''s state, Isel put her finger on her lips. As if contemting what to do, she pressed her shiny lips firmly. Then, she smiled as if she had thought of a solution. "I guess I should show my faith first." ''Faith?'' "I have the name of meditation, and Rachel has the name of silence. Do you know the origin of those names?" Reed knew. It was something he had seen so often when ying the game. "You lost your eyes as a price for gaining irvoyance, and she swallowed the Holy me with the vow of silence by memorizing all the scriptures of the order... wasn''t it?" "That''s correct. You know it well." When Reed answered urately, Isel was excited with a slightly uplifted tone. "Rachel swallowed the Holy me for the vow of silence. That hasn''t changed. But I''m different." "What do you mean?" "I gained irvoyance, but I''ve never lost my eyes even once." "So, you''re saying that you tried to lose something simr to your twin sister?" That wasn''t a big secret. It was enough to say that she did so out of sympathy for her sister. "One could see it as a kind of show. But that''s not the reason I hid it." Isel raised her hands and grabbed her Saintess crown. As she took off the crown, all that remained on her head was a ck silk cloth with scriptures written on it. The embroidered phrase in gold thread was "Move towards the light." It was a phrase written in the Althea Order''s scriptures. "A grave mission that no one must know." She began to untie the cloth she had never touched in front of others. Her gently closed eyes were revealed. "I had to deceive the masses for that mission." The moment Reed looked into her cautiously opened eyes, he felt goosebumps. He clenched his fist tightly, holding back the sweat trying to flow from his hand. It was a shock. It was a face that seemed to deny all aspects of the saint he had known so far. "What you see now is the truth. I will devote this truth to you." Ishell smiled. Showing her ck pupils. Reed couldn''t speak for a while. It was a shock iparable to when Peon died. Peon was an arrogant viin who wouldn''t be strange to be hated somewhere. Just as there are unseen good aspects to viins, there are unseen evil aspects to good people. That shock varies depending on how strong the character''s conviction is. Demon blood runs through the body of the Saintess. It was the greatest shock Reed had ever felt. The Althea Order hated heretics, and among them, they hated demons the most. They couldn''tpromise with demons and couldn''t be tempted by them. They were so cautious that they wouldn''t let anyone talk to demons unless they were devout priests. What if a high-ranking person in such an order was a demon? What if the Saintess, who is just below the Pope, inherits the blood of a demon, what will happen? ''It would turn upside down.'' It''s not just turning upside down. The Alte Order could disappear like the dew of the dawn. It was the biggest secret that could destroy the umted honor and trust. Reed activated "Talent Appraisal." * * * Dream big tl dot [Original Source ¨C dreambigtl .] * * * ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Name: Isel Job: Saintess Age: 23 Disposition: Order¡¤Good Health: 501/501 Stamina: 100/100 Holy Power: 52,605/52,605 [Traits] "Saintess", "Alte Order", "Blessed by the Light", "Eyes that See Disaster", "Voice that Captivates the Masses", "irvoyance", "Demon Blood", "Reincarnated", "Iplete Soul" [Attributes] "Sacred Lv.6", "Sacred Sensitivity Lv.6", "Healing Arts Lv.5", "Sacred Arts Lv.5", "Alchemy Lv.5", "Blood Arts Lv.4", "Sacred Studies Lv.4", "Information Processing Lv.3" [Unreleased Traits & Abilities] "Light of Extinction", "Complete Soul" Chapter 105.2 As Isel and Rachel, who yed the biggest role in stopping the second disaster, it was natural to expect their specs to be transcendent. Reed opened her status window to check if she had the "Demon Blood" trait, but was surprised by another unexpected trait. "Reincarnated." ''...Reincarnated? A Saintess is reincarnated?'' It''smon to be touted as someone''s reincarnation. The protagonist of "Disaster 7" was also touted as the reincarnation of a hero who defeated the Demon King in a previous life. But he wasn''t reincarnated. Reed was the one who showed that the hero had reappeared through faith. ''I was suspicious even when she wasn''t a yable character... but I didn''t expect her to have this attribute.'' He had received three consecutive shocks that were longsting enough to cause aftereffects even if he suffered them once a day. Peon, who would be the second disaster, was dead. Isel had received demon blood. On top of that, she was reincarnated. ''Is this Saintess really... someone''s reincarnation?'' Her age-inappropriate demeanor, experience, and the radiating holy power. If she was said to be the reincarnation of a former Saintess, all the specs would be understandable. ''However...'' There was one thing he couldn''t understand. Why did she reveal this fact to Reed? If she had tried to hide it and not approached Reed as a friend, he might have left her alone for the rest of his life. Why would she reveal a secret that she didn''t even reveal to the protagonist who defeated the seven disasters to an opposing tower magician, to the tower lord himself? "If you need something to observe and feel the demons, and a sample to use, I will help you. I know the demons better than anyone." "¡­¡­." "And cooperative." Isel answered gently, but Reed was still feeling the aftereffects. "I wanted to give you faith, but I ended up causing more confusion." The person who should be most worried was the most rxed, smiling. "I understand how startling it may be. Only the Pope and my sister, Rachel, have seen my eyes." "Do you realize that this information can now shake the entire order?" "Yes, I do." "Is the reason for showing me something that can destroy the foundation of the order... just to gain my trust?" The Saintess slowly folded the ck silk that had covered her eyes. "There are different types of trust. Trust given to believers, trust given to priests, trust given to siblings, trust given to family... The way and depth of expressing trust are different in the order I listed." "What did you show me?" "Faith towards God." Absolute. "With such faith, I am here to prove myself to you." Joy was evident in Isel''s reply. That''s why it was chilling. It felt like a spear was piercing his chest and making him pour out all the blood inside. Reed looked around for no reason. "You don''t have to worry about me. I''ve already checked. It''s just the two of us in this space." She said that and tilted her head. "No, now there are three of us." "What do you mean?" "Rachel is here. She''s standing in front of the tower." Her gaze was fixed on Reed''s face. Although the room has a full ss front, you can''t see the bottom when looking at the window. As she spoke, a voice rang in Reed''s ears. -Tower Master... "Did the other Saintess alsoe?" -What should we do...? "¡­¡­Let her in." With Isel already inside, it wasn''t a problem to let Rachel in as well. The most curious thing was how she knew about this. ''Doesn''t she have no way tomunicate with the outside?'' Not only from the outside but also from the inside, they couldn''t eavesdrop on their conversation. She smiled as if she knew what he was thinking. "Don''t worry. The reason I can recognize Rachel is not because of Mana or Holy Power. We can just feel it." "Do you feel it?" "A bond that goes beyond just sharing blood... let''s just say that." Reed lowered his head as he felt like his thoughts were being read when their eyes met. The teacup and the silk cloth embroidered with scriptures next to it. ...It was folded messily. It seemed like she had taken great care to fold it, but the angles were off, and it looked untidy. Knock, knock. Someone knocked on the reception room door. With a gesture, the door opened, and a woman entered. She looked identical to Isel. The only differences were the attire and the shape of her eyes. Her Saintess outfit was based on the clothes of the heretic inquisitors, unlike Ishell, wearing ck with silver armor. The mark on her Saintess crown was also slightly different. Three lights pointing upward and seven lights pointing downward. Unlike Isel''s mark, the seven lights were short, and the middle one of the three lights pointing upward was significantly longer. If Isel''s mark was like a shield, Rachel''s mark looked like a sword. The sword and shield of the Althea Order, front and back. The two Saintesses, each symbolizing one of those meanings. As she entered the room respectfully, her body stiffened. Her red eyes were set on Rachel. "Oh, Rachel, did youe?" Rachel''s eyes narrowed as she stared at Isel. "¡­¡­." "Hehe, while we were talking, this happened." "¡­¡­." "Enough discussion... even if I say that, Rachel would agree with what I''ve done, right?" "¡­¡­." "When Rachel went to kill that man, we talked about how the Master of the Tower would definitely be displeased, and I supported Rachel from behind." It seemed like the conversation was continuing, but Rachel didn''t say anything. Isel spoke as if they were having a conversation while Rachel just red. After staring at her for a while, she turned her head slightly. She nced at Isel with sharp eyes and greeted him. "I''m Rachel. As I mentioned, due to the Vow of Silence, I cannot speak, so I apologize for introducing myself on her behalf." "It doesn''t matter." Isel moved her hips and shifted to the side, and Rachel sat down next to her. She nced at Isel''s teacup. Isel picked up the messy ck cloth that she had folded. Swoosh! As her hand movement finished, the ck silk was neatly folded into a perfect square. Unlike Isel, her angles were set, and it was neatly organized without moving several times. It was apletely different level of dexteritypared to Ishell. While she was doing that, Reed peeked at Rachel''s status window using his "Eyes that See Talent." Name: Rachel Job: Saintess Age: 23 Disposition: Order¡¤Good Health: 1,501/1,501 Stamina: 842/842 Holy Power: 2,709/2,709 [Traits] "Saintess", "Alte Order", "Blessed by the Light", "Eyes that Contain Disaster", "One who Swallowed the Sacred me", "Sword Master", "Avenger", "Reincarnated", "Iplete Soul" [Attributes] "Sacred Lv.6", "Swordsmanship Lv.6", "Sacred Arts Lv.5", "Strength Lv.5", "Agility Lv.4", "Iron Lv.3", "Sacred Sensitivity Lv.3" [Unreleased Traits & Abilities] "Light of Extinction", "Complete Soul", "Devil yer", "Sacred Lv.7" After reading Rachel''s traits, Reed was sure. Isel and Rachel. These two were reincarnated beings created by splitting one soul into two. Chapter 106.1 To Destroy Evil (3) Rachel, who wields a sword, and Isel, who assists with her holy spirit. There is not a single person who can match the synergy of these twins, who participate in the story of the second disaster, Peon. Despite spending time and effort to catch up with them as the rounds went on, the two showed a terrifyingbination that made the title of the strongestbo on the continent in no way pale. ''If they were the same person...'' What if one soul was split into two bodies? Then it would make some sense for their unnaturally perfect harmony and the ability to feel the twin sisters in a space isted from the outside world. ''It''s even more terrifying.'' A single mind that is virtually the same as one person, achieving the peak in different aspects. If they were turned into enemies, they would be more annoying than one could imagine. "You seem to have noticed something by the look in your eyes." "What do you mean?" "The fact that we are reincarnated, and that we are the same person. It''s okay. If you didn''t know, I would have told you the story myself. I''m actually d that I don''t have to put in a lot of effort to persuade you." "Then I should change the title too." As Reed, who had been speaking informally, began to show respect again, Isel tilted her head. "Why?" "If you''re the reincarnation of the saint, your mental age is over 100, so shouldn''t I show respect?" Isel questions back with a face that shows she doesn''t understand. "But our physical age is twenty-three." "But still, the age..." "We''re twenty-three." Isel interrupts and answers once more. Her gentle tone has an oddly chilly air to it. Rachel''s eyes became even fiercer as she red at Reed, and he could realize it. ''It''s a sensitive issue, then.'' Reed had no choice but to ept it humbly, as he could not think of a way to win against them. "Why did the one who was a saint in her previous life ept the demon blood?" The fact that the level of "Blood Magic" that can be used when bing a demon has risen to 4 means that she has trained in the techniques of demons. "Does it look like I''ve fallen?" Even though she was a reincarnated saint, she couldn''t help but appear to have fallen. However, Reed knew the path she would take. Her path was that of a noble saint, so it could never be called a fall. "To know the risk of bing evil in order to stop greater evil." That was the most impressive line she had said. She became evil to defeat a greater evil. "But looking at those eyes doesn''t seem very pleasant." "Hehe, I''m sorry. I''ll close my eyes." When she closed her eyes with a smile, it somehow reminded him of Phoebe. The difference was that if Phoebe was innocent, she had apassionate feeling. "I have no intention of associating with demons. Just like that man, Peon." "If there''s a difference?" "I''m more cooperative." * * * Dream big tl dot [Original Source ¨C dreambigtl .] * * * It''s probably not her biggest advantage. "And I''m willing to help you change all seven fates that surround the Tower Master." "Seven fates..." He could understand what the 7 meant. From the game title, "Disaster 7", to the number of derived disasters, there were seven. "You have already changed two fates. You''ve sent those who would''ve been tainted by the revenge spirit back to their original ce." Adonis Hupper and Larksper. That''s what she meant. "And the Silent Saintess killed the third fate to be changed." "He is not one of the seven fates surrounding you." "What...?" Reed was speechless upon hearing this. What does that even mean when they fought against the second disaster? "The demon that Rachel killed was a thoughtless man blinded by greed, just a man who was caught up in fate. The fundamental fate has not changed yet." ''What does that mean?'' Reed couldn''t understand. "Peon is dead... but the fate hasn''t changed?" "It means that another Demon King can be born." Isel smiled faintly. "Tower Master of Silence, in your hands." Reed''s body stopped. His thoughts also stopped for a moment, only chewing on the words Isel had said. ''Me? I create the Demon King?'' It sounded like he would create a disaster as if it was a predetermined fate, even though Peon had died. But that doesn''t make sense. Reed had already given up on "Project: Flower Garden". Then, is it possible that the project could be revived? "No, maybe... I might find another way." Either way, creating the Demon King was a disaster for Reed. It would undoubtedly make Rosaria unhappy. "I offered everything today to prevent such a mistake." She showed Reed all the secrets that could overturn the order and deny the saintess herself. "Then, do you know who that fate has entangled now?" Larksper and Adonis. And he asked directly about the person who would be the third fate. Isel seemed to know who it was. That''s why she nced at Rachel, and Rachel nodded, waiting for an answer. "It''s someone you know well." Someone I know well? "There''s a woman you had a rtionship with a long time ago, isn''t there?" "Don''t try to test me." His face looked more serious and urgent than ever. If she even joked, the atmosphere would be so fierce that he would throw a punch on the spot. Isel also had no intention of bothering Reed''s mind any further. She answered. "It''s someone you know well." The range of thought narrowed. "A genius magician who became the Tower Master at a young age." Only one person. "The Tower Master of Wallin, Dolores Jade." [T/N: (¨s¡ã¡õ¡ã£©¨s¦à ©ß©¥©ß] *** "Oppa, are you listening?" "...Yeah." "So, you see~." It was a weekend evening. As always, Dolores came to visit and began to share various stories with Reed. The project to detect demons with magic was going on intensely, but Dolores, who was always busy, could still have a weekend break. As she casually spoke, Reed couldn''t bear to look at her. "Oppa." "Huh?" "You''re not listening, are you?" "I''m listening." "Repeat what I said." "......" Chapter 106.2 He couldn''t answer. The hangover from the alcohol he drank yesterday and his worries were tormenting his head. He kept his head down, fearing that looking up at Dolores would only add to his misery. "See, you''re not listening. You don''t even look at my face, and you don''t talk." "I''m sorry." "Why are you like this today? Are you tired? I guess I was bothering you... Sigh, I should just go." "No!" As Dolores jokingly tried to get up from her seat, Reed reflexively grabbed her hand. Dolores was surprised to see Reed, who had never done that before, holding her wrist. Reed let go of her hand and apologized to her. "I''m sorry." "What''s wrong? Are you having some trouble, oppa?" Dolores, who had been good at acting sulky, cautiously asked, feeling uneasy about his sudden action. Reed covered his face with one hand and waved the other. "No, it''s just... I''m just out of it today." He couldn''t bring himself to answer. The third fate Reed had to face was Dolores herself. ''Dolores.'' Yes, from the moment he entered this game, Dolores was a character he had seen for the first time. Instead of a talented young female magician, Rudis Grancia Jade, a pathetic person, took the position of the Tower Lord of Wallin. Dolores disappeared without a sound. If they said she died, he could at least somewhat understand it. But she disappeared without a word, as if she had never existed in the first ce. He didn''t know why. Reed investigated the reason all night. But there was nothing within his knowledge or understanding. It was something that would happen in the future. Perhaps it shouldn''t have happened, and it was undoubtedly an event that could not even be anticipated. He felt doubts and fears about whether he could prevent such an unpredictable event. At that moment, a gentle sensation enveloped Reed. It was Dolores'' embrace. "You''ve been deep in thought. I''m sorry. I should have noticed." Likeforting a child, she hugged Reed''s head and gently stroked it with her right hand. Reed couldn''t say anything as he nestled in her chest. He quietly felt her embrace and waited until he calmed down as she said. "Are you feeling better now?" "...If you don''t count the embarrassing act, I''m fine." Doloresughed at Reed''s reaction. It was a childlike smile with her dimples showing and her eyes curving like crescents. Dolores, who had always sat on the opposite side, perched on the desk. She changed the subject. "I''ve picked out the clothes to wear while traveling." Reed responded to the topic. "What are they?" "I''ll wear a white dress and a straw hat because we''re going secretly. Like ady out for a stroll." "What about me?" "You look good in a suit, so wear a suit. Something simr to what you wore at the party." "Hmm... What else?" "During the day, we''ll walk along the royal road. We''ll go to the market, blending in with the sounds of carriages and merchants calling out." "Go to themoners'' market? Isn''t that dangerous?" "What''s dangerous about it?" "What if someone offers you candy to follow them?" "...You seem to be feeling much better, huh?" "I''m sorry. What else?" "We''ll go to a not-so-fancy restaurant, eat not-so-fancy food, and have fun likemoners as much as possible." "Acting likemoners during the day... sounds good." "But that''s not the end. When the sunsetes, we''ll go to a quietke. I''ll freeze the surface of theke and we''ll skate on it." "Isn''t that dangerous at night?" "Let''s do it on a full moon night. Wouldn''t it be fun to skate on the ice together on the night when the moon shines the brightest?" "Well, I''m not good at skating, you know." "I''ll teach you. We''ll bring the food I prepared for dinner." "What will you prepare?" "That''s a secret." "If it''s something weird, I won''t eat it." "Hey, are you saying I''d make something inedible?! I''m good at cooking, you know?! Just wait and see, I''ll make you speechless." Reed smiled at her childish grumbling. "What do you think of my travel n? Aren''t you looking forward to it?" "Hmm, is there a tree by thatke?" "Um... There should be. Why?" "If there''s a big tree, we can lean against it and look up at the sky at an angle. So we can see the stars." "Oh, and?" "Let''s have an unstructured conversation like we always do. Talking about things we couldn''t talk about in here." Dolores, who was looking forward to it, inadvertently closed her mouth. A disorganized conversation. Untold stories. What could he be talking about? "What... should we talk about?" "I don''t know." "Let''s say we went there! Then what would you say? Try saying it now." "Why would I say that when I''ve never been there?" "Ugh, you''re so frustrating! We might not even go on this trip." "Then I won''t go either." Dolores narrowed her eyes and red at him. Her blue eyes, visible between her narrowed eyes, were adorable. "Dolli." "What?" "You don''t get angry anymore." "I realized I don''t have to. If you enjoy my reaction, I won''t give it to you." "Whenever something happens,e to me first." "Why?" "Juste to me." Reed said with a smile. But Dolores knew that his smile was not an ordinary one. "Do you worry a lot about me? Because I''m like a child?" Her eyes wavered as she spoke. She vented her surging emotions. "You always pretend to be strong. Even though you''re weaker than me. Always acting tough, treating me like a kid. If I wanted to, I could easily knock you down!" Dolores showed her clenched fist. It was a small, soft fist. It was an appeal wanting to be recognized, rather than a threat. "I''ve never seen you as a child." "Then treat me like an adult. Don''t just rely on yourself, rely on me too." "Do you want me to rely on you?" Dolores hesitated. She fiddled with the hand she was holding. And she nodded her head. "I wish you would." It was always what she wanted. But she couldn''t bring herself to say it and closed her lips again. "Alright, I''ll rely on you when I feel like copsing." At those words, Dolores smiled mischievously with her eyes. "Since I hugged you, it''s not fair, so now it''s my turn to be hugged, right?" Dolores yfully spread her arms. "Well, it''s just a joke but..." Reed didn''t say anything and hugged her. Dolores, who had been talking, floundered like a carp caught on the riverbank. "Uh, oppa?" "Let''s be fair. There you go." "......Yes." She wrapped her arms around his waist with the arms that she had yfully spread. Neither of them spoke. They just held on to this moment. In this moment, they wrapped their arms around each other, trying not to let go. Chapter 107.1 Baldschmidt (1) Tower Master Summit venue. Kamin, the Greenwood Tower Master, immediately bowed and apologized as soon as the Tower Master Summit began. "I''m sorry. Due to my carelessness, the wizards of the Jade Tower have lost their lives." Kamin had a strong sense of responsibility. She failed to interrogate the demons caught after a long stakeout and also failed to escort them to the Jade Tower. The sky carriage was shattered and stained with blood, but strangely, there were three traces of fire. Seeing the ckened marks, they determined that it matched the purification ritual of the Althea Order and realized that the Althea Order''s people had cleaned up the aftermath. It was a shameful incident. It was shocking enough to be shot down by two demons and ughtered without even a chance to counterattack, but then the Althea Order took care of the aftermath. "Our wizards were alsote to be on guard, so please don''t be too critical of the incident." The Jade Tower Master took Kamin''s side and stepped in. When she heard the news, Kamin first rushed to the Jade Tower Master to apologize. And next to Reed, who had caught the demon. Apologizing at the official Tower Master Summit was the third time. Nichs Rottenstein, theTower Master of Monolith Tower, looked at the Jade Tower Master with displeasure. "Even if it''s a failure, not even being able to counterattack and dying like that... Were those demons really so great?" With a hand d in a ck leather glove, he tapped the table and red at Kamin. "You, the Greenwood Tower Master, who used to take pride in being the best at detection, couldn''t even detect the enemy. That''s a big deal." "What''s so wrong with that?" Reed stopped Nics'' sarcastic remark. "Yes, it was a mistake, but they were demons skilled in disguise. Since we couldn''t see the demons'' eyes and features, we were deceived. Wasn''t that why we gathered here to study magic?" "You''re right, Tower Master of Silence." Helios, the chairman, supported Reed. "I don''t think the Greenwood Tower Master was ever negligent in her work. There''s no wizard who likes failure." Kamin couldn''t findfort in Helios'' words and bit her lips tightly. "I will take responsibility for this incident and make sure to find a magic that detects demons." She was determined. * * * Dream big tl dot [Original Source ¨C dreambigtl .] * * * Hatred towards the demons burned fiercely. "We''ll have to waste more time catching demons." "We still have a sample. Don''t worry, I''ll find out using that sample." Was there anything worth calling a sample from the dead demons? Just looking at what was already recorded in the book was enough. What he held as a sample was an item different from what was recorded in the book. ''Demon''s blood and the saintess''s blood.'' The blood was from the saintessess, Isel, who had allowed it to be used as a sample from her body. It was said that she was a saintess who was skilled in healing magic, and that holy water flowed throughout her body. A clear, clean, and slightly shining liquid. Reed wondered if she also had such abilities and virtues as the saintess did. However, when he looked closely at the blood that she had drawn herself, it was different. It was a dull and murky color. It was as if the water had been drawn from a polluted area rather than being holy water, and the difort came first. It''s whates out of the contaminated blood when demons manifest mana before using magic. As Isel drew her blood, she said this. -Give it to those you can trust, Tower Master. -What if they find out that it''s the saintess''s blood? -That''s the extent of my fate. As long as the goal is achieved, anything goes. It was a statement that left no doubt about her being a noble martyr and a saintess. There were a total of 5 bottles containing the blood of saintess Isel. Reed kept one bottle. He had already distributed 3 bottles to others. The chief engineer of the tower, Kaitlyn, Wallin Tower Master Dolores, and Greenwood Tower Master Kamin, who came to apologize with tears, each received a bottle. Although she failed to escort and lost the sample, Kamin''s sense of responsibility was strengthened, and her resentment towards the demons deepened, so he trusted her again. ''Who should I give the remaining bottle to...'' Reed thinks and nces quickly. The wizards who got up from their seats after the Tower Master Summit was over. Among them, who has the skills and is trustworthy? "You''ve worked hard, Tower Master of Silence." The girl, who usually just greeted him lightly, brushed Reed''s hand like a light knock with her finger and passed by. He turned his head unconsciously at her behavior, which was unusual for her, who didn''t even have proper contact with him before. Dolores'' blue eyes meet his. For a very brief moment, she smiled and turned her head back as she walked away. "Hey." A blunt word. "What are you doing in this sacred meeting ce, huh?" "I didn''t know you would use the word ''sacred.''" ''If it''s blood research, then...'' It was the Tower Master of ck Sky, the immortal queen. However, there was a reason to be hesitant about the ck Sky Tower Master, Freesia. ''It doesn''t seem like the secret will be kept.'' Freesia was a whimsical little girl. If she found out it was the blood of the saintess, she would likely try to create a power to lead herself to death rather than study demon detection. Even if her fate was up to that point, Reed didn''t want to lead someone who was willing to help him to ruin. "Are you thinking about something rted to me?" "No." "You look suspicious. You seem like you want to say something, but you''re hesitating because you think I''ll do something useless." "...No." "I guess I hit the mark." ''She''s only sharp on unnecessary points.'' With agees wisdom, and she had an excellent eye. She would undoubtedly be persistent in her questioning. While the annoying Freesia''s engine was warming up, a giant man stood between them. "ck Sky." It was Helios, the Tower Master of the Sky Chamber. "I have something to discuss with Silence, so please step back." "Don''tmand me, Helios. I don''t listen to those weaker than me." "ck Sky." He always had a serious face, but today he seemed displeased. Freesia, who had been making eye contact, looked up at Reed. "It seems our chairman is in a bad mood today. What trouble did you cause?" "..." "Well, never mind. You both seem boring. I''ll get bad luck from you both." Freesia unfolded her parasol and obediently stepped back. Only the two of them were left in the conference room. He was always a serious-looking person, but today was different. It was as if he hade to interrogate. "I met with the saintess." That''s why Reed confessed first. From Helios'' perspective, who had prepared leading questions in anticipation of Reed hiding something, it was as if he had been unexpectedly attacked. "The conversation won''t be long." Helios got to the point. "You made contact with the saintess at an inopportune time, Tower Master of Silence." "I apologize, Chairman. But it was a necessary matter." "What was it, then?" "The saintess has agreed to cooperate. Our goal is to create a tool that allows anyone to recognize demonsbined with our technology, so I thought it wouldn''t deviate too much from our main purpose." That was the justification Reed made up. However, it was a justification that could persuade anyone, and perhaps it was an excuse that only Reed, who was walking the path of magic engineering, could make. Speaking confidently, Helios stroked his chin beard with his thumb. If there was progress, he could immediately tell Reed to stop, but even the Tower Master of the Sky Chamber had no good news so far. Even if they brought demons as samples, their solidarity was so strong that there was no progress. Chapter 107.2 "Do you want me to quit?" "No." Helios thought coldly and shook his head. "I might have stopped it if I had heard about it on another day, but after hearing what happened to the Greenwood Tower Master, I thought we couldn''t just sit idly by with our pride." The Tower Masters couldn''t sit still since the demons had touched the wizards of the tower. And it was time for Helios, the leader of the Tower Masters, to make a bold decision. "Tower Master of Silence, I don''t think you''re a thoughtless person. Even when you were in Escoleia, you performed your duties well with the Wallin Tower Master." "Is that so?" "The old you felt out of control. But since you embraced magic engineering, I haven''t ignored you even once." "...Thank you, Chairman." If it were about the past Reed, it might be a subtlyplicated statement, but since it had nothing to do with the current Reed, he just let it pass. "What did the saintess feel like?" "She was literally a saintess. It felt like catching a cloud in the sky, but at the same time, it had a sense of weight." Reed assessed the saintess, considering how others would see her, not just how he saw her. Helios'' eyebrows twitched. "You felt that way? I''ve met the saintess too. The one dressed in white." "saintess of Meditation, I suppose." "I only had a few words of conversation, but I could feel it in that conversation. It felt like wearing a thick mask. I could feel her trying to wrap her emotions in mildness." Despite the cooperation with the saintess, the suspicion about her was not resolved. "Allow cooperation, but always be suspicious. They might be trying to divide us. The reason why the Althea Order can emit such a high status is precisely because of those saintesss. They might be working to undermine the wizards of the tower." Helios was strict. However, being that cautious would enable him to exert his abilities as a chairman, and the wizards of the tower would unite. He wanted to tell Helios that in the end, it was the tower wizards who had destroyed the tower. *** Silence Tower, Tower Master''s Library. Reed began researching what could be done with blood. Knock, knock. Only two people could knock on the Tower Master''s library door. Phoebe and Rosaria. "Dad." It was Rosaria. "Why did youe, my daughter?" "Sister gave me homework, and I don''t understand. Also, Orphe keeps saying mean things beside me, so I''m angry." "How?" "Like this! Oh no, you can''t do that. What''s the use of that? Do you need to use your head with your ability? Like this, he interfered with my studies. So I came out." Orphe was the water spirit king, Orneptos, transformed into a young child. Befriending Rosaria was a condition of the contract, but it seemed not easy due to her innate disposition. "Sit down." Reed pulled a chair next to him and offered it to Rosaria. Rosaria, who brought a pile of thick books, ran up and plopped down on the chair. "So, you want to ask Dad about this?" She shook her head. "Sister said not to ask about homework! We have to study as much as possible from books, and if we really don''t know, we can ask!" "Really? Then you don''t need to study with Dad." "No, no. I think I can study better if Dad is with me." ''Is it like a totem?'' Seeing her beaming smile, he couldn''t let her go. Even if she''s clingy, if she''s cute, it bes a decoration, right? "Alright, study by yourself next to Dad. If you do it alone, you''ll learn something." "Okay! And Sister also gave me a reference book. I don''t know what to refer to." "You don''t understand even after looking at the reference book?" "Yeah, it''s hard every time I refer to it. Why do I have to refer to it?" Reed couldn''t understand what she was saying for a moment. "Uh, yeah? Oh, no, not like that. Referring means looking at another book when you don''t understand something." "I see. Now I think I know why Sister told me to refer to it." Rosaria''s mouth opened wide as if she had gained a great insight. It seemed that there was a misunderstanding, and her puzzled expression rxed. ''Even if it''s someone I like, giving me a lot of books and telling me to refer to them would make me angry too.'' Rosaria started reading the book. The girl who used to carry a fairy tale book around was now carefully reading an introductory book on magic. While Rosaria indeed had an overwhelming talent for magic, Dolores'' efforts were the most significant. If it weren''t for her dedication, always sticking by her side, thinking together, and always considering why Rosaria couldn''t understand, it would have been impossible. ''There was a reason why Dean Anton coveted her.'' She was qualified to be a Tower Master, and she also had the qualities of a teacher. She knew how to properly handle the raw stones, so if she had been a professor, she would have undoubtedly solidified her position within Escoleia. Rosaria read the book, flipping through the pages. Then she repeatedly eximed in admiration. "Sister is so smart. How does she know all this?" Amazing. Cool. She kept saying those words in a row, interrupting Reed''s concentration. It was annoying, but he didn''t dislike it. It was better to hear exmations from her mouth than grumbling sounds. With the continuouspliments, Reed couldn''t help but ask Rosaria. "Do you like Dolores?" Rosaria smiled broadly and nodded her head. "Yes!" "What do you like about her?" "Dolores Unni is pretty, she smiles a lot, and when I don''t know something, she thinks about it with me... Oh, she also gave me a teddy bear!" "Come to think of it, what happened to Lucy?" "Phoebe unni fixed her well. Phoebe''s room has a lot of dolls. There''s even a doll that looks like Dad." "Really?" "There were big dolls, small dolls, and a lot of them. Oh no! I wasn''t supposed to talk about this! You have to keep it a secret." "Okay." It''s a bit scary to hear that there are many dolls that look like him, but knowing that she likes him, he let it pass. "Phoebe unni is really nice too. She makes sandwiches and ys with me every day!" "Phoebe unni does a lot for you, doesn''t she?" "Yeah! I like Phoebe unni, Kaitlyn unni, Freesia unni... I don''t know much about her, but I like her too, and... I like everyone!" "Who do you like the most among them?" "Uh..." Upon hearing that, Rosaria''s red eyes rolled up towards the ceiling. Her head swayed like a reed, and her lips pursed. After hesitating for a while, unable toe up with an answer, she eventually replied like this. "I just like everyone! Rosaria will love everyone equally." "I see. Then will you love Dad equally too?" Rosaria let out an exmation. "No, no, Dad is number one! Absolutely number one!" Instead of her index finger, Rosaria raised her thumb and spoke. Reed burst intoughter at her cautious face, worrying if he might feel left out. "Dad knows." Reed pinched Rosaria''s cheek gently. Chapter 108.1 Baldschmidt (2) Baldschmidt was from an empire''s workshop magician family, but his skills were not outstanding enough to rise above the position of a manager. He was not from a prestigious family. It is said that the Adeleheights family gained their wealth when the western Hendl Kingdom joined the empire. Dolores Jade became a genius magician at a young age, but she was a durd until she met Reed. She couldn''t understand even the smallest things, and despite copying notes until her hands were bruised, she never grasped the concepts. As Reed began teaching Dolores, her genius gradually elerated. Being the youngest to enter Escoleia and graduating top of her ss, Dolores was undoubtedly the pride of the Baldschmidt family. However, after the rtionship with Reed went awry and she found out that her parents were the cause, Dolores resented them and abandoned the family name. -You can''t escape Baldschmidt''s blood. Noble-born magicians cannot ignore their bloodline. Of course, if their lineage is severed, or they lose the essential elements of their family, the name bes meaningless. They could decline, like the Adeleheights family, with no information or status. But Reed thought that her family was not powerful enough for her to escape bloodshed. Her individual influence was greater than her family''s. Being a resource of the workshop and abandoning the name of Baldschmidt. It was something that any magician should be concerned about, but no one ever raised such an issue when evaluating Dolores. The workshop hoped for Dolores, and the tower hoped for her as well. Dolores, who had workshop parents, moved to the tower. That was the story Reed knew and the stories Leto had collected. "What happened to the Baldschmidt family?" "They''re retired now. They''ve settled down in a quiet part of the empire." Dolores is currently 27 years old. Magicians typically marryte, so the Baldschmidt couple is now 64 years old. It was time for the newbies to push out the stagnant water below them. "What''s their recent news?" "What recent news would there be about a retired magician? They''re just livingfortably." They''re doing nothing. What could be the reason for them to live in the bustling cities of the empire while doing nothing? "It could be just because they''re used to the city." As people get older, they tend to prefer the familiar. Reed moved on to a different topic. "What about the stories regarding Rosaria?" "Miss Rosaria? Well, I''ve been using all my power, both what I have and don''t have, to find out." "So you mean there''s nothing." "Yes. Yes... As I told youst time, she was just a little girl wandering the streets when we found her..." Leto stuttered and then took something out to show Reed. "This is a butterfly hairpin that is popr among youngdies these days. I thought Miss Rosaria might like it because the butterfly flutters above her head, so I brought this humble gift, hehehe." "...I''ll ept it." Reed opened the gift box and checked the contents. He didn''t like it. Ironically, he didn''t like the fact that Leto had brought something that he would like. ''I didn''t even ask for it...'' Leto, knowing that he couldn''t give Reed a good gift with his own wealth or sense, tried to appeal to Reed by providing Rosaria with the things she needed. ''In reality, she liked it the most.'' If she had to choose between the two, she always chose Leto''s gifts. Unlike Reed, who asionally had duds, Leto always hit the mark with Rosaria''s preferences. As a father, it was a blow to his pride, but seeing Rosaria happy made those feelings subside, which was a problem. Reed nced up. Leto''s protruding front teeth and his jiggling neck fat. Since joining Reed, Leto seemed to have gained some weight. Reed asked in a business-like manner before the strange doting side could take over. "Anything else?" "I''ve found out about the construction ns for the magnesium production facility and the research and development site for new materials." Reed had asked Larksper to find a smander habitat because he couldn''t always import magnesium. As expected, they discovered the location of the smanders and nned to turn it into a magnesium production site. Magnesium was just a part of it. If they were to pursue various developments, such as shape-shifting alloys, there woulde a time when they couldn''t research within the tower alone. ''There''s also a way to expand...'' The revival of the tower wasn''t just about its height. "Good job. And..." Reed asked, ring at him with his golden eyes. "Are you enjoying yourselftely?" "Hehe?!" Leto panicked and made a squeaky sound like a mouse. He fiddled with his fingers. "What do you mean...?" "Do you think I wouldn''t know that you''re secretly investing without my knowledge?" Being a rat who made a fortune in the empire''s slums, he knew what people wanted. Leto''s investment in the orc alliance, Barchan was a fighting arena. True to their bloodthirsty nature, orcs preferred intense and heated battles, which made for excellent tourism products. "Ah, please forgive me, my lord! My eyes were blinded by money for a moment! I''ll give all my investments to you, please forgive me!" Leto groveled, rubbing his hands together until they were worn. Reed looked down at him with disdain. "I don''t care about your investments. It''s not like I''m trying to eat you up." Reed added, lifting his teacup. "However, if you be negligent in your role because of that money, that''s when the problem arises." "Ah, don''t worry! No matter how uneducated I am, I''m not a fool who doesn''t know gratitude and causes trouble!" "I hope so." As the cold golden gaze stared at him, Leto bowed his head again. Innately sensing that Reed was more irritable than usual, Leto was more cautious than ever. ''Dolores... Rosaria...'' Reed''s shoulders felt heavier than ever. There was no doubt. This was the weight of responsibility. * * * * * * Dream big tl dot [Original Source ¨C dreambigtl .] * * * The Sky Carriage of the Wallin Tower. Dolores had just finished her murderous schedule, filled by the minute, and was on her way back. "You''ve worked hard, Tower Master." "You''ve worked hard too." Dolores'' face was worn out from fatigue as she boarded the carriage. "Please get some rest on the way." "Thank you." However, she didn''t fall asleep. Although she felt like she would fall asleep as soon as she closed her eyes, Dolores pinched her brow to wake herself up and looked at her notebook. She let out a sigh only after checking two or three times to make sure she hadn''t missed anything. ''It''s tough.'' There hadn''t been a single day since she ascended to the Tower Master position that wasn''t hard and busy. But she didn''t stop. It''s difficult to gain trust and love from others. When she inherited the position of Wallin Tower Master, she felt a sense of responsibility and worked hard to meet expectations. Dolores looked at her watch. Instead of habitually checking the time, she first checked what day it was. ''Thursday... 3 days left.'' In 3 days, it would be Sunday. Sunday was the day to go to the Silence Tower. It was the day to teach her two young disciples and the day to see her oppa. That was all she could think about. At first, she said it was a hobby because she didn''t have anything urgent to say, but at some point, it really became a hobby. Rosaria, who was kind but still had a low level of understanding, struggled in her lessons. Yuria, who had a high understanding in ss but was annoying due to herpetitive spirit. In a way, it was annoying, and it wasn''t easy to cater to both of them, but it was an exciting challenge for Dolores. ''It seems like the project direction is starting to take shape...'' The problem was how to proceed, and once the reference was set and research began, things would get really busy. She would have to give up her days off, and it would be even harder when Sunday came. Rosaria would be disappointed, and Yuria would undoubtedly grumble. Imagining the different reactions of her two disciples, a smile naturally burst out. But now there was a escort present. She put her finger to her lips, lightly smiling to let her emotions flow. The sky carriage descended. Looking out the window, she saw the Wallin Tower. ''Let''s finish up and get some rest when we get back.'' True to her diligent nature, she was about to step off the sky carriage when her footsteps suddenly halted. Her drowsy eyes instantly widened. Her reaction came as soon as she saw the two people standing in front of the Wallin Tower. They were people Dolores knew well. Since childhood, she had grown up with them, so it was impossible not to know these two people. Dolores'' mother and father. Erel Baldschmidt and Igtus Baldschmidt. "Why are you two here?" Dolores asked coldly. As if they were used to such treatment, the two stared at Dolores silently. Her father, Igtus, opened his mouth. "It''s really impolite here at Wallin Tower. Even though a Baldschmidt came, they treat us like outsiders and won''t even open the door." "Of course. There''s no one rted to Baldschmidt here." "Then what is this in front of me? A ghost?" "Treat me like a ghost. Consider me dead. Just like when I said I would abandon the name Baldschmidt and you treated me like a dead person." "You''re a spiteful girl¡­" Igtus gritted his teeth and red at Dolores. The more he did, the fiercer her eyes became. Erel Baldschmidt, who had been standing silently next to him, stopped Igtus. "We didn''te here to fight. If you talk like that, it will only backfire." "I have nothing to say to you." ''I don''t want to talk anymore.'' Dolores ignored them and tried to enter the tower. "Come back to the empire, Dolores. It''s not toote, even now." She stopped in her tracks. Chapter 108.2 She couldn''t take it anymore. She turned around, clenched her teeth, and strode towards the two. Her eyes were fiercely blue, emitting an intense re. Mana burst out along with a dense murderous intent, as if she would use magic at any moment. "You two are really shameless." Dolores looked at each of them. Igtus. "You called me a tough one." Erel. "You call me a spiteful girl." Erel. "You tell me toe back." The anger in her voice grew stronger. "But the first thing you should have done when you saw me wasn''t that." "What should we have done then?" At Igtus''s question, Dolores clenched her fists tightly. She was angry that they really didn''t know. "You should have apologized. You should have asked for my forgiveness." The memory of fighting with her parents when she found out the truth about the broken marriage surfaced in her mind. "When I asked why you had to do such a thing in that position, you should have apologized. But what did you say back then?" They didn''t answer. So Dolores answered for them. "You said I couldn''t escape from the Baldschmidt family. You said I would never be able to get away from you." "That''s true. You can''t escape our bloodline." Igtus didn''t try to deny his words. He firmly believed that he was right. Such an attitude further fueled Dolores'' emotions. She wanted to scream. She wanted to hit them. She wanted to trap them in ice magic and make them beg for forgiveness. "You want me toe back?" Dolores pointed to the ground with her finger. "If you want me toe back, kneel here and endure for 100 days. Don''t eat or drink anything and don''t move from that spot even if it rains or winds blow. Beg every time Ie out. If you do that, I''ll think about forgiving you." At Dolores'' demand, Igtus became furious. "How can you treat the parents who raised you like this? You ingrate!" "Parents?" "Do you think you could have be the Tower Master simply because of your own strength? You should know that our efforts to make you who you are were behind it all!" Dolores'' childhood came to mind. Yes, they had tried to make her a genius. Her mother who criticized her for having no talent, her father who endlessly pushed her until she seeded. So, what remained in her memory? She couldn''t even get a response, and her onlyfort was a teddy bear she cried against in silence. And the one who saved her from that ce was a single person. "I didn''t survive because of you." Dolores entered the tower as if there was nothing more to say. Her secretary, who followed her inside, asked Dolores. "What should we do?" "Leave them be." She was curious if they would endure for 100 days and apologize to her. Dolores didn''t say anything more. As expected of the Wallin Tower Master, she put on a strict and serious expression and boarded the elevator. She went straight into her office. *Click*. As soon as the sound of the lock was heard, Dolores slumped down in her seat. "Sigh..." Leaning against the office door, she exhaled heavily. "So annoying..." She was scared. As soon as she faced the two familiar faces, she felt as if her whole body was freezing. She became powerless as if facing a disaster, and her hands and feet trembled. However, she barely endured the pressure with the position and courage she had. She wanted to hold something. But there was no teddy bear to hug. With no other choice, she gathered her knees and bowed her head in that spot. -Tower Master. "..." -They have left. "¡­I see." She cut off the connection along with the short message. They wanted her toe back, but they weren''t willing to kneel and beg. It was too expensive to put down their pride, and their courage seemedcking. Dolores knew this about them, but she still felt down. ''If you''re going to do that, don''te to me at all.'' It''s cold. Even though she was the incarnation of cold and the Tower Master of Wallin, she couldn''t adapt to this chill. -Tower Master. "I want to be alone. Can you leave me be?" -The Silence Tower Master called you. He called your office desk directly, but there was no response... Dolores instinctively lifted her head. ''Did oppa call me?'' "Alright." -Yes. Dolores walked to her office desk. A momentter, a screen appeared, and Reed was shown. His gray hair and golden eyes stared straight at her. Dolores frowned and red at Reed with a displeased expression. "Why? Why are you calling me at this time when you know everything?" -Is it toote? "It''s 8 PM now. It''s nighttime. If you wanted to talk about a work-rted matter, it''s a very rude time." -I just wanted to have a conversation. Is this reason not enough? It was an unexpected reason. The most unexpected reason she needed right now. "You want to talk without even sending a bluebird?" -Did I offend you? Should I hang up and send a bluebird first? "Why are you doing this? I''m not that uptight, you know?" Dolores put her elbows on the desk and rested her face on them,ughing heartily. -You seem a bit more irritable today. Were you very busy? "Isn''t it always like that? Do you hate this me?" -Rather than disliking your behavior, I''m a bit surprised that I did something you dislike. I even wondered if I did something wrong. Hearing that, Dolores'' smile faded. Just a moment ago, she had been talking to someone about wrongdoing. "What if, hypothetically..." -Hmm? "What if... if you did something wrong... would you apologize to me?" -If I did something wrong, then I should. "Don''t you have any pride?" -Is there a need to uphold pride in a situation where I did something wrong? "What if I misunderstood and it''s not really your fault? I could be throwing a tantrum, right?" -Then I''ll give you a piece of candy andfort you. "Why would youfort me there?" -Because it''s obvious that you''ll be pouting with your lips sticking out. "Ha, that''s funny." She burst outughing at the nonsense. Even though the conversation had no substance, she felt her drained emotions filling up again. The fatigue didn''t go away, but the explosive stress seemed to have disappeared. -How''s the demon blood I sent you? "It''s quite a rare item. The books said it wouldn''t be so dark, but I guess the demons were quite cooperative? Where did you get it?" -I told you I wouldn''t reveal the source, remember? "You''re keeping it a secret from me too?" -If you make a big deal about something I''ve already told you, it puts me in a difficult position... Reed bit his lower lip, and Dolores smiled at him. "Thank you, oppa." -For what? ''For contacting me when I''m having a hard time.'' "For giving me the precious demon blood." -For now, use it sparingly. I''ll send more when I can get it again. "Okay." -Then I''ll hang up... "Don''t hang up." Dolores interrupted Reed''s words. -Do you have anything else to say? "No, I have nothing to say." -Then? "Just... just stay still. Don''t say anything for exactly 5 minutes. Not more, not less." Reed did as she said and stayed still. Dolores also didn''t say anything and just looked at Reed. Her blue eyes stared up at Reed, and Reed looked down at her. And so, the connection continued. Neither of them could tell if the 5 minutes had passed. Chapter 109.1 Baldschmidt (3) *** Garcia Empire. Expanding its territory with expansionism, it was the most powerful force in the central region, virtually the ruler of the central region. Was it a matter of perspective? In "Disaster 7", the Empire was friendly to the protagonist, so they never had a bad view of their ideology. But now that they have be enemies, the empire that can be seen from afar began to feel like a cluster of ominousness. ''As expected, the Empire''s gate is closed.'' The huge gate, which symbolizes the Empire''s prosperity and is over 30 meters high, was tightly closed, and underneath it, guards were checking. As concerns about the demons grew, they tried to let only those with proven identities in. ''They wouldn''t send a tower mage at times like this.'' So Reed got one thing from Leto. A fake ID. Strictly speaking, it was borrowed from one of the residents living in the slums. He wore civilian clothes that didn''t look suspicious, and changed his hairstyle to look like amoner. He waited in a long queue for his turn to be checked. "Alright, next!" Reed''s turn approached the end of the waiting line. Just as Reed was about to hand over his ID. "There''s no need to check him separately. I vouch for his identity." Someone approached from behind and spoke. Turning his head at the refreshing voice, Reed met eyes with a familiar-faced man. Blonde hair, golden eyes. A half-dragon with sharp, deer-like horns. It was Gorgan, the knight who had been the escort of Prince William, the third prince of the Empire. "If the Knight Gorgan knows him, there''s no need to check. Understood." The soldier who was about to take the ID just passed Reed''s turn. Gorgan stared straight at Reed with his eyes. I already know who you are. His eyes seemed to be telling him that. "Would you please follow me?" "¡­" Reed silently followed Gorgan into the building. Only after entering the Garcia Empire did Reed open his mouth. "Does the vanguard usually appear out of nowhere like this?" "It seems my luck was bad. I was thinking of doing a little inspection today, but I didn''t know I''d run into you like that." "Third prince''s escort?" "Prince William is currently under house arrest. I don''t know where it came from, but a recording of the prince''s voice was sent as a threat." "Is that so? It''s a shame." Reed feigned ignorance. But Gorgan already knew who had given that item. "I have no intention of retaliating. It was a personal matter back then. Besides... thanks to that, the third prince has be a little more cautious." "People learn from their mistakes." "Let''s move on. What brings you to the Empire?" Knowing the intent behind the question, Reed frowned. "It''s personal. Are you nning to follow me?" "Lately, there have been many rumors about demons roaming around. So, I''m on guard against demons." "Guarding against demons. That''s a good thing. What does that have to do with me, the tower master?" "They say that demons might be roaming between the towers as well." Gorgon answered straightforwardly. It was an unpleasant matter, but the same went for the tower mages. It was amon excuse since they often said at the conference that demons might be hiding in the workshop. "It''s personal. I''m going to visit the Baldschmidt family." "Baldschmidt, you say?" "It''s a family of mages who worked at the Empire''s workshop. They might have retired recently and you might not know about them." "I''m not unaware. If you don''t know the location, would you like me to guide you?" "Please do." Gorgon asked the patrolling guards to confirm the location of the Baldschmidt family and began walking with Reed. ''Baldschmidt...'' Reed''s visit to the family Dolores abandoned was to learn more about Dolores. There was a limit to the information he could get through Leto, and when he reached that limit, Reed boldly decided to visit the Empire. ''I''m not sure if they''ll be cooperative...'' At least, he thought he might be able to grasp some clues while talking to them, and so he visited them with the feeling of grasping at straws. "I never thought you''de to find retired mages." Gorgan spoke. "I asionally hear it over the shoulder. Whenever the workshop mages have a conversation, the main subject is always the tower master of the WallinTower. Theyment that she could have be the greatest talent in the Empire''s workshop." "Human life is originally unpredictable." At that, Gorgon nodded. "You''re right. I don''t know about mages, but if they were swordsmen, they might have cut off that talent." "If you can''t have it, you break it... is that it?" "When you meet again, if it''s an enemy, you''d better fold up your warm feelings in advance." "The Empire''s rules are harsh." "It''s not the Empire''s rules. It''s my rules to protect the Empire." Gorgan didn''t care who or what happened to anyone. ''He''s not one to see people as they are in the first ce.'' Maybe because he was a half-dragon, his priority was work over people. He was a man who was certain about priorities, so much so that he would ruthlessly cut off their necks if they messed up their work. ''I wonder what he thinks about Phoebe?'' Suddenly, he became curious. He had threatened Prince William by poking his weakness, and in the end, it didn''t end well. Reed asked him. "Are you curious about how Phoebe is doing?" "¡­" Gorgan, who had been talking fluently, suddenly fell silent. When he turned his head to look, Gorgan bit his lower lip with his teeth, muttered, and swallowed his words again. "¡­No, I''m not." He added while fiddling with the sword he had ced on his waist. "I saw her once before, and I could tell. Our chief will always be the same." "Always the same." A truly loyal dog. A Golden Retriever-like guy who never gets tired,es wagging his tail, and rubs her head against your leg. Reed knew that Gorgan didn''t remember her that way. As they talked to Gorgan, they suddenly reached the center of the Empire. The buildings became more splendid and ssical, and there were many buildings with at least five floors. As it was a ce where key executives and personnel had to live, security and cleanliness were high. Reed and Gorgan stood in front of a building. The sign on the building read ''Baldschmidt.'' ''It seems a bit narrow...'' Of course, it was much bigger than other ordinary houses, but it didn''t look cozy enough for a mage of noble origin to live in. Reed nced at Gorgon as he turned his head slightly. "You''re not going to follow me inside, are you?" "I''ll wait outside." So he would respect that much privacy. Still, it was just ufortable to be under surveince. Reed tried his best to act nonchnt and knocked on the door. Knock, knock. * * * Dream big tl dot [Original Source ¨C dreambigtl .] * * * After a while, the sound of movement inside grew closer. "Who is it? Coming to my house without an appointment... You are..." Seeing his face, he recognized it and knew he was Igtus Baldschmidt. Reed quickly offered a polite greeting. "It''s been a long time, sir." At that, Igtus snorted. "Sir, huh. Last time, you called me a damn old man and now you''re polite." "I don''t remember saying those words now." Igtus caught a glimpse of Gorgon standing over his shoulder. The outside was too heavily guarded. "Come in." Igtus cleared the way and let Reed in. "Who''s here... It''s you?" Erel''s pupils widened as if she had met someone she hadn''t expected. Chapter 109.2 "Hello?" "¡­" Seeing Reed greet politely, Erel Baldschmidt nced at Igtus. "Prepare some tea." Igtus walked past her down the hallway, and Erel went into the kitchen and took out some dishes. The ce Igtus guided Reed to was the living room. ''I know he''s not the type to live modestly...'' It was said that this was the end of the luxury he could show off. "I trust you brought that thing here for a reason." ''That thing?'' Reed was puzzled. ''Was there a deal with this old man? It must have happened before I entered this body...'' He couldn''t guess at all, and Reed''s time to think was limited. "I''m sorry, but I didn''t bring that." Reed didn''t know what it was, but he shrugged it off casually. Igtus''s face, which was already grim, became even more sullen. "Then, with what face did youe here to find me? Are you nning to take more? Wasn''t it enough to seduce my daughter and take her to the tower?" "I remember hering of her own ord." At that, Igtus scolded Reed. "No, no, you bewitched her. Didn''t you seduce my daughter and lead her down the path of corruption?" Reed was dumbfounded by those words. What on earth are these people talking about? Strictly speaking, the ones who pushed their daughter away were Dolores''s parents, themselves. Reed couldn''t understand why they med him. Erel came in and ced tea and refreshments. She didn''t say anything and retreated as if she had been chased away. "As I said before, if you don''t give me that, I have no intention of releasing her." "Her?" "Dolores Jade. Who else but her, who is no longer a Baldschmidt?" Reed asked in case there was another woman. He knew her character was twisted, but it was unbelievable. Calling his daughter a ''woman'' so harshly. "I don''t have anything else to say about her now. I just raised an ungrateful beast, so go back." The thorny words. The thorns aimed at Dolores pricked Reed. "How can Dolores be an ungrateful beast?" "She''s an ungrateful beast. She abandoned her father without even knowing the glory of being born in the Baldschmidt family!" Igtus picked up a teacup. His hand holding the teacup was filled with strength. "I gave her talent, I supported her in every way. I made her able to do what I couldn''t aplish, even by creating debt in the empire. She was a durd who wouldn''t have even stepped on the threshold if she was born amoner, and I made her a person, and she did what even a beast wouldn''t do?" It was only then that Reed realized what kind of people Dolores''s parents were. Extreme parents. Exactly that type. People who want to live luxuriously, thanks to their child, and be obsessed with making them elite, regardless of their ownck of talent. In other words, they were people who forced sacrifices without knowing their ce. "So you want to take revenge on your child?" He asked, suppressing his trembling voice. "Isn''t the root of all these problems you? If you hadn''t meddled unnecessarily, she would have been the pride of the Baldschmidt family." "You keep ming me, Igtus Baldschmidt." Unable to bear it any longer, Reed warned him in a lowered voice. But Igtus continued to criticize without backing down. "Who told you to give her affection? Who told you to care about anything other than her studies? Didn''t you ruin everything by filling her head with such nonsense?" He swallowed the words that almost came out as a curse. Now he understood why he had called him a damn old man thest time they met. "I just treated her normally, and it was you who pushed her so hard. If you had treated her properly, she wouldn''t have been so obsessed with me. Why are you trying to me me?" "You''re trying to deny your own mistakes! Do you know how much effort we put into making her...!" ''Making?'' People usually don''t use the expression ''making'' for their own child. Although he was in conflict with Dolores now, the nuance was strange. Feeling troubled, he tried to ask him about it. "What''s wrong with you... Ugh...!" Igtus suddenly grabbed his throat, interrupting his words. He dropped the teacup he was holding, and the ceramic fragments scattered. It''smon for an older person to feel strain on their heart when excited, but this was different. "What''s wrong?" Reed asked, but Igtus didn''t listen. He just muttered, looking at his hand. "Why... We''ve done so much for you...!" Igtus, who was in pain, raised his head while holding his throat. Reed could see it clearly. ck eyes. ''De...mon?'' And then, a subtle change urred on Igtus''s face. His blue hair mixed with white turned darker, and his fierce eyes and facial features became twisted and in. Igtus screamed while wiping the wrinkles with his hand. "No... This can''t happen..." Igtus, who felt the change in himself, and Reed, who couldn''t understand the situation, made eye contact. Igtus was the first to yell. "Hallumi...!" [T/N: raw: ¡°???¡­¡­!¡±, it might be incorrect as its an iplete sentence.] Igtus''s yell was cut off. Reed''s body enhancement with the runes inside him was faster than Igtus''s yell. Reed covered his mouth with his gauntleted hand and restrained him. Although demons have a higher level of specs than humans, Igtus was an old man. Reed had the upper hand in strength and exerted force on the old man''s face with his magnesium gauntlet. "Cough... Cough..." With the sound of choking, the mana within him was drawn out. Baldschmidt''s mana leaked out like a broken dam. When the charging rate reached 80% and only a tiny amount of the old man''s mana remained, Reed took his hand off his head. "Cough, cough... This, this is "Mana Drain"...! How could someone like you have that...?" What Igtus mistook for "Mana Drain" was one of the features built into the magnesium gauntlet. By wearing a magic absorption glove, it forcibly absorbs the mana of opponents who manifest magic. "No need for you to know." And there was no obligation to inform Igtus about it. All he needed to know was that at this moment, Reed had the upper hand. Reed, who had been polite, asked him with a voice mixed with disgust. "Why did you suddenly be a demon?" "Do you think I''m going to tell you that? I am...!" p! Igtus''s face turned sideways, spitting out bright red blood and white teeth. As long as he was a demon, there was no reason for Reed to show any mercy. Chapter 110.1 Baldschmidt (4) Rage burst out. A primal interrogation method that could never be called a magician''s way. Reed''s fist struck Igtus Baldschmidt''s cheek with all his might. Bam! Thanks to the constant exercise to bear the weight of the gauntlet, Reed''s fist had good strength, and the gauntlet he created had an attack power attached to it. It could deal damage that could bepared to that of a novice knight. "Tell me, what did you do to suddenly turn into a demon?" "Do you think... I''ll answer?" "Fine, you don''t have to answer." He clenched his fist again. Bam! Bam! Bam! A rough sound that would not normally echo in a magician''s mansion resonated loudly. As violence erupted, the beatings became more brutal. He focused on beating the face of the damned old man lying down helplessly. Dolores and Reed couldn''t forgive the man who imed to be the victim, Igtus, who had hurt them. They wanted to kill him right there and then. ''But I can''t do that.'' Reed managed to maintain hisposure even while excited. The goal had not been achieved yet. Reed withdrew his gauntlet-d fist. The filthy demon''s blood flowed down his bronze gauntlet. Igtus Baldschmidt showed a toothless gum smile as he lost his teeth. "Why did you stop? I''d die if you hit me a little more." "I won''t kill you." "Yeah, that''s right. You''ll torture me, cast mental magic, and somehow try to steal information. You''ve been treating demons... like that." Igtus smiled. He released the remaining tiny bit of mana. After releasing the amount of mana that couldn''t even form a fireball, only then could they understand what his intention was. ''Self-inflicted mana poisoning...?!'' Mana poisoning. Like dying when your health reaches 0, anomalies ur when mana reaches 0. When mana reaches 0, one bes a disabled person who can''t use magic at all, or their health is reduced. In that case, their life force will be reduced, and if they can''t solve it, they''ll be disabled or die. That was the method of suicide Igtus chose. "Ugh... gurgle..." Blood flowed back up. Reed tried to find a potion or something to replenish mana, but he had nothing. With Reed''s skills, there was no way to stop him frommitting suicide. Igtus foamed at the mouth and rolled his eyes back. Igtus, who had been trembling, stretched out his body. "Damn it..." Reedid down the stretched-out Igtus. Since he was already dead, Reed began to think as hard as possible. ''He was forcibly turned into a demon. It was never meant for this moment.'' He recalled the betraying nuances of his monologue. There was no doubt that they had been acting under the influence of demons for a long time. ''What about Erel Baldschmidt?'' If Igtus had revealed his identity, wouldn''t his wife, Erel, have revealed hers too? No, she might have done it before revealing her identity. Either way, Reed ran to the kitchen where Erel was, thinking that he could get something he didn''t get from Igtus. But the situation in the kitchen was already over. "Damn it..." There, Gorgan, the empire''s quick sword, who should have been waiting outside, was seen with his sword sheathed. In front of him were a split table, chairs, teacups, and Erel Baldschmidt. Her arms were cut off, and she was foaming at the mouth with blood. She had also resisted andmitted suicide. Gorgan turned his gaze and asked Reed. "Are you alright?" "What''s going on here?" "I felt something was strange and came inside. I saw someone in the kitchen, and since she had the eyes of a demon, I cut off both her arms, but..." "It seems shemitted suicide with mana poisoning." "Did Igtus Baldschmidt alsomit suicide?" Reed nodded his head. Gorgan bit his lip. They thought there would be witnesses left for each other, but in the end, nothing remained. Gorgan nced at Reed''s clothes. His white shirt was stained red. "You have blood on you. Are you hurt?" "It''s not my blood. Thanks for worrying." Reed waved his hand and sat down. Gorgan grabbed Erel''s jaw, who had be a corpse, and looked around. "Erel Baldschmidt found it strange that he turned into demon." "Same with Igtus." "I guess someone knew you wereing and prepared in advance, what do you think?" "No, that wouldn''t be it." Reed shook his head. There was a possibility that they had taken care of it from the outside knowing he wasing, but that was too careless a thought. "How were the Baldschmidt couple usually?" "They weren''t doing well. I only asked about their survival every few months." "Then, it''s possible that they were induced to reveal themselves when they were entertaining guests. And I came sooner than expected, so they revealed themselves even sooner." "Do you know what the inducer is?" Reed recalled Igtus''s actions once more. As if rewinding, the blood flowed backward, the fist returned, and Igtus''s demonic transformation was released. "It seems like there was something in the ck tea." "ck tea..." Gorgan turned his head. The neatly split teacup and the red liquid flowing inside. They drank a cup while entertaining guests and got food poisoning. "Did you drink it, sir?" "No." He was so angry that he couldn''t even think of putting anything in his mouth. Rather, he thought it was fortunate that it prevented him from exposing himself in a dangerous situation. "They say that evil alwayses from unknown ces... I never thought that the loyal Baldschmidt couple would be under the influence of demons..." "Just letting go like this only shows ipetence." Reed raised his head and spoke. "Find out from the empire what magic the Baldschmidt house has researched. Have some ck tea taken for research as well. Check everything they were involved in, the equipment and medicines they took. There may be magic they researched separately in the imperial workshop, or there may be more demons left." "I will convey that to the magicians." "And control the information for the time being. No one other than the top brass should know that there were demons. If distrust arises among the magicians, it will hinder the research." "¡­Will you help?" You? Gorgan looked at him with doubtful eyes. To be honest, Reed had no interest in the Garcia Empire and its citizens. "I won''t promise." He had a reason to help. Dolores. Erel and Igtus, both had demon blood, and there was no way Dolores, who carried their blood, could be normal. The secrets they had were now buried. However, as much as the Baldschmidt house was involved, Dolores would be involved too. No, rather, she could have been the source of everything. ''What they created... they said I ruined it.'' He didn''t want to think about the worst-case scenario, but it wasn''t easy. ''I need to go to the library.'' While Gorgan went to convey the message to the patrolmen, Reed moved to the library here. For magicians, the library was a ce to store their lived history. If she was an important figure, she would undoubtedly be recorded in some form. ''Where... if I were to leave information about Dolores, where would I leave it?'' He detected magic, but there was no storage magic. * * * Dream big tl dot [Original Source ¨C dreambigtl .] * * * That meant it was hidden well somewhere. Reed roughly pulled out the books from the top and looked into each one. It wasn''t visible on the bookshelf. Then was it on the desk? He went through the books ced on the desk one by one. Nothing. He opened the drawer and looked inside. Nothing. Thinking that there might be a space inside the drawer, he reached as deep as possible. Thunk. He caught something. Reed''s quick movements became calm. A hardcover book. On the cover, it read: -Blue Rose Blue rose. Reed opened the book. Chapter 110.2 Silence Tower, office. Reed sat in the chair, nkly staring at the door. He didn''t even hold a pen, just waiting for someone toe. A momentter, the closed door opened, and a woman appeared. "Did you call me, oppa?" Dolores Jade. A woman with blue hair and wall-like eyes. Dolores entered. Reed, who had been sitting quietly in the office, looked up at Dolores. "Sit down." Dolores sat in the seat Reed offered with a cautious face. He had given a sign that he would talk about something unusual, so she sat down carefully. "What''s going on?" "I went to the Baldschmidt house today." At Reed''s words, even the faint smile on Dolores'' face disappeared. Reed calmly continued speaking. The fact that the Baldschmidt couple became demons. And the fact that theymitted suicide on the spot. He told her everything as it was. As the story went on, Dolores'' eyes grew bigger. She struggled to hold back her tears by gripping her pants with both hands. Dolores listened to Reed''s words until the end. "Are you okay?" "I''m fine." That''s what she said. But her eyes were downcast and her mouth was shut. Reed held Dolores'' hand. Dolores raised her head. She tried to smile with difficulty. "I''m really fine." "Is that so?" "Because I never considered those two people as my parents in the first ce." It was sadness, pity, and betrayal rather than regret. Dolores ultimately believed she would be happy. But the cruel and dramatic situation distressed her. "And I found your records from them." "Records about me?" "I think you should see this too." Reed showed her a book titled ''Blue Rose.'' Dolores quickly skimmed its contents. "Ah... Ahhh..." Thud. She couldn''t bear the shocking news, and Dolores dropped the book. It was a natural reaction. All the stories rted to ''Blue Rose'' were about Dolores. It was as if the records of her childhood, the times she couldn''t remember, were written like a parenting diary. ''Demon Seed'' A tiny lump that parasitizes the heart, allowing one to move between demon and human, used for deceptive tactics. Recently, the demons who could not be detected for demonic blood were those who had imnted this ''demon seed'' in their hearts. When needed, it manifests demon blood, and when not needed, it is withdrawn. And the substance in the Baldschmidt couple''s ck tea was suspected to be a reactant that transformed them into demons. The very first experiment with that demon seed was Dolores herself. For Dolores, who didn''t want to make connections with demons, it was no different from a cancerous lump. It was not just a thing that ate away at the body, but a thing that ate away at existence. An object that could deny all the achievements Dolores had achieved. "The reason she was the youngest to enter Escoleia?" It was because of the demon seed. The reason she became the youngest tower master? It was because of the demon seed. "No..." Betrayal and fear. Dolores looked up at Reed. He had found out a secret she didn''t want to reveal. "No..." Dolores opened her trembling lips and shook her head. "Oppa, I''m not a demon." "I know." "I''m really not a demon. I didn''t know anything. I... I...! I really didn''t know!" "I know. I never thought you were a demon even once." "I am... I am..." As tears filled her eyes, Reed pulled her head to his chest. Dolores couldn''t hold back and burst into tears. "Why only me... Why does this keep happening to me... Why do bad things keep happening without me knowing?" She cried out loud. Reed stroked her head with his hand. "It''s okay, it''ll be alright." "I''m scared... I''m scared, oppa... It seems like the world doesn''t want me to be happy." "I''m here. Right here." Reed listened to all her words. All he could do for her right now was to quietlyfort her. She shed endless tears and vented her grievances. Her dry cough subsided, and no more tears came out. She couldn''t let go of Reed''s soaked shirt. "Three days ago, those people came to me." She said. "What did they say?" "I told them to apologize to me. If they wanted me toe back, they should apologize." "..." "They didn''t apologize in the end. If they were really sincere, if they had cared for me even a little bit, I might have wavered. But... they were under the influence of demons. They did weird things to my body..." "It''s okay." "Now, what should I do? I don''t know anything." Dolores shivered. Even the smart Dolores couldn''t think of a solution. Reed had thought of everything for her. "Now we have to prepare for the worst-case scenario." "The worst-case scenario is..." "The news that the Baldschmidt family are demons will inevitably spread. People won¡¯t know it now because we''re blocking it... but as soon as it spreads, there will undoubtedly be people trying to harm you." Reed already knew one of them. Ludis Grancia Jade. The man who took Dolores'' ce. Of course, it couldn''t be said that he was the main driving force behind expelling Dolores, but it would be a lie if he wasn''t involved. There is no one in the world that can be trusted. Except for oneself. "Be with me." Dolores'' breathing stopped. She looked up at Reed with her moist eyes. His golden eyes were smiling at her. You, who knew how to move forward even when hurt. You, who knew how to love the people you cherished more than anyone else. You, who would disappear quietly like a handful of ashes in front of the wind. "I''ll protect you." Chapter 111.1 Blue Rose (1) Tap tap tap tap. The sound of Freesia tapping her fingers resonated in the tower master''s office. The Morse-code-like finger movement meant she was bored. She was currently receiving reports on the events happening in the ck Sky Tower. Ma-gun, almost the only being she couldmunicate with, pretended not to hear her signal and continued speaking calmly. "Ah, seriously..." Freesia, who was resting her chin on her hand, suddenly let out an annoyed voice. The quick-witted Ma-gun noticed that it was a signal for them to inquire. "What''s the matter, Tower Master?" "It seems our Reed keeps doing strange things behind my sister''s back." "Reed? You mean the Silence Tower Master. Come to think of it, you made a promise with him, right?" In exchange for helping save Morgan the 2nd, he promised to give Freesia what she ultimately desired. "That guy. He was hiding something from me at thest meeting. If only that Helios kid hadn''t shown up, I would''ve found out." "How about visiting the Silence Tower?" "Are you telling me to go? He should say, ''Oh, here it is!'' and give it to me, shouldn''t he?" "¡­The chances of that happening are quite low." Freesia red at him with killer eyes after hearing the Ma-gun''s murmur. The Ma-gun nonchntly flipped through the organized papers with reports and discovered a piece of news. "There''s a report rted to the Silence Tower." "I don''t mind if you report it, but if it''s not fun, I''ll kill you. I believe you know my personality. Make it short and concise." "Hmm... It seems to be a report that you would find interesting." Tap tap tap tap tap. Her fingers moved quickly. It was a signal to hurry up and spit it out. "It appears there was a quarrel between the Wallin Tower Master and the Silence Tower Master." "A love fight? That''s boring. I guess those guys can''t help but bite and suck each other without misunderstandings?" She raised one eyebrow with a dissatisfied expression. "It seems this time it''s a bit different from a love fight." "What''s the difference?" "They say the Wallin Tower Master attacked the Silence Tower Master." Tap. The fingers tapping in boredom stopped. "That''s why she''s currently imprisoned in the Silence Tower. To summarize briefly..." The Ma-gun, who heard the sound stop, raised his head. "Why did you stop?" "Yes, well, that''s the end of it..." The Ma-gun couldn''t continue their sentence. A pair of eyes glowing red in the dim office. She usually emitted a fierce gaze when she was annoyed or angry. This was undoubtedly anger. Tendons stood out on her forehead, visible in the glow. "Keep talking." "So far, this is the summary. The rest is ongoing..." "Try to expand it out somehow. Not the summary you made up with your brain, but how the attack happened, what happened, and so on." Freesia said. "Look back at what that bitch did to Reed." *** "Did you hear about that?" "That the Wallin Tower Master attacked our Tower Master?" "Doesn''t it seem unbelievable? I thought our Tower Master would be the one to attack, if anything." "I thought they were getting along well recently, but I didn''t expect it to go to such extremes." "Do you know why?" "I''m not sure. Is it some kind of love fight? But for a love fight, they say she shot with the intention to kill. He barely survived after the shot missed his heart." "She was totally crazy, right?" They didn''t know the details. They just said that a problem arose during the exchange of opinions, and they resorted to extreme measures. The only ones who knew the details were the two parties involved and Phoebe, who treated Reed''s wound. The only urate information known was that Dolores was currently imprisoned in the Silence Tower. They informed the Wallin Tower secretary of the current situation and told them to elect a representative to rece Dolores'' duties. And once the representative was elected, they contacted the Silence Tower again. -We''ve decided on a representative from our Wallin Tower to inform you. "Who is it?" -A magician named Ludis Grancia Jade. "As expected." -What do you mean? "No, never mind." The magician who engaged in the most political machinations within the tower. He was a man who was inexplicable for having risen to the position of Tower Master, second only to the Tower Master. [T/N: He is talking about Disaster 7] ''Does that man know that Dolores is the one who inherited the demon lineage?'' It was too early to conclude, but there were many reasonable doubts. In Reed''s case, there was some justification since the previous Tower Master, Jude Roton, had directly nominated him. However, there were more than a few people who found it strange that Ludis was elected. -When do you n to release our Tower Master? "She still doesn''t admit her wrongdoings. If I release her now, she will undoubtedly attack me again. At least after going through the Tower Master meeting, I''ll decide on her punishment." -Understood. The video call ended. Reed let out a sigh. "Ugh." As soon as he sighed, he put his hand on the aching spot. It was where Dolores had attacked, and where Phoebe had healed it with healing magic. "Hoo..." Everything had to be realistic. He made Dolores attack directly so that there could be no doubt and made Phoebe witness it. That way, Dolores could be caught for attempted murder of the Tower Master. ''The time I can drag on with justification is about three months.'' Depending on the content of the meeting and the current situation, it was fluid, but typically three months. ''I have to solve this within three months.'' Reed clenched his fist tightly. *** Silence Tower, prison. Dolores was undressed from the clothes she wore as the Wallin Tower Master. Although it was called prisoner''s clothing, it was a wide white dress like a nightgown. Since the opponent was also a Tower Lord, they had to provide maximum convenience. So there was no external difort. On the contrary, the only difort was the hidden anxiety within her. ''Is it okay to make people misunderstand like this?'' She was more worried about Reed than her own anxiety. From the moment he created the false case of attempted murder of the Tower Lord, he knew that Dolores had the seed of evil in her body. And if he manipted it to cover it up while knowing it, Reed would also have to be held ountable. ''It''ll be fine.'' That''s what Dolores thought. If you don''t trust the person you rely on when you can''t even trust yourself, everything falls apart. "...Huh?" Dolores felt that something had changed. It was the door. An enormous amount of mana was being forcibly injected by someone. Wave Barrier Break! Unable to withstand the mana, the barrier shattered. Dolores sensed the abnormal approach and got up from her seat. It''s undoubtedly an enemy. She had to respond! However, Dolores'' hands were filled with magical restraints. She couldn''t use magic to respond because her magical power waspletely suppressed. Dolores picked up an object that could be used as a weapon and red at the door. A momentter, the door opened, and the person who destroyed the spell entered. Chapter 111.2 White hair and red eyes. A girl with a notebook and pen in one hand and a teddy bear in the other. "...Rosaria?" "Dolores unni, you''re here! Why are you holding a pillow?" "Huh? No, it''s nothing." Dolores put the pillow down obediently. "You broke the barrier?" "Yes! I did it just as you taught me." If excessive magical power is injected, the magic circle will break. She had taught her that before. ''I never thought she''d actually use it...'' Dolores swallowed her admiration and looked down at her. "Why are you here?" "I came because there''s a problem I don''t know from the homework you gave me." "You came to ask?" "Yes! I thought about it, but I have no idea! I can''t ask my dad, and I can''t ask Phoebe unni, so I came to ask you, Dolores unni!" She entered with a gigglingugh. As she approached, Dolores was more worried than happy. "You know why I''m locked up here, right, Rosaria?" "Yeah, I heard. You attacked Dad." "Yeah, I tried to harm your dad. It''s a big deal, something unforgivable no matter what. You shouldn''t approach such a person carelessly." She had to distance herself. So she indirectly preached. "I know that, too! That you shouldn''t be with a bad person... What was it called, that we should not tie with bad people" "Isn''t it ''being close to ink will cken you''?" "Is that it? That sounds right! You''re so smart!" "Knowing that, why are you here? Why are you acting like this when you''re a good listener?" Rosaria answered as if it were obvious. "Rosaria knows. You didn''t want to do it." Dolores''s eyes widened upon hearing those words. She nced around to see if anyone could hear them and cautiously asked her. "Did Dad tell you?" "No." Rosaria shook her head. "Then...?" "I just know." And then she smiled innocently. "That you like Dad. You wouldn''t do anything bad to someone you like." Rosaria had seen Reed with a bandaged arm and resting for a few days, so she knew what had happened. It was a situation where Dolores could be doubted. But Rosaria was different. Blind faith. She was providing thefort Dolores needed most. She tried hard not to cry. There can''t be a teacher shedding tears in front of her student. "Rosaria, do you want to stay with me more?" "Yes!" "Then, can you send mana back to the broken barrier?" "Yes." Rosaria sent mana as Dolores said, and Dolores connected the flow of mana with her fingers to restore the magic circle. Since it looked like there was a temporary malfunction in the mana flow, they could buy more time. As she recreated the barrier, Dolores warned her. "A magician must always be rational. If you can''t make a judgment based on the given information, you won''t be a proper magician. This is advice from your teacher." "Aw, I''m sorry..." "...Do you want to hug me?" "Yes!" Rosaria, who had been deted, hugged Dolores at the mention of hugging. As she stroked Rosaria''s white hair, she saw the teddy bear she was holding. ''I used to have a teddy bear, too.'' Her teddy bear was always her friend when she had nowhere to lean on. Unintentionally, she put more strength into the hand that hugged Rosaria. It was the feeling of hugging a teddy bear. "Do you want to ask about your homework?" "No, I just want to stay like this." "Shall we? Let''s do that." Dolores hugged Rosaria andforted her anxious heart. Rosaria fell asleep like that. While hugging her for a long time, the door opened. Phoebe entered. "Deputy Tower Master." "I came to pick up the youngdy." Dolores leaned her body, and Phoebe took Rosaria in one arm. She handed over the teddy bear and homework she picked up, in case her hands were not enough. "Thank you." Phoebe smiled and spoke. "I''m sorry." Unintentionally, Dolores apologized to her out of guilt. "What are you talking about?" "For attacking the Tower Master." "¡­It''s a decision made by the Tower Master. Even if it''s resented¡­ That resentment must be epted by our Tower Master." Phoebe gave a faint smile. Her face was just as difficult as Dolores''s. "WallinTower Master, cheer up. I just hope this incident is resolved quickly." "Thank you, Deputy Tower Master." Dolores felt the same way. She was waiting for this nightmarish time to pass quickly. *** Although she was studying detection magic using blood lineage, it wasn''t going smoothly. There was no progress in the Greenwood and Wallin Towers, and Kaitlyn, who majored in magical engineering, didn''t attempt anything hastily. The blood is limited, and there are countless hypotheses. So they were narrowing down the possibilities as much as possible. If there was any progress, it was in analyzing the substance mixed in the tea. A substance with a differentposition than the tea they were drinking was clearly detected. To find out what that substance was, they startedparing it. ''Patience is needed.'' There wasn''t much time, but they couldn''t rush the job. A huge shadow hung over the area around the Silence Tower, strangely only during daylight. ''What is this?'' Reed looked up at the window above. A huge object breaking through the clouds could be seen. At first nce, it seemed like a fallinget, and up close, it looked like an upside-down castle. A structure that all magicians recognize and tremble in fear. ''The Sky Chamber Tower.'' A tower that hides within the clouds it brings and wanders the sky. A tower that has ovee the spatial constraints of the tower itself. That''s why it was a tower that could monitor the entire continent. -The Tower Master of Silence. A deep, middle-aged voice was heard. It was the voice of Helios Glin Zelonia. His voice made Reed freeze. -May I enter your tower now? I''m about tond on the rooftop of your tower. It was very rare for Helios, who didn''t visit other towers, to visit. As it was a rare situation, Reed couldn''t even think of asking for time, let alone refusing. "Yes." As soon as permission was granted, a sh of light burst from the sky. Helios had descended. Reed immediately went down to the reception room to prepare. ''He must havee because of the recent incident.'' The question was, what did he think about that incident? He prayed that it wouldn''t end negatively, no matter what. As soon as the prayer ended, the door to the reception room opened. A middle-aged giant entered, leaning back as he came in. Chapter 112.1 Blue Rose (2) Among the tower masters, he was the oldest and the ruler who oversaw everything in the floating sky tower, the Tower of Sky Chamber. Helios Glin Zeronia. He had a personality that valued cleanliness and discipline close to mysophobia, and no one doubted his qualifications as a leader. Of course, he was a person who knew how to take responsibility for the power he possessed. He didn''t wield power recklessly and left them alone so they could do it themselves. That''s why if he interfered, they had to be prepared. "Wee, Tower Master of Sky Chamber." "Is your wound okay?" "Yes." "Can you show it? If you''re reluctant to show it to others, you don''t have to." "No, it''s possible." Reed unbuttoned his shirt, bared his chest, and showed the spot where he had been attacked. Between the chest and shoulder. A scar sat right next to the heart. "Hmm..." Helios sighed as he looked at the wounded spot. After observing for a moment, he nodded his head with a convinced expression. "As expected, that kid deliberately made you avoid a fatal spot." Stay calm. Reed was surprised but didn''t waver. Helios looked up at Reed. His age was already well into old age, but his eyes were as threatening as a lion. Trying to act like a wronged person, but when confronted with his eyes, even that bes unnatural. "You joined hands with her, right? You ordered the attack, and she must have done as you said." "..." "Two people died at Balchmidt''s, and two demons were found. I counted separately, but I cannot ignore that number." "..." "Is the reason why the wallin is trapped rted to demons?" "...Yes." Reed finally admitted to the digging questions. The rumors would spread everywhere soon anyway. Before the wrong information got into Helios'' ears, Reed decided to take the initiative. Helios'' expression grew darker. He had already guessed it, but it felt different when he heard it directly. "What happened?" "As you expected, Dolores'' parents were the minions of demons. They had nted a thing called a magic seedin their hearts and had been deceiving them until now." "So? Did you kill them?" "They took their own lives. Even though it seems foolish, their loyalty felt disgusting." "Typical demons. What about the magic seed?" "I dissected the heart, but there was nothing, so it seems that it''s a permanent item they drank that turns them into demons." Helios frowned and mulled over the disgust. * * * Dream big tl dot [Original Source ¨C dreambigtl .] * * * "If the Balchmidt couple were demons, it sounds like the Wallin tower master is also carrying that blood... You''re saying you purposely hid it so others couldn''t question it." "...Yes." Helios had grasped the context of everything that had happened so far. Reed clenched his fist and looked up at him. "I understand that you, the Tower Master of Sky Chamber, must solve everything fairly. However, the Wallin tower master is far from being a demon. I will prove it, so please don''t interfere." Then Helios put his hand on Reed''s shoulder. Big and rough enough to be mistaken for a martial artist. "I may say that everything must be done fairly, but I''m not a heartless person either. More than anything, I know very well what kind of person the WallinTower master is. She''s a littledy who is far from being a demon." Helios passed Reed and sat down in his seat. He wiped his hands dry and sighed. "The Wallin tower master is such a pitiful child. A child who has worked harder than anyone to be recognized, but now her parents were the minions of demons and she''s in a situation that could be misunderstood as a demon. The heavens are heartless." "..." "But luckily, you knew about it and prevented it in advance, so at least it''s not the worst-case scenario, but a less bad situation." "When do you think the rumors about the Wallin tower master will reach the ears of other tower masters?" "I can''t ignore the hearing ears. Everyone will know by the next tower master meeting." "Can you help me?" Reed asked Helios with a desperate face. "The help I can give is just following the procedure. There''s nothing but buying about 3 months'' time." "That''s enough. I''ll think about it and buy some time for the Wallin tower master." "Apart from that... resolving the Wallin tower master''s current situation would be important." We need a way to remove or eliminate the magic seed. Helios, who didn''t want to lose talent, was currently superior in detection magic. Reed pondered for a long time and made a decision. "Master of Sky Chamber Tower." "What is it?" "Would this blood be more helpful for research if I give it to you?" Reed handed over a murky liquid in a bottle. Helios immediately recognized it. "Is this blood mixed with the mana of a demon?" "Yes." "You''ve obtained something that even I couldn''t get." Helios subtly tried to ask about the source, but Reed didn''t give any answer. He nodded his head and tightly held the bottle he had handed over. "Thank you. I''ll use this blood for the Wallin tower master." Thus, he distributed all the demon blood given by the saintess. Reed could only hope that the seeds he had sown would sprout. As soon as he thought the conversation with the Sky Chamber Tower Master was over, -Ta, Tower Master, we have a big problem! The desperate voice of the magician on duty echoed in Reed''s ears. "What''s going on?" -That, um, the ck Sky Tower Master! ck Sky? Crash! Chapter 112.2 The reception room door opened with a force that seemed to break it before the report even ended. In the interior that should have been bright with the morning sunlight and blue mana pirs, a dark mass loomed ominously. At the center was the ck Sky Tower Master, Freesia. She walked towards them, emitting a deep red glow from her eyes. "Where is that bitch?" At her first greeting, Reed and Helios stared at her with stunned expressions. "Don''t you hear people talking? Where''s that bitch?" "ck Sky, greet and behave when youe." "Oh, you two guys are nice. Where is she?" The person she referred to with the curse was undoubtedly Dolores. Seeing her more agitated than ever, Reed calmed her down. "First, calm down." "Calm down? Don''t even think about stopping me. I''m gonna kill that bitch today. I never let anyone who touches my stuff live. So don''t die with her and get out of the way right now." "Then scold me. It''s my fault because I told her to attack." "Really?" Freesia''s eyes became even brighter and more ominous. "Alright, I''ll scold you." Snap! As soon as Freesia snapped her fingers, Reed''s shadow climbed up his body. "Reed, did you get toofortable because I treated you well? Did it feel great being called ''Reed''? Huh?" "I..." "Shut up. Who told you that you could talk?!" Freesia tightened the shadow around Reed''s body. She seemed to really want to kill him if he said anything more. Freesia grabbed Reed''s cor with both her small hands. "From the moment we made a contract, your body is not yours. It''s a body that should serve me and be used for me. How dare you use that body at your own will? There''s a limit to tolerating your deception. I''ll give you a proper warning this time." At the moment when Freesia was about to use some kind of method. "Stop it." Snap! The one who snapped his fingers was Helios. Reed, who had been in front of Freesia, was now sitting on the sofa again. It was the magic of the Sky Chamber Tower Master, Helios. Freesia, who btedly realized that she had lost her grip, red at Helios. "Helios...!" "Don''t act like a child, Freesia. I know your personality well, but now is not the time." "You''re favoring her again. You''re such a lecherous old man. Do you like young ones that much?" "Don''t be ridiculous. If that''s lecherous, you''re even more so." "I''ve always been that kind of woman. I''m on a different level from you, got it?" "What a cultured woman you are." As the conversation continued in an angry tone, it felt like Freesia was gradually calming down. Her anger hadn''tpletely subsided, but the situation had improved since kicking down the door and spewing curses. Freesia red at Reed. "It''s none of my business that you''re buddies with that girl. But if you dare to use your body without my permission again, I''ll show you what it''s like to suffer a pain you can''t die from. Got it?" "I''ll keep that in mind." Reed nodded seriously. She didn''t repeat her words as he seemed to be listening obediently. Ironically, she just stared at him with a face that seemed even more displeased. "We''re discussing the situation with the Wallin tower master right now. Do you want to hear the current situation?" "No, just looking at this guy''s face makes me want to explode, so I''ll go back." "Then I should go back as well." Helios also got up from his seat. He secretly put the murky blood Reed had given him into his pocket and withdrew along with Freesia. "Are you going to the rooftop?" "Yes." "Come down." "Hmm... alright." It was rare for Freesia to want to be with someone, so Helios obediently followed her. As the two got on the elevator, Freesia began to speak. "Do you know some areas where demons appear?" "I do, but?" "Tell me about a couple of ces for now." "...Are you nning to do research?" He knew that when he ordered her to suspend all work for a while, Freesia wouldn''t listen. But for her to personally obtain research samples was an unusual thing, even for Helios who had known her for a long time. Freesia red at Helios. "You better answer quickly before I change my mind." "I''ll wee you with open arms if you cooperate." "Close your arms. I''ming in." Helios told her about a few ces where demons appeared. After memorizing them all, Freesia took out her broom and climbed on. "It''s the first time you''ve been so cooperative." "Don''t get the wrong idea. It''s not because I like you, or because I pity her, or because I''ve fallen head over heels for our Reed." "Then why?" The emotion that moved Freesia. "I''m annoyed." Freesia bit her lips. The eternal girl of the ck Sky. Her nature always remained that of a child. "I''ve always hated being annoyed." *** Tower Master meeting ce. Even though they controlled the information, it somehow reached the ears of the magicians, for whom information is life. When they heard that the empire''s workshop mages had demons mixed in, all the tower ownersughed. But when they learned that Balchmidt''s parents were demons, theirughter stopped. It was because they knew that Dolores Jade, who had abandoned her name, was Balchmidt before she came to the tower. The atmosphere of this tower master meeting was extremely tense. If Dolores had participated in this tower master meeting, it wouldn''t have been strange for her to be under concentrated fire. Reed, who had heard everything, calmly yed the role of the chairman. "The empire ims to havepletely erased Balchmidt''s family. As if such a person never existed in the first ce." "That''s only natural." The empire''s disgrace. It was the biggest shame that couldn''t even be recorded. They atone for their sins with death and receive absolution through exile. "So, what do you n to do with the current Wallin Tower Master?" A man sitting in the Wallin Tower Master''s seat argued in response to someone''s question. He was Rudis Grancia Jade, who had be Dolores'' proxy. "The sin of deceiving and deluding us is great! As the Wallin Tower Master, we must enforce strict punishment." "Everyone must think so, as long as they¡¯re not in cahoots with demons." Reed, the Silence Tower Master, nodded in agreement with that statement. "Right now, she is my sinner. I will first take responsibility for the crime of trying to kill me." "Then, as the current Tower Master and representative of the Wallin Tower, I demand the highest punishment for Dolores Balchmidt. Let''s quickly punish the traitor." "We can''t do that." The one who denied that was the chairman, Helios. "Rudis Grancia Jade, the current Wall Tower Master is only a proxy. You haven''t received all the authority. Dolores is still in the tower, and her position can only be removed through this Tower Master meeting." "Our opponents are demons. They exist to destroy us. What reason is there to hesitate on procedure when we intend to eliminate them before they stab us in the back? "Then bring the evidence." Helios spoke firmly. "The evidence that the Wall Tower Master has put us and the tower in danger. If you have that crucial evidence of her deceiving you, I will grant your request." Chapter 113.1 Blue Rose (3) "That... we''re looking for it right now. We''ve mobilized all our forces to search the office, so we''ll surely find evidence." Ludis''s confident tone wilted like a fire doused by drizzle. "Wouldn''t it be better to show us if there''s any hint or clue?" "We have several suspicious points now, but we''re still organizing the information." Reed deliberately fanned the mes, but Ludis couldn''t answer easily. They had already searched all the possible ces, but there was no evidence to catch Dolores. There''s no one so clean as to not even have dust on them, but Dolores was thorough enough to deny that saying. And Reed was grateful for Dolores''s thoroughness. ''Ludis...'' He didn''t like him even when he encountered him in the game, and he liked him even less when he met him as the tower master. ''It''s not just politics, he wants Dolores to disappear.'' He could understand. As her political ws increased, he could climb up using those ws. Was he just a man crazy for power? Or was there something Reed didn''t know? ''No need to worry anymore.'' Ludis Grancia Jade. That man, the second prince of the Grancia Kingdom, was Reed''s enemy. *** Wallen Tower, office. Ludis Grancia Jade, who had be the temporary tower lord, groaned after the meeting. "Ugh... This shouldn''t have happened like this..." When it became known that the Baldschmidt family heads were demons, it was only natural that arrows would fly at Dolores, their daughter. That moment was the very moment Ludis Grancia Jade had been waiting for. It was the biggest part of his n to make himself the tower lord. ''Everything is beyond expectations...'' The Baldschmidt family''s incident erupted sooner, and Dolores was caught. The current atmosphere was calm, saying that they should watch a little more instead of arrows. There was one person who created this. "Silence Tower Master..." He was more of a thorn in the eye than he had imagined. He had known long ago that Reed''s reason for imprisoning Dolores was not to resolve things legally. If things go on like this, Dolores will undoubtedly be released, and Ludis will have to step down from his temporary tower lord position. He knew that if that happened, there would be no chance of Ludis bing the tower master again. Even as a temporary tower master, his position was still unstable. At least with Dolores, that woman, he could undoubtedly unravel the situation more advantageously. He needed to take over Dolores. Ludis began to think about what ways there could be to do that. That''s when it happened. Ludis felt as if a thin thread was connected to his head. A mysterious telepathic message sent by someone. Ludis received the message, sweating coldly. -If the meeting results are out, it would be good to report quickly. "I apologize, sir..." A voice that seemed to be mixed with something. He couldn''t see the figure, but Ludis instinctively bowed and apologized. -What happened? "It seems difficult to retrieve Dolores Jade right now." -Is that so? "I''m sorry." -There''s no need to apologize. If you''re ipetent, you just have to pay the proper price. Ludis clenched his fist tightly. He didn''t want to pay that price. -You must bring Dolores Baldschmidt. That woman must not be killed. "I know she''s talented, but is there anything special?" -Dolores Baldschmidt''s magic seed is different. If a child from a talentless family has aplished everything at the youngest age, that magic seed must be special. Ludis''s eyes widened. If it''s a magic seed that can possess all of Dolores''s talents! -Don''t think of changing your mind, Grancia Jade. The man seemed to be watching him and warned. "How could I change my mind? My body and soul are dedicated solely to you." -Words are always easy. If you don''t show results, you can''t gain trust from anyone. "I know that trust is always a serious matter." Ludis asked him as if things were going well. "When will you give me the magic seed?" -Don''t rush. Do you know what will happen if I nt a magic seed in your body in a situation like this? "Isn''t it not asking for it right now? I''ve been loyal for years. I''ve worked in this wretched tower ording to your wishes. I''ve even created my own power. Without the magic seed, I won''t be able to gain trust while constantly beingpared to Dolores Jade." Ludis felt frustrated. To be a magic tower lord, political power alone was not enough. One had to possess abilities that could make them someone''s idol. However, no matter how hard Ludis Grancia Jade tried, he was nothing more than a tiny pawn before Dolores. -As much as I''d like to give it to you, now is the time to be cautious of the Eternal Church''s apostates. "Why is that?" -Brosa is on the move. "Brosa... Isn''t that the mysterious magician who fulfills wishes?" When someone strongly desires something, Brosa appears and grants the power to fulfill that wish. However, that power is something they cannot control. In the end, it is a power that destroys even themselves. It was considered to be like a fairy wandering around in the shape of a girl -Since the report that Brosa is on the move, our forces have been disappearing without being able to use their strength. So far, 10 of ourrades have vanished without a trace. "Ten? As many as ten... have disappeared?" The disappearance itself was rare for demons, and the number was not negligible. Disappearance meant vanishing without even knowing what happened. It was apletely different situation from being arrested or kidnapped. -All the demons in the area where Brosa appeared have disappeared. It''s not a simple problem. "Hmm..." If things wereplicated, Ludis could no longer whine. -What you need to do now is to retrieve Dolores Baldschmidt as soon as possible. That''s all. Keep that in mind. "I''ll do my best." The telepathicmunication was cut off. Ludis bit his thumbnail hard. He needed to bring that woman back as soon as possible. Chapter 113.2 "Ugh..." "Ouch... my head." "Have we all been captured?" "It seems so." People groaned and opened their eyes. They were all demons with red eyes. They woke up from unconsciousness without knowing the reason and looked around. "Where the heck is this...?" "Does anyone remember anything?" "I''m not sure. Myst memory is discussing the heretical methods with fellow demons..." Then, a chubby man dressed as a merchant pped his hands and spoke. "Ah, I have a memory! Someone who''s not one of us intruded on our gathering." "It reminds me of something. She definitely said referred to herself as..." "Brosa!" "Yeah, Brosa! She said Brosa and then I don''t remember anything after that." They tried to put together the fragments of their memories, but nothing more came out. Everyone who was captured was in the same situation. In the end, the only hope was to find something in this dark space. "Shouldn''t someone try using ¡°Dark Vision¡± to check the surroundings?" "I''d like to, but my mana isn''t recovering." "It seems like these things filled in our hands are magic restraints." Their hands were tied behind their backs, and they were shackled so they couldn''t even stand up. In the end, they had no choice but to slowly adapt to the darkness. After a while, they began to adapt to the darkness one by one. What was not visible began to appear. A cylindrical aquarium filled with green liquid, and bubbles floating up. However, they broke when they encountered obstacles in the middle. A werewolf, Lycanthrope, that goes berserk when the full moones. It was half of the creature. "A monster''s corpse?" "Here too!" Next to the Lycanthrope were a Minotaur, an Orc, and a Dragonian... Humanoids, quadrupeds, insects... The corpses of monsters inhabiting the entire continent were kept in the green liquid, damaged. "Nice to meet you." A terrifying voice rang clearly in their ears. Their scattered gazes focused forward. A girl was looking down at them with her legs crossed in the darkness they couldn''t see. A girl in a ck gothic dress. She had the face of a girl, but her face exuded a vicious aura that could not be called a girl. The embodiment of evil that even malicious demons could not approach. "ck Sky Tower Master...!" Freesia Vulcan Darkrider. As soon as the figure was revealed, the sinister hobby of preserving dead monsters was immediately understood. "Did Brosa hand us over to you...?" "There''s no way. I am Brosa." "ck Sky Tower Master...?" "Wait a minute... there''s no way..." "It seems that even the arrogant demon could not detect my magic." Snap! As soon as she snapped her fingers, a ck shadow wrapped around her body. Then Freesia appeared out of nowhere, and Brosa appeared as well. As the demons watched Freesia and Brosa go back and forth, they finally realized that the two were the same person. They could see how powerful her perception-blocking magic was. But why reveal this to them? "Do you know why I''m telling you this?" Freesia asked smoothly as if she sensed their doubts. When no one opened their mouths, Freesia answered. "Because I have no intention of letting you live." A sinister current flowed, enveloping their bodies. "You intend to torture us..." "Torture? Oh, right. I heard that other tower lords are searching for demons mixed among humans these days?" Freesia showed a gesture of disinterest, digging her ears. "That''s just a side job." "Then what...?" "Helios told me that not saying a word is your specialty, right?" "......" "He said you guys are like disgusting and tough cockroaches. Oh, of course, he used a more diplomatic expression because he''s a bastard, but if I said it, I would have said it like that." Freesia smiled. "I suddenly got curious. Aren''t you curious too?" Freesia stood up from her chair. The chair she had been sitting on melted away into the shadows. Freesia grabbed the chin of the demon sitting in the front row with her thumb and index finger. The demon''s body froze. It''s not magic. Her existence itself touched their instincts. "I wonder how long you can endure in my hands without opening your mouths." She was a master of ck magic. She studied necromancy and human suffering, and was the top authority in that field. Those who caught her eye could never live a sane life. A terrible and capricious real demon. "Don''t worry. After I severely damage one or two of you, I''ll know how much to adjust." A smile was drawn by the undying grudge that created madness. A pair of eyes shone a dark red. "Who should I start with?" *** The Silence Tower, the Orc alliance Barchan, located inside the Kalton Mountain Range. There, they were investigating various monsters and ecosystems and umting the necessary information for the Silence Tower. It was a ce that would bring good news to Reed. "Through continuousparison and observation, we have finally found a 100% matching flower." There, Reed could obtain the information he had been waiting for. "Is it a nt that only grows in the Kalton Mountains?" "Not really. However, it''s a flower that can''t be seen where the Alte Sect is. Here it is." The flower they showed him was one Reed knew well. The red petals were curled back, and the stamens spread out like spider legs. "It''s a stone garlic." Otherwise known as a flower fern, and to some, a blood peace flower. When dried and mixed, it looked simr to ck tea in color and shape, making it difficult to distinguish unless closely observed. "Are you sure the same ingredient is in the stone garlic?" "Yes, the ingredient in it was the one that stimtes the demon race, as you mentioned." They had found a way to detect demons. "But there''s a little problem. The petals are poisonous." "To what extent?" "It takes arge amount to be effective, but it''s a poison that can be life-threatening." "Can it not be brewed and drunk as tea?" "That should be possible. It might be a bit dangerous for the elderly or children, though." It seemed like there would be a hitch in the n, but fortunately, they could continue. "Then grow as much as you can. Recover as many seeds as possible, and search the Kalton Mountains with the intention of eradicating all stone garlic." "Yes, sir!" The magicians prepared for further exploration with determined faces. Helping and supporting them were orc warriors. As they frequented the Kalton Mountains like their own territory, they were able to provide solid support. Reed began exploring the interior of the Kalton Mountains with elite orcs who had engraved their wounds like medals on their chests. Reed loaded half of the collected stone garlic onto a sky carriage. "Are you leaving, brother?" The leader of the Orc alliance, Larksper, asked. He was dressed in fancy clothes as the chief of the orc alliance, but his barbaric nature could not be erased. "I can''t stay long because I''m quite busy right now." "That''s too bad. I just caught a Roahog and was going to share it together." "Invite meter. I''lle anytime. And thank you for helping the magicians, Larksper." "I''ll help my brother whenever he asks." Raksper lightly punched his chest. "I wish the Tower Lord of Wallinwould return. I don''t like the current Tower Lord." Reed''s lips twitched as he found amon ground with Raksper. "What''s going on?" "The current Tower Lord ims to be Balton as well. He says that since he became the Tower Lord, he inherited Balton." "Is it hereditary...? It''s a familiar matter for humans." "That''s not the end of it. He tries to control the orcs. He tries to suppress our orcs'' movements." "That must be... rted to the Grancia Kingdom." The Grancia Kingdom had long dreamed of conquering the Kalton Mountains. Since the arm bends inward, contributing to the Grancia Kingdom, where his blood is connected, would be more important than the orcs. If Ludis bes the Tower Lord as it is, friction with the orcs will inevitably ur. "The one who earned our trust is the other Tower Lord of Wallin. The current Tower Lord is despicable. He is not a leader." "Was Dolores hot-tempered?" "The Tower Lord of Wallin, she is strong. And she understands all orcs. She is the fairest." "She is fair, indeed." Reedughed. "You are my benefactor. The Tower Lord of Wallin is also a benefactor. And my teacher is a benefactor to me. My benefactor and the benefactor of the tribe. She allowed us orcs to live." Raksper ced his hand on Reed''s shoulder. "That''s why I help my brother. Even if I stand at the end of hell, I''ll help you to the end." "Thank you, Larksper." Reed was happy. The seeds of goodwill he had sown were not in vain. Reed felt hope knowing that there was still someone on Dolores'' side. Chapter 114.1 Blue Rose (4) * * * The second Tower Master Conference had passed. Dolores now had exactly one month left. With no significant progress, Reed headed to the Hupper Kingdom. It was to meet the Saintess. He was always cautious when meeting the Saintess. Although they had decided to cooperate, everything had to be conducted discreetly. It''s because they shouldn''t give any room for spection to hide the fact that Isel, the saintess of meditation, is a demon. The ce they would meet was the capital of the Hupper Kingdom, Cohen Castle. It was a big enough ce for them to make an alibi. Reed entered the pub pretending to be an adventurer. As it was daytime, the unique bustling atmosphere of the pub had subsided. "Over here." At the sound of a soft voice, Reed turned his head. There sat a woman dressed as an adventurer and a nun from the Althea Order. If they didn''t recognize her as the saint of the Althea Order, they looked like just pretty twin sisters. "A blind nun... and an adventurer dressed as a thief?" "A thief, you say? This is actually Rachel''s battle uniform." Her shoulders were exposed, and she wore tight-fitting tights that clung to her whole body. It was the attire of the Althea Order''s Sword Master, who overpowered opponents with swift movements. "Why a pub, of all ces?" "It''s the only ce to meet quietly during the day. Speaking from experience. Let''s have a meal." "I guess we should." Reed ordered something simple to eat. There was nothing in front of Rachel, but in front of Isel, there was a half-eaten piece of cake and a cup of ck tea. "You said we''d be surprised by the news, what is it?" "I''ve secured a means to distinguish demons." As expected, Isel and Rachel were surprised and focused on Reed''s story as they looked at each other. He casually handed over the information as if it was a light conversation that could be overheard. Isel and Rachel made ufortable expressions. "I see... It was the stone flower." The Althea Order regarded the stone flower as an ominous sign. It was said to be a flower that feeds on blood and flesh and blooms on corpses, symbolizing dark death. As the Althea Order expanded, they uprooted all the stone flowers, making it difficult to find them across the continent. "It''s ironic that the flower we considered ominous is used to distinguish demons... What a humorous situation." "I have one piece of information, and I need to gather one more, so I want to ask for your help." "What kind of help do you need?" Reed took out a pouch he had kept in his pocket and handed it to Isel and Rachel. "Rachel, what''s this?" "..." "It looks simr to ck tea leaves... It seems to be dried stone flower petals." "That''s right." "If you brought it, then you mean for us to try a cup? Understood." Isel, who became a demon to destroy demons, had no hesitation as a Saintess. Rachel started brewing the stone flower petals. She brewed it slowly and gracefully, then poured it into Isel''s teacup. Isel slowly savored the scent and took a sip. "Umm... Ugh..." Her smiling lips twisted, and she began to moan in pain. Rachel watched her condition with furrowed brows. "Ra, Rachel..." Rachel took Isel''s outstretched hand. Leaning on Rachel''s shoulder, Isel swallowed the pain. It took her 10 minutes to calm down. Rachel wiped the sweat from Isel''s forehead with a handkerchief. "Phew...Phew...Rachel, would you like to try a cup too?" "..." Rachel quietly took the teacup Isel offered. The remaining burn marks on her mouth. Unlike Isel''s tempting pink lips, they were grotesquely distorted. It was a sacred trace left from swallowing the zing holy me. Although her body could now produce the holy me at any time, she lost her speech and taste as a consequence. Rachel, realizing Reed''s gaze, covered her lips with a cloth. "Ady''s covered parts are not to be looked at casually." "...I''m sorry." Isel reproached him with a smile, and Reed apologized to Rachel. With her face flushed, Rachel avoided Reed''s gaze. After trying a cup herself, Rachel calmly handed the teacup back to Isel. "It seems that there is no problem for ordinary people to drink... It''s definitely a tea that only affects demons." [T/N: Did he just casually did human trial for a drug?] "Was it painful?" "It wasn''t pain. What tormented me was pleasure. As my body grew hotter, my desire as a demon grew more intense. The lust. The endless lust for humans. It took a little effort to withstand it." "It seems to be a kind of aphrodisiac for demons." Reed recorded all the conditions of the Saintess. This was one of the few data that could be obtained only from a cooperative demon. "Rachel, please prepare another tea to help us recover." "I''ll use the one I brought." Reed took out a pouch of ck tea leaves he had prepared. Receiving the pouch, Rachel stared nkly at Reed. Isel spoke with a delighted expression. "Now I see why the Tower Master is popr with women." "Don''t talk nonsense." "Hehe, being so evasive makes you even more attractive." Rachel brewed a new tea, and Isel elegantly sipped it like a nobledy, then smiled again with a calm expression. "I''ll have to suggest it to the Althea Order once we''ve confirmed its effectiveness on demons. It would be good if we could break the notion that it''s an ominous flower." "It doesn''t seem easy since they''re conservative." "For the benefit of humanity, it''s best to give up such stubbornness. You''re nning to cultivate it, aren''t you?" "Yes. But since the stone flower itself is said to be poisonous, we need to find a way to neutralize the poison first before spreading it." "That would be the alchemists'' job. I''ll let the Althea Order''s alchemists know." Reed handed them three pouches of the same color as the one containing the stone flower petals. "I''ll give you more supplies. Test it on a disguised demon, and contact me after testing it." "Yes, we will do our best to help you as soon as possible." Reed pushed the empty te to the side and wiped his mouth with a napkin. "There''s sauce on your hand too." "Where?" "I''ll wipe it for you." Isel took a napkin from her side and carefully wiped Reed''s hand. Her small, soft hands wrapped around him. "Tower Master." "Hmm?" "Are you nervous?" Isel''s hands were folded as if praying. "I''m nervous, but not enough to worry." "It''s a matter involving the life of someone precious. I wouldn''t be able to endure it alone either." Isel wrapped Reed''s hand, and Rachel ced her hand on top of theirs. "May our prayers give the Tower Master a little courage...." "Doesn''t God dislike magicians? Can you pray for a magician?" "Even if God dislikes them, there are moments when everyone needs light." "Then, shouldn''t I pray to God?" Isel shook her head. "In such cases, there''s no need to pray to Althea." "Then?" "Pray for your precious person. Pray that they can endure this hell." At her words, Reed closed his eyes. As she said, he prayed for her to endure this hell. Chapter 114.2 After returning to the tower with his meeting with the Saintess, Reed headed straight to the reception room. An unexpected person had visited. "It''s been a while, Headmaster." "It has been, Silence." It was Anton Eclipsys, the headmaster of Escolleia. He usually doesn¡¯t go to neither the Empire nor the tower, but there was no need to guess deeply why he came here. It must be because of Dolores. "I heard what Helios said. You sacrificed yourself to help that child." "Yes." "How is Dolores doing?" "She says she''s fine, but... she seems to be tormented by nightmares every day." She woke up within an hour of falling asleep. She would wake up covered in cold sweat and try not to sleep, clutching her head. The phenomenon urred every day without fail, and more than once, magicians had to induce her into deep sleep forcibly. "Poor child..." Anton sighed softly. He felt sorry for Dolores'' situation. "Master of Silence Tower, can I ask you a favor?" "What kind of favor?" "Can I see her once?" "..." "Don''t worry. At the very least, I won''t say anything terrible to Dolores. If I can help, I want to help." "I know that you have a soft spot for Dolores." Although he is an entric headmaster, he is a good teacher for Dolores. "However, since Dolores is a sinner, if someone visits her, I must watch from behind. Please understand even if it''s ufortable." "That''s fine. It wouldn''t hurt for you to hear it too." "Then I understand." Reed stood up from his seat and moved to the prison with Anton. Reed pushed away the magicians watching her and opened the door. Dolores, who had been lying on the bed, lifted her head at the sound. Her once-glowing skin began to crack, and her face became gaunt. Her silky hair was tangled in clumps. Her tired eyes looked up at the door. She saw a familiar figure. "Headmaster..." Dolores met Anton''s eyes. Anton looked down at her and smiled. "Your hair is a mess. You remind me of yourself in the fourth year." "I''m sorry for my appearance..." "No, it''s not that. I remember the old days when you struggled with books. It was nostalgic. Lie down." "How can I be so rude to you, Headmaster..." "Hey, if I say lie down, you lie down." Heid Dolores back down as she tried to get up. Anton sat on her bed. "Do you remember? Back then, you wore big sses, and your hands were always covered in ink. I was both angry and proud when I saw your fingerprints on the books I gave you." "I remember. I was really sorry back then. Those were all the books you treasured..." "It''s fine. Books are meant to be damaged eventually. When that happens, we just fix them and use them again. I''m too old to worry about things like that. The one who was really upset about it was Sokoloff, that kid." "Professor Sokoloff... I remember him now. He was so anxious when even a single pen went missing that other students always stole one of his pens and hid it..." "It was like an annual event. I''ll tell you a little secret. I also hid about a dozen of Sokoloff''s pens." At that, Doloresughed. Anton saw her smile andughed again. They shared afortable conversation, immersed in their shared memories. Untold stories, known stories, and their shared empathy stimted Dolores'' memories. "Dolores, do you know what I feel while we''re having this conversation?" "I don''t know." "I don''t feel that you''re a demon." "..." Anton brushed Dolores'' hair back behind her ear. "If you were really a demon, you wouldn''t have been sad orughed at these trivial memories. You are undoubtedly human." "Thank you very much, Headmaster." "The professors at Escoleia are researching day and night. Of course, I''m also involved in that." "I''m causing trouble for many professors because of me..." "It''s okay. I''m the one who insisted on it, so if anyone should be med, it''s me. And Dolores, not a single professor dislikes you." "I... I don''t know." "You may not know. If anyone showed signs of being jealous of my student, I would scold them on the spot, so you wouldn''t feel it." Antonughed and held her hand. "So hang in there. Don''t let go of even the slightest hope. There are still people supporting you. You have to believe in yourself for their sake." "Yes, I''ll keep that in mind." "Good." Anton let go of her hand and stood up from his seat. Reed, who had watched until the end, closed the prison door. Reed expressed his gratitude to Anton for providing somefort. "Thank you for visiting, Headmaster." "I didn''t juste tofort Dolores. I also have something for you." "For me?" "The theory of what we''re researching for Dolores is alreadyplete." Reed''s eyes widened at his words. "You''vepleted it?" "Helios passed on the blood you gave him to me. Thanks to that, I got a way to save Dolores." "Can you tell me what it is?" "I can tell you. However... You won''t be able to use it." "What do you mean...?" Was Anton ying some kind of word game? Reed was ready to get genuinely angry. Anton handed Reed a sheet of paper. It was a summary of the magic form they had created. "It''s impossible to apply. It''s about transferring the demon seed to someone else." It was a kind of transnt magic that moved the magic seed from subject A to subject B. Only suitable candidates with equal amounts of mana and talent could use it. "So, it means we have to transnt Dolores'' talent into someone else''s body." It''s like a bomb pass. Reed closed his mouth. Even if the root of Dolores'' trouble was erased, if someone else became unhappy... Dolores would not ept that fact. Instead, she would live with guilt. Reed didn''t want to make her carry that burden. "But there is still hope." "What kind of hope are you talking about?" "The magic engineering you''re researching. Try using that magic engineering. I''ll give you that magic." Anton said. "If you can intervene between humans and humans, I believe that magic engineering will undoubtedly y that role. What do you think?" I don''t know. "It''s possible." But now is not the time to show such a weak side. It was time to challenge, even if it meant hitting rock bottom. Upon hearing Reed''s answer, Anton ced his hand on Reed''s shoulder. "Protect Dolores. You are the only one who can protect her." Chapter 115.1 Blue Rose (5) After sending Anton away, Reed headed back to the cell where Dolores was. She was sitting up, leaning against the bed without lying down. Reed and Dolores locked eyes. It wasn''t the usual way they looked at each other. Reed with guilt. Dolores with resentment. But that tender emotion supported each other. Reed sat down beside her. "Did you get some sleep?" "I can''t sleep well." "Ufortable?" "Not that, but the dream content is a bit..." He didn''t ask what the dream was. When he asked before, she refused with a pained expression, so he didn''t want to make Dolores suffer more. Whatever it was, it was a dream that made Dolores'' current state even worse. "Did it hurt?" Dolores asked. "What?" "My magic. The one I shot into your shoulder." Dolores pressed her finger against Reed''s right chest. Ice Pierce. Although it was a lower-level magic, it was a spell that could inflict fatal damage if aimed correctly, as it formed an ice spike. Reed pondered how to answer, then shook his head. "No, it didn''t hurt that much." "That''s too bad. It would have been nice if it hurt." It was a spiteful remark. Dolores pulled her knees to her chest and said. "Do you wish I was in pain?" "Yes. I wish you were in pain. Just like that. I wish you''d suffer for the rest of your life. I wish you were in terrible pain, just like when I shot that magic." Remembering her words, he recalled Dolores'' tormented expression. It was not her first time shooting offensive magic at someone, but at that moment, she was in pain. So was that why she had nightmares? "I''m sorry." "Yes, you should be sorry. You have to apologize to me every day." He was hated because he made a cruel decision out of too much love for her. Reed wiped away the tears in her eyes with his thumb. "I''m sorry for always being so moody... I must be a terrible girl." "What''s wrong with being a little bad? I like it when a pretty girl like you acts naughty." Dolores knew she was acting like a child. But she couldn''t stop. "Don''t you hate me like this?" "Not really?" "You won''t really get tired of my whining, right?" "What have you been doing on weekends so far?" "I''ll be whining two or three times more from now on." "I guess I''ll have more weekend work." "Will you really put up with my whining? I don''t like men who are pushovers." "Do you really hate it?" "......" Dolores nced up at Reed and then looked away. She lowered her head and rested it on Reed''s shoulder. "I really dislike it." Dolores closed her eyes as they were. Reed lowered his shoulder to make it easier for her to lean on. "Do you think I can return?" Dolores asked. "There are many people who like you. Greenwood, Jade, Radiant, Monolith... They just kept their mouths shut because they are easily swayed by people." "He''s a weirdo. The Master of Monolith Tower." "Yuria seems a bit shocked, but she seems to believe you''re human, and Rosaria... She still doesn''t seem to know what you are. She just thinks you''re sick." "Sick... It is a sickness." "How many letters did you receive every day?" "Was it 30? She sent me drawings of a dog and Lucy every day. But the funnier thing is, do you know?" "What is it?" "Her skills are improving day by day." "We need to get her an art tutor." Dolores let out a smallugh. "I''m having a bad thought right now." "What is it?" "I''m thinking that it''s not so bad being here." "Do you want to stay here forever?" "Can I?" "If that''s what you want." "Then, please heal me quickly." Dolores buried herself in his shoulder. "Because I don''t want to feel sorry every time I see you." Reed hugged Dolores. She cried again for a long time. He quietly supported her until she fell asleep, exhausted from crying. *** Tower Master''s Research Building. "Intercepting magic sent from human to human..." Kaitlyn muttered. In her hand was the development n written by Reed. "What do you think?" "To be honest... It''s quite different from what I''ve thought so far, so it seems to be quite difficult..." Although the magic form is prepared, Kaitlyn didn''t seem to be able to make Reed''s proposal possible within a month. "I know it''s hard for you. I might be asking too much." Reed looked up at Kaitlyn. With a pleading face, as if he was about to kneel, he said. "Please, I can only ask you for this... If there''s anything I can do to help, I''ll do it all." Unlike usual, there was weight in Reed''s words. It was then that Kaitlyn realized she had said the wrong thing. ''What was I saying?'' Kaitlyn recalled everything Reed had done for her. ''Reed is the one who took me in when I had nowhere to go.'' When she needed money, he gave her money. When she needed materials, he provided materials. And he always treated her ordingly whenever she achieved something. Even when she failed, he didn''t scold her and let it go. Although she had done a lot for him so far, Kaitlyn was always aware that she owed him a great debt. Now was the time to repay him. There is nothing she can''t do. ''She must make it happen.'' With that determination, Kaitlyn nodded her head. "Don''t worry. I''ll make it happen." *** * * * Dream big tl dot [Original Source ¨C dreambigtl .] * * * It wasn''t easy to find something applicable by gathering all the materials on magical engineering. As always with non-mainstream fields, the materials were scarce, and the necessary information was very expensive. All she could do was reduce her sleep and endure as much as possible. Kaitlyn gave Reed a pill she took during the exam period. It was a kind of caffeine capsule that eliminated drowsiness at the expense of a rebound. "What are you doing at thiste hour?" "Isn''t it daytime now?" "Daytime......" With the ckout curtains drawn and the lights on, the sense of time had long disappeared. Reed checked the date by looking at his watch. There were only two weeks left. Dolores'' fate would be decided at the next Tower Master''s conference. There was no time for this. Reed sent Rosaria away and tried to continue searching for materials. "Unni, could you die?" "......Why do you think that?" That thoughtpletely disappeared. She was curious about the circumstances that led to those words. Then she showed the book tucked into her side. It was a medical dictionary with the names of diseases written on it. "If it hurts a lot, you die. If it hurts a lot for my unni... isn''t it like that?" "Rosaria......" Reed hugged Rosaria. "Don''t worry. I just caught a long cold." "You can die if a coldsts too long." "Don''t worry. I won''t die. There''s no way." "Is Dad not scared?" Scared? To be honest, I''m scared. I''m scared that I might mess up. I''ve already made a lot of noise and bought time, but I''m scared that I won''t gain anything in the meantime. I''m scared that it won''t end with my own ruin, but will affect the members of my tower and my daughter. "I''m not scared." As always, even if I''m bent to the world, I must be more sturdy than anyone else in front of my child. A person who can break through any adversity. A person who can alwayse to help when needed. "Dad is invincible." Because I''m your dad. With an unaffected face, he stepped into the thorns of fear. Chapter 115.2 Dolores had nightmares every time she fell asleep. The content of the nightmares was always simr. She saw herself in the past, between the ages of 5 and 8. She looked up at the two figures. Igtus Baldschmidt and Erel Baldschmidt. "Who did you take after to be so talentless? You can''t even understand this much!" Igtus always got angry. "There''s no food for you until you finish that homework today." Erel didn''t give her food if she didn''t achieve anything. She even remembered trying to eat her shoe leather after starving for two days. She, who was supposed to be the genius of the century, always had to understand high-intensity magic. However, those memories were not painful for Dolores. Rather, it was dull. She had always lived strong with hatred towards them. The most painful dream for her was when she was 16 years old. She grew taller and started to develop secondary sexual characteristics. Dolores ran towards one figure. She called out to him like this. "Oppa!" Silver hair and golden eyes. A tall figure with a friendly face that naturally smiled every time she looked up. Dolores, panting, ran without even taking a breath and said. "It''s been a while." "Yes......" "I got it! I''m the valedictorian! I was right below you!" "Yeah, I saw." "Let''s go home together. I have something to brag about to Mom and Dad. I want to go with you and brag." Young Dolores wanted to share that joy. More than their happiness, she wanted Reed to look at her proudly. "......I can''t." "Why?" The dream shattered. "......" "Why do you look so gloomy, oppa?" Reed knelt down and looked into Dolores''s eyes. Young Dolores finally sensed something was wrong. "Dolores, you and I are now strangers." "What do you mean?" "We are no longer engaged." "What? What are you talking about?" "It''s called a breakup." It was then that Dolores noticed the engagement ring was missing from Reed''s hand. "Why, why? What happened?" "It''s nothing. I just... don''t like you anymore." He threw out an uneptable reason and turned away indifferently. Dolores grabbed Reed, who was about to leave. "What did I do wrong? I''ll fix it. I''ll change it the way you like. So please don''t go!" Young Dolores didn''t know the adults'' situation that day. She found out muchter. Reed cruelly pushed Dolores away, who didn''t know. With Reed''s strength, Dolores fell on her buttocks. Her graduation certificate as valedictorian fell. "Didn''t you hear? I said I don''t want to see your face." "Reed Oppa...." "Don''t call me that friendly. Didn''t I say you and I are now strangers?" "Oppa, why are you saying such mean things? Don''t say mean things. That''s not like you." "I''ve always been like this." "No, you weren''t... You were kind. You taught me when I didn''t know something, and you patted my head when I did well. You were always like that." She desperately denied it. "If you mix with the Adeleheights family, you will be a disgrace to the family. Even the child we have together......" He swallowed and spat out cruelly. "Will undoubtedly be pathetic." That was Dolores'' pain. She cried more sadly than ever, and even drank alcohol, which she had vowed never to touch. "And you are......" Reed, who had disappeared, reappeared in front of her. This memory didn''t exist. It was a nightmare created in Dolores'' mind. "Aren''t you a demon?" "What are you talking about? I''m not a demon!" "Look at your eyes. If those aren''t the eyes of a demon, what are they!" Dolores turned her head. There was a mirror there, reflecting Dolores''s appearance. A demon. A demon girl with red eyes, Dolores Baldschmidt, stood there. "Do you think I''d be with you seeing you like that?" "Aaaaah!" "Damn girl... how dare you deceive me..." Tears of blood fell. Dolores desperately avoided those eyes. This isn''t me. This isn''t me. She wanted to run away. Then, something touched Dolores''s hand. A very small and cozy teddy bear. For some reason, it was veryfortable to hug. Her body had be smaller. The teddy bear was the only refuge for her at that age when she wanted to curl up. She didn''t want to open her eyes again, buried in that teddy bear. Because tomorrow will undoubtedly be painful. "Are you Dolores?" A gentle voice whispered in her ear. Dolores raised her head. There was a man kneeling there, matching her eye level. Silver hair and golden eyes. He didn''t smile. She was scared because he was always not good at smiling, so she hugged the teddy bear even tighter. "My name is Reed Adeleheights. Is this your first time seeing me?" Dolores was scared by the strict, low voice and nodded her head. "I''m seeing you for the first time too. Would you like to greet me like ady?" "I''m Dolores Baldschmidt." "Good. You''re doing well." Reed handed her a candy from his pocket. It was then that Dolores realized there was a softness contained within. "From today, I will take care of your studies." "Will you... hit me if I can''t?" "Let''s do it together until you can." "Even if I''m hungry?" "......" Reed didn''t say anything. Dolores looked up at him anxiously. "I see." Reed looked down at Dolores with an understanding face. "Can I call you Dolores instead of Baldschmidt?" "Yes." "Alright, Dolores. Listen carefully from now on." He looked down at her. Her golden eyes warmly embraced her heart. "You are the eldest daughter of the Baldschmidt family. You are of noble birth, so you must always remember that. You must not show disrespect to your parents anymore. Don''t even think about it." "I''ve never been disrespectful." But Dolores silently listened to his words. "Instead, you can be disrespectful to me. When things don''t go your way, when you get angry, when you get annoyed, tell me everything." "But then... Master Adeleheights will have a hard time, won''t you?" "It''s the time when children your age should say anything. Can''t I do at least that much for you?" "Is that so?" "Yes." Reed''s hand rested on Dolores''s head. He gently stroked her. "So if you want to be disrespectful, tell me. I''ll be with you until you get tired of it." At that moment, a bright white light burst in front of Dolores. *** "Do... Dolly... Dolly." With a sharp voice, Dolores opened her eyes to reality. What she saw in front of her was Reed. He was smiling with a very haggard face. "I''ve finished." Chapter 116.1 Blue Rose (6) The way to eliminate the demon seed inside Dolores'' body. The answer was closer than they thought. "I happened to be studying golems, and I found the answer when I applied it to them since they had simr points." Kaitlyn exined politely to Reed and Dolores. "Golem, you mean..." "The guardian giant of the Kalton Mountains. ording to records, it was a golem that used magic... I believe the tower master of Wallin would know about it since they went together." "Ah, I remember now." Dolores nodded her head. Kaitlyn exined the overall outline. "If it''s a golem, isn''t it a simr type to Homunculus? If it could have been transnted into a Homunculus earlier, wouldn''t we have done it?" "This golem is a bit different. If Homunculus is a creature created by imitating humans, this golem is a creature made to approach humans." "What''s the difference?" "Unlike a Homunculus, whose structure is artificially twisted to suit its purpose, a golem has a simr structure to a human body and flows mana. This allows it to implement high-level magic." Since it was difficult to dissect structurally, research progress was always on the low side. "We will create a dummy imitating the human body, match the amount of mana with the tower master of Wallin, and then overload the mana flow in an instant to create the same conditions as the tower master of Wallin. Then, there will be a 10-second gap. That''s when we''ll transnt the demon seed." "Then the demon seed will..." "ording to the records of the Blue Rose, if you remove all the mana, it will naturally disappear. If it doesn''t disappear naturally, we n to burn it, so don''t worry." The source of fire will be gone. It meant that it would end without losing anyone. Strength returned to Dolores'' hands. "And after this procedure, you''ll need to rest for about a week. Let''s do the first check after three days, and then schedule the second check for a weekter. If everything goes smoothly, it''ll be a sess. Lastly, the failure rate of this process is..." "Let''s not think about it." Dolores interrupted Kaitlyn''s words with a smile. Kaitlyn nodded her head and brushed off the subject. "Anyway, if sessful, we can remove the demon seed in the heart." "Can we start right away?" "Yes." "Then there''s no time to waste." "I''ll get ready right away. Please follow me." Kaitlyn closed the file and stood up from her seat. Reed helped Dolores stand up. He didn''t let go of her hand. They walked together as far as they could, standing in front of the operating room Kaitlyn had prepared. Dolores looked up at Reed. Hope flickered in her blue eyes. "I''m going through a big ordeal now, so please give me some encouragement." Dolores said, and Reed replied. "No." "Why?" "That way, you''ll have some regrets." "What''s that about?" Doloresughed. But it was as Reed had said. Hearing those words gave her more strength. "I''ll be back..." Dolores spoke with a more rxed face. Reed also greeted her with a rxed face. "Come back." She let go of his hand and walked away. Reed watched her staggering figure as she walked. He stood still until her long blue hair disappeared. "Ugh..." As soon as she disappeared, Reed''s body swayed. He nearly copsed on the floor, but someone caught him, allowing him to stand on both legs. "Master, are you alright?" It was Phoebe. She must have been there for some time, rushing to the emergency. "Thank you, Phoebe." "Shall I call the healers?" "It''s fine. I just need some rest." It was the side effect of the medicine Kaitlyn gave him. It was said that even taking one pill would make him sleep like a corpse until the next day, but he had taken ten pills and slept lightly while researching, so it wasn''t strange for him to faint now. "I''m sorry, Phoebe. I''ll rest just for today. Just one day... one day..." Reed closed his eyes. He fell into a deep sleep. Phoebe carefully held Reed''s body. "Master, you protected your precious person." Phoebe hugged Reed with aforting smile. She whispered softly into Reed''s ear, unnoticed by anyone. "You''ve worked hard." Phoebe quietly walked down the hallway towards the bedroom. *** * * * Dream big tl dot [Original Source ¨C dreambigtl .] * * * "It''s been three months." Helios, the armor master, was the first to mention it at the tower master meeting. The maximum convenience he could give. Believing that everything had been resolved within that time, he asked Reed a question. "What will you do with Dolores Jade''s disposition?" Reed answered the question. "She deeply regrets her sins and sincerely apologizes. Considering everything she has done so far, I have decided to forgive her." It was Reed''s generous decision, but no one was surprised. No matter how slow the information was, three months was enough time to notice their rtionship. As the decision was made, Wallin''s acting tower master, Ludis, asked. "That''s a generous decision. So can we take her back to Wallin''s Tower now?" A face that seemed to have been waiting all this time. However, Reed shattered Ludis''s expectations. "If she returns, she will probably return to her position as the tower master." "What are you talking about? Are you in your right mind to reinstate that demon woman!?" "Watch your words, acting tower master of Wallin." Reedid down a warning. It was the first time Reed had openly bared his teeth after being cautious all this time. "From now on, if you treat Dolores Jade as a demon and mock her, you will be tried here for insulting your current tower master. You do know that treating her as a demon is a serious crime and punishable by death, right?" "Isn''t that woman the eldest daughter of the Baldschmidt family? Of course, she''s a demon..." "I asked you to present evidence that Dolores Jade harmed your tower, but what did you do?" Ludis couldn''t open his mouth easily. Not even a speck of dust. He searched everywhere for that speck of dust, but Dolores was a very thorough woman. He couldn''t find any fault to me her and spent all three months. "So, can the tower master of Silence prove that Dolores is not a demon?" "Yes." Reed nodded his head without a moment''s hesitation. "I will prove her identity by putting my tower master position and everything else on the line." A bold move he hadn''t thrown until now. He had always been cautious when he knew Dolores was a demon. "That means you guarantee it." "Are you saying Dolores isn''t a demon?" "Dolores Jade is not a demon. Because we removed the demon seed that was parasitizing her body." The surgery developed by Kaitlyn was sessfullypleted. Reed exined the entire process to them. The transnt technique received from Principal Escoleia, which was adapted to transfer the demon seed through a golem. It was an amazing feat. At first nce, it seemed like they had just created something to rece a human, but the role of that recement was significant. "If it bes a human with the same conditions... can the golem follow Dolores'' talent?" "It can mimic it very briefly. Although it won''t be able to use practical magic, it can create the same conditions as Dolores for a very short time." Chapter 116.2 "Wow...!" It was astonishing just by itself. Even the tower master of the Tower of Thought, who always sat calmly, listened attentively to Reed''s story. If stability and efficiency were further improved, the tower masters felt a sense of unease that talented magicians might actually be reced by golems. It was a moment when they felt a strange sensation that they hadn''t felt in the Tower of Silence. "I never thought magic engineering would be this terrifying..." Magic engineering was abandoning the path of a magician and entering the realm of merchants. Everyone thought so. There was never a moment when they were particrly conscious of Reed when he created a recording device in the Tower of Silence. However, that magic engineering now provided a solution that surpassed all magicians. It was not something to be criticized for walking the path of a non-magician, but rather to be answered with admiration and apuse. While everyone was admiring, there was a man showing the opposite reaction. "You... you got rid of the magic stone?" Ludis showed a troubled expression after hearing his words. ''The value of Dolores Jade lies in that magic stone...'' Without the magic stone, Dolores had no meaning, and Ludis had failed in his mission. That''s why he couldn''t help but feel troubled. "Acting Tower Master, you don''t look well. Did you hope that Dolores would not return?" "What are you talking about? Tower Master of ck Sky! I, I just..." "Ah, I understand. You tried to kill her in a hurry, but it didn''t work, did it? Understand or not." "You''ve worked hard, Silence." "My, howpletely romantic. How can you be so sexy?" "Be quiet! There are many decent people here! Ahem!" Those who trusted Dolores and Reed offered theirpliments to Reed. "...You''ve done a great job. Yes." Even the tower master of the Single Stone, who usually didn''t get along well, acknowledged what Reed had aplished. It was not just a personal matter for the Tower Master of Wallin, but also a matter that affected the magicians of the tower, so they had to express their gratitude in some way. At that moment, a petite figure hugged Reed. At first, he didn''t think much of it, but when he realized who it was, his body froze. "Reed, would you like your big sister to praise you?" It was Freesia who clung to him. "What... kind of praise are you talking about?" "Just praise me. Hurry up. Like when you showed me your childish drawing." Freesia closed her eyes and raised her head. It seemed like she wanted him to stroke her head, so Reed carefully stroked her hair. As if carefully handling nuclear waste. "I don''t know what it is, but well done." "You''re just saying it. Praise me with passion and sincerity!" "Wouldn''t it be easier for me to immerse myself if you tell me what''s going on?" "Hmm..." Freesia looked up at Reed with dissatisfied eyes but didn''t argue because he had a point. As she let go, Freesia spoke to Reed. "You know I caught the demons, right?" "Yes. Brosa told me." "Let''s say so. Demons are famous for not revealing information, aren''t they?" "Right?" It was easy to deduce that it had something to do with the demons. "Thanks to that, I was able to try things that would have killed a human in no time, several times. These creatures don''t even scream, but they are very venomous." "Did you fail?" It didn''t seem like she wanted him to praise her for failing... Then, Freesia happily showed him four fingers and answered. "I seeded in making them scream on the fourth try." It meant that there was progress in the torture, as she seeded in causing unbearable pain. However, it was indeed a strange situation. Reed didn''t know whether to be happy that the demon had opened its mouth or despise her for her evil hobby, so his expression got tangled. "So, what''s the matter?" "I brought some very special information. I was wondering if I should mention it during the meeting, but I thought you might be very upset, so I decided to tell only you. But before that..." She paused, and Freesiaughed mischievously. "You should show some gratitude to your sister, right?" "What do you want?" "Well, I''d like you to beg a little. Don¡¯t you think Reed should kneel down for his woman?" "Are you talking about Dolores as my woman?" "Yes." As soon as Reed got Freesia''s answer, he tried to kneel down. But the moment he bent his knee, he couldn''t move any further. Reed''s foot was caught by Freesia''s shadow hand, hindering him. Freesia''s face, which had been cunning, now stared at Reed with disgust. "Don''t you have any pride? You kneel when told to kneel? Were you just that kind of guy?" "If it''s for someone important to me, I''d dly kneel." "...I don''t like it." Freesia spat out a curse, put her hand on her hip, and spoke. "Then there wille a day when you have to kneel for me. What will you do?" "I''ll kneel then, too." Reed answered immediately. Freesia''s expression became strangely tangled. "Why? Why?" "It''s because you''ve done this for me." Freesia stared at Reed without saying anything. With her lower lip bitten, she looked up at him and uttered a word. "Ludis Grancia Jade." The name of the current Wallin Tower Master. Just hearing it made his fists clench. "That bastard is also involved with the demons." Anger welled up in Reed''s eyes. "The reason why it wasn''t announced is..." "It''s simple, isn''t it? Where would a guy trying to be a demon''s dog have any rights? Isn''t that right?" Reed was convinced by her words. Yes, there are no rights. Only retribution remains. Chapter 117.1 Blue Rose (7) "No, it''s not here... not here..." Ludis muttered as he rummaged through the pile of documents. What he was looking for were ws that could tarnish Dolores'' reputation. He thought that if there was even a rotten thread, he would catch it. However, there was no way that the item he had been trying to find for three months would suddenly appear. Bang! Ludis mmed his desk in his office. His hands were trembling, but that wasn''t important. There were only three days left until Dolores returned as the tower master. ''What will happen if she returns?'' It''s simple. He dies. After hearing all the circumstances, she would undoubtedly try to kill him, and the leaders who had joined him would either be sidelined or purged as traitors. Ludis held his face and let out a groan. ''I thought I was lucky when I went to the Kalton mountain for the test.'' Since he didn''t receive the demon seed, drinking tea made from the Kalton mountain petals wouldn''t have any significant effect on him. The voice that gave him instructions saved his life once. However, his luck ended there. "I don''t want to die..." How much he had to endure toe this far, to swallow up this ce? Is he about to die in vain without even realizing his ambition? What other options are left? ''Run away.'' Abandoning the title of ''Jade'' from the Tower of Wallin, he would flee far away. ''Father... and my brother will definitely ept me.'' People still don''t know that he has a connection with the demon race. When he ascended to the position of tower master, he had done much for the Grancia Kingdom. Blood is thicker than water. No one can sever the ties of blood. Believing in that, Ludis finally decided. ''Let''s run away.'' Ludis didn''t pack his clothes. He moved calmly, dressed very lightly, as if going for a casual walk. He stepped towards the exit. As he got closer, he desperately suppressed the urge to run out. "Acting Tower Master." Someone called Ludis to a halt. Normally, he would have been startled enough to jump, but fortunately, it wasn''t noticeable. "What''s the matter?" "I was wondering where you were going at this hour of the night..." "Do I have to ask for permission to go somewhere as the tower master?" "No, it''s just a matter of record." A simple record. * * * Dream big tl dot [Original Source ¨C dreambigtl .] * * * Yes, ever since the previous tower master, ess records had always been thoroughly managed. "I''ll go for a walk ande back. I''ll be back in 10 minutes, no, 20 minutes." He inadvertently stuttered. He nced nervously at the secretary, wondering if she had noticed. "Understood. I''ll record it as such. But..." "Huh?" "Do you really need a wand just for a casual walk?" The secretary nced at the wand hanging on his waist. The tower master''s suit-like outfit had given him away. If he had been wearing his usual robe, she wouldn''t have known what kind of equipment he had. ''I must... avoid doing anything suspicious at all costs.'' Ludis pulled the wand from his waist. "Ah, right, I don''t need it. It''s just extra weight and I might lose it. Just hang it on my storage rack." "Understood. Then please go at your leisure." The secretary turned her back, holding Ludis'' wand. Ludis let out a sigh of relief and walked towards the exit again. ''I''m out!'' He felt exhrated. His feet, which had felt stuck to the floor, now moved lightly as soon as he stepped out. Ludis immediately began to sprint. His destination was the Grancia Kingdom. It was a distance that would take at least three days by foot. What does it matter? If he doesn''t want to die, he must run. Thud! "Ugh!" Ludis'' body collided with thin air and fell backward. It was a dark night, but he could still distinguish the path ahead. Ludis got up and checked with his hand what had blocked him. As soon as his fingers touched, ripples appeared in the air. "A magic circle...?" It was a defensive magic circle or a siege magic circle. Ludis searched for an opening in the magic circle with a sense of unease, but all the escape routes were covered with barriers. ''It''s not working.'' Ludis ran back in the opposite direction from where he hade. Thud! His original path was also blocked. After hitting the wall twice, Ludis finally got a grasp of the situation. ''A trap!'' It was a trap set by someone on purpose. Where? And since when? The thought crossed Ludis'' mind. -Please take your time. When the secretary found him and let him go without any fuss. He should have realized it when he was allowed to go outside without any suspicion since that conversation... "You didn''t even go beyond an inch of my expectations." A man''s voice cut through the quiet darkness. Ludis turned his head. On a night when the moon was unusuallyrge, a pair of golden eyes were ring beneath it. It was anger. "You, the master of the Silence Tower..." He was walking out. "I, I..." "Did you go for a walk? Your walk seems to be a full sprint." As expected. That secretary was in league with the master of the Silence Tower. She deliberately let him go and created this situation. "I knew you didn''t even have the courage to die. I also knew that someday you would run away." Reed took a step closer, and with each step, Ludis retreated. As he retreated, he reached the wall again. Reed came closer and closer. The golden eyes shone brightly in the moonlit night. His suppressed defensive mechanism burst out. "I am Ludis Grancia! I have royal blood running through me, so treat me as royalty!" "Royalty?" "I will return to the Grancia Kingdom. I will apologize to the master of the Tower of Wallin and never meddle with the Tower of Wallin again! So release me right now!" Reed let out a hollowugh. "Don''t you find your own words amusing?" It was not enough for Ludis to try to persuade Reed. Such a petty deration only fueled Reed''s anger. In a situation where emotions should be more intense than ever. Yet Reed didn''t let go of his reason. "You wanted to be the tower master by eliminating Dolores, didn''t you?" "......" "Then try to defeat me right here, right now." Reed showed his gauntlet. It was a magical tool used by the master of the Silence Tower after the magical engineering reform. Ludis ced his hand on his waist. There was nothing where the wand should have been. It was a natural situation since the secretary had taken it. "W-wait! I don''t have a magical tool." "If you don''t have a magical tool, then create one yourself or use your hands." "Then it''s not fair!" At Ludis'' outcry, Reed''s hand gathered magical power. The thing that formed in his hand was a fireball. "A tower master should be able to ovee such a crisis on their own." He threw the ball at Ludis like a baseball yer. The fireball flew like a fastball, heading straight for Ludis'' vital spot and exploded. Bang! Chapter 117.2 If he had been bare, the force would have been enough to split him in half. The smoke cleared, and Ludis appeared. "Cough! Cough!" His body was a mess, covered in dust and blood. He breathed heavily. He could feel blood pooling somewhere inside his body. Without a wand, his defense magic casting was significantly slower, and he couldn''t absorb all the impact. "You''re pathetic as a mage." "Ha... Ha..." "You mocked me for being the weakest, but you were knocked out in one shot while aiming for the tower master''s position?" "I... I..." Ludis stuttered and then blurted out. "I just wanted to reach the top like other mages. My ultimate goal was to be the tower master..." Everyone was like that. When they be a tower mage, everyone dreams of bing a tower master, and when they be a workshop mage, everyone dreams of bing a workshop master. Reed Adeleheights was undoubtedly such a character. A man who had lived to escape the realm of mediocrity. He eventually crossed the line, but Reed himself stopped it. However, Ludis had already crossed that line. He crossed that line, pretended to be the tower master of Beryl, andmitted acts that humans should not do for several years. "So you teamed up with the demons?" Reed asked with a trembling voice. Ludis''s pupils widened as he looked up at Reed. "I don''t know anything. I have no connection with the demons!" He vehemently denied that fact. Even if he admitted to trying to kill Dolores, he could not admit to having any connection with the demons. "I see, you don''t know." Power was put into the footsteps approaching Ludis. Reed also took off the gauntlet he was wearing. He grabbed Ludis by the cor with his left hand and pulled him up. He raised his clenched right fist. "Then let me help you remember." His fist struck Ludis''s face. There was no need to sugarcoat it. It was a primitive release of anger, unfit for an elegant mage. Ludis'' face swelled as he gasped for breath, and Reed''s fist finally stopped. The blood smeared on Reed''s right hand dripped onto the floor. "I''ll ask onest time." Reed asked, breathing heavily. "Do you have any connection with the demons?" It was the final question. "I... have... no connection... with the demons..." He hoped for a final plea, but what came out of his mouth was a lie. It was pathetic. It was not even a struggle to survive but a vile refusal to acknowledge the disgrace he hadmitted. "Then let''s prove it here." Reed pulled out a bottle and threw it in front of Ludis. "This is..." "It''s a Kalton mountain tea. The same tea that was served at the tower master''s meeting." Kalton mountain tea that tower masters drank to prove themselves to each other. It was a bottle containing about 1L. "Drink it all. If you prove that you''re human by drinking it, I''ll apologize for using you of being a demon and forgive you." Apologize and forgive. At those words, Ludis''s swollen face reached for the bottle. Ludis, holding the bottle, opened the cap. Pop! A strong floral scent tickled his nose. Only then did Ludis realize his intention. There''s poison in the Kalton mountain tea. Drinking a cup would be fine, but consuming arge amount would cause the poison to take effect. The amount Reed offered was already more than lethal. ''He never intended to spare me in the first ce.'' Ludis, trembling, carefully brought the bottle to his mouth. There''s poison in the Kalton mountain tea, but with good luck, he could survive. To live and be forgiven. Just as he was about to take a sip. Whoosh! "Kuh!" Ludis dropped the bottle he was holding with both hands. The Kalton mountain tea, which had been full, flowed to the floor. "This... this is..." Ludis bowed his head at the pain he felt in his chest. A single ck thorn pierced through his chest and protruded out. "I can''t believe I''ve been watching such a pathetic guy all this time. I never knew my judgment was so poor." A young voice circled from behind and came to the front. "Cough... cough... cough..." The master of the ck Sky Tower, Freesia, looked up at Ludis with one eyebrow raised. Her face seemed to say she was disappointed in him. "You never admit that you''ve done nothing wrong until the very end. That rotten mindset is just like a demon." In the air, Freesia waved her finger. The ck thorn that pierced Ludis''s chest spread out in two directions, binding him. "I told your family everything. I said you teamed up with the demons to take over the Tower of Wallin. Do you know what they said?" Freesiaughed cruelly. Watching someone fall into the gutter. It was her favorite moment. "To be honest, I don''t remember what they said either. But it''s certain that you''re not part of Grancia or Jade anymore." The bond of blood is stronger than anything. Blood is thicker than water. But it wasn''t strong enough to protect a family that joined hands with demons. It wasn''t thick enough to embrace the disgrace that would scatter the unstable royal authority. "Let''s have fun together, you stupid brat." Her shadow disappeared along with the silent screams. Ludis was dragged to Freesia''s Shadow Kingdom. In the abyss where he couldn''t escape without Freesia''s permission, he would suffer without being able to die. Ludis had lost everything to his vanity. It was over. Freesia looked up at Reed, her eyes turning. Her expression said she didn''t like him either. "Reed." She asked as she approached him. "Why did you suddenly attack that man?" "I was angry. He tried to kill a great mage with tower politics..." "So in the end, you tried to kill him? Is your final revenge to feed him poison and make him die like an electrocuted fish, pping around?" "Yes." "Reed, revenge is not just about killing. You have to keep them alive until the end. You have to make them deeply understand the fear of staying in this world until they long for death." That was Freesia''s philosophy. As someone who desired death more than anyone else, she knew death well. "I''m disappointed in your actions, Reed. Emotional and barbaric. Do you beat people up when you''re angry? I hate those kinds of guys." "I''m sorry." "I don''t like apologies either." "......" "I also hate if someone shuts up when I say I don''t like something." Reed couldn''t find the right words to say. The raging anger hadpletely burned out, leaving his emotions as empty as a pile of ashes. Freesia''s red eyes looked down at Reed''s wrist. "Give me your hand." Reed obediently held out his right hand. He hadn''t noticed when he was hitting, but the blood on his hand wasn''t just Ludis''s. The skin on his knuckles was gone, and his palm had a tear from his fingernail. Since he wasn''t a fighter, he hurt himself while hitting Ludis''s face. Freesia''s shadow enveloped him. The pain, as well as the wound, waspletely gone. "Go wash yourself when you get back. You smell terrible." "Yes." "I''ll have fun with that brat. Come and watch when you''re bored. I''ll show you the points where he screams." "If I can forget... I just want to forget." "If you can, then do that." On the night when the full moon was unusually bright, Ludis disappeared. No one tried to find the missing Ludis. As if nothing had happened, he slowly faded away, knowing that he was dying cold somewhere. *** Dolores returned to the Tower of Wallin. Her face, which had always been strict and serious, was more sullen and emaciated than usual. The first to greet her was her secretary. "Are you back, Tower Master?" "Yes." The secretary thought she was someone else for a moment. With just one word, the ice queen that had always kept her on edge was not felt. Dolores went inside as if nothing had happened. All the mages of the Tower of Wallin were gathered in the first-floor hall to wee her. Dolores looked at them with a puzzled face. "Why are you all out here?" "We are all here to wee the return of the Tower Master." "Is that so?" Dolores made eye contact with each of them. They all subtly avoided Dolores''s gaze. Their eyes were filled with guilt for not trusting the Tower Master and regret for being swayed. Dolores didn''t say anything to them. She silently got on the elevator, and her secretary hurriedly followed her onto the elevator. "Tower Master." "Yes." "Here is the list of those who sided with Ludis Grancia and formed a faction." The secretary handed her the list. From the instigators to those who roughly agreed, everyone was meticulously listed. "Why this?" "I thought it might be necessary to reorganize the personnel in the tower, so I brought it to you..." If she had been the usual Tower Master of Wallin, she would have undoubtedly said this. -Expel all the instigators from the tower, and discipline those who agreed with them, starting with the ones with the heaviest guilt. If she had been the merciless Ice Queen who meticulously handled things, it would have been a matter worth discussing. "It''s okay if it''s for that." "Excuse me?" But Dolores returned the list. As soon as they arrived at the top floor of the Tower of Wallin, the office, Dolores asked her secretary. "Who was originally designated as the next Tower Master?" "Why are you looking for them...?" "I want to do a handover." "A handover...? What do you mean?" Dolores raised her head to look at her secretary. The secretary was taken aback. Dolores, who always had a strict face, was smiling. "I don''t want to be the Tower Master anymore." Chapter 118.1: (Part 1) Dolores (1) -I heard Dolores is quitting as a Tower Master. "Yes, I heard." It was rare for Helios to contact me, and it was about Dolores. Perhaps it was an obvious story. Dolores, who was the biggest talent in maintaining the tower, dered that she would quit, so the chairman had no choice but to be on his toes. -Even though it''s an upsetting event, you''re calm. "I must have been the first to hear it among all the Tower Masters, enough to be overwhelmed." Helios looked down at Reed with a displeased expression. -Why didn''t you stop her? "What good would it do if I tried to stop her? She acknowledged that she had be weaker and said it wouldn''t work, so I just followed her opinion." -Even if she''s a little weaker, she wouldn''t be inferior to any other talent. Dolores became weaker after removing the Magic Seed. That was a clear fact. However, the difference in her weakness was not significant. The genius among geniuses, the magician Dolores, remained unchanged. -That''s why there''s chaos inside the Wallin Tower now. That was a story Reed already knew. In fact, the day after she announced her retirement, all the magicians except the forces that agreed with her tried to stop her retirement by writing statements and using all their efforts. There was no one who liked Dolores, who had a strict Tower Master image. But after Ludis was appointed as a Tower Master, her integrity was steadily re-evaluated. As a result, her support base became even stronger. Regret and sighs had no way to be released, so they turned their arrows towards the disappeared Ludis and his followers. The magicians who prepared to be humiliated were eventually driven out of the Tower. Although they all asked for loyalty pledges, Dolores refused them. The fundamental problem was not that. ''To the point where they asked me to persuade her.'' It must be frustrating. Reed understood and tried to persuade her once as they requested, but Dolores was firm, so he didn''t try to hold her back any more. -...Do you know what Dolores is going to do now? I heard she''s thinking about something. "I only heard that much, so I''m nning to ask her today." -Do you have any ns for today? "Yes, it''s a matter we''ve been putting off for a while... I''ll keep that promise today and ask her." -Hmm... Alright. Let me know if you find out anything. "I understand." Sensing it was a personal matter, Helios did not ask further. In that regard, he was thorough. Having finished his preparations, Reed immediately started to get ready to leave. He wore a ck suit. It was a moderately luxurious outfit that didn''t stand out, the kind worn by butlers in noble mansions. As Phoebe dressed Reed and adjusted his tie, she asked. "How does it look?" "You look great~." Phoebe looked at Reed and giggled. Her face looked genuinely happy. "Dad, where are you going?" "I made ns today, so I''m going out." "Then I want to go out with Dad too!" Reed stroked Rosaria''s head and said. "Sorry, I have a prior appointment with Dolores today." "Then, can''t the three of us go out together?" "Sorry, it doesn''t seem possible today." Rosaria, who had been looking up, puffed up her cheeks. Phoebe, who had been standing behind, intervened. "That''s right~. There are times when adults need to spend time together. Let''s y without the Tower Master today." "Boo... It''s not fun without Dad." "Am I, am I not fun?" "No, no! Phoebe unni is fun too!" When Phoebe asked with a hurt expression, Rosaria looked up at her and denied it. "Alright, I''ll endure it today." "Thank you, my princess." Reed kissed her forehead. Rosaria, holding a teddy bear, giggled. Reed walked towards the front door. Rosaria and Phoebe saw him off until he disappeared. "Do you think Dolores likes Dad?" "That must be it~." "Don''t you like Dad too, Unni?" "Me, me?" "Both Dolores and Phoebe always had a different feeling when talking about Dad. It''s like a fluffy feeling." "Um... Is, is that so?" Rosaria cautiously shook her teddy bear and spoke. "Yeah. If there''s one person you like, there''s always a fight. So, will Dolores and Phoebe end up fighting?" * * * Dream big tl dot [Original Source ¨C dreambigtl .] * * * Upon hearing that, Phoebe''s face momentarily becameplicated. Avoiding her gaze to dodge the question, Rosaria quietly looked up at Phoebe. "Who knows?" But in the end, Phoebe smiled and crouched down to Rosaria''s eye level. With wide-open eyes, she asked Rosaria. "You don''t know how I met the Tower Master, do you?" "No, I don''t know." "Well, Phoebe lost someone precious a long time ago. At that time, I hated everything." "You hated everything?" "Yes, I really hated the people who left me after I lost someone precious. So, I tried to take revenge on everyone and the world, like an evil dragon in a fairy tale." Wondering if the story was bing too grim, Rosaria tightly squeezed the teddy bear she was holding. Phoebe smiled even brighter at the anxious Rosaria. "But everything changed after meeting the Tower Master. He taught me how to ovee it." Phoebe finished her words, stroking Rosaria''s head. "So, Phoebe wants the Tower Master to be happy." "I want Dad to be happy too." "Then we should support him. We should do what we can and always wish for the Tower Master''s happiness." "Okay." Rosaria reached out to the hand stroking her head. "But I still feel a little bitter towards the Tower Master." "Me too." "Phoebe has one way to take revenge on the Tower Master." "How are you going to do it?" "It''s by ying more fun than him. We should make him regret not ying with us by having even more fun." "Wow!" Having more fun was irresistible. It was a very interesting story for Rosaria. "Let''s have fun with Phoebe Unni today." "Okay!" A day without Reed. As they said, Phoebe and Rosaria spent the whole day together, having a great time. Chapter 118.2: (Part 2) The tower door opened, and Reed stepped outside. As always, the same wind blew and the same sunlight shone down. But the wind was fresher and the sunlight warmer than ever. The hot heat gradually subsided in August. A woman standing under the high sky. As soon as the door opened, she greeted him with a straw hat and a white dress. A single blue flower was smiling brightly on the cosmos field that had not yet withered. "How is it?" Having stared at her in a trance, he btedly answered her question. "You''re like a youngdy. An immature youngdy." "You''re like a swallow." "A swallow trying to take advantage of an immature youngdy''s wealth." "Too bad, I''m a penniless beggar." "Then, shall we try to find out what we can gain from each other today?" At Reed''s words, Dolores giggled. "I said I''de to pick you up, so why are you already out here?" "It''s a bit embarrassing to show this side of me to the tower people. And I missed you." "Shall we take a carriage? It''s quite far to Cohen." "Let''s just walk. There''s no rush now." Dolores wrapped her hand around Reed''s. Not even 10 seconds after saying there was no need to hurry, she urged Reed with her excited steps. Yes, there was no need to hurry. Today, and tomorrow. All that time would be spent with Dolores. They left the in and entered the forest. Like an ordinary couple, they walked side by side, holding hands without even being conscious of their sweat. When they got tired, they made a bench to rest on. Neither of them said a word. Their lips tickled and twitched, but no one opened their mouths. That''s why it wasfortable. They were able to be faithful to the time and space they spent walking towards Cohen. It wasn''t until the sun was high in the sky that they finally arrived in Cohen. Entering the city, Dolores marveled at the streets. "So this is Cohen Castle. It''s smaller than the empire, but it seems more developed." "It''s cleaner than the empire, right? Many things are being developed, so it''ll get even better in the future." "Is it a product of magic engineering? It''s really nice." The Hupper Kingdom was jointly researching and developing magic engineering, and Morgan II had applied the developed products to his castle. Sewage treatment systems, fertilizer manufacturing machines for agriculture, etc. Although they were still in the testing phase, Morgan II, as a king dedicated to people''s livelihoods, continued to develop them. As they walked along the royal road, Dolores yfully tapped Reed''s shoulder. Wondering why she suddenly did that, Reed looked down at her. "I''m hungry." Dolores looked up at him like a baby bird asking for food. Reed unwittingly pinched her cheek. Feeling the different texture of her taut cheek, Reed was surprised and asked her. "Why is it like this? Did it shrink because of all the hard times? Are you eating properly?" "I eat well these days." "Even so, it''s like this? I need to fatten you up today." "You want to make me fat so I can''t chase after you? I know everything." "If you get fat, I''ll roll you up and put you in our tower." "How can every word you say be so funny?" Doloresughed and took Reed''s hand again. "I know a restaurant, let''s go there." When he came to Cohen, he always stayed in the inner city, and his meals were limited to eating with Morgan. There was only one restaurant Reed knew in Cohen. It was a pub they had chosen as a contact point when meeting undercover Isel and Rachel. Dolores was the one who suggested having lunch at amoners'' restaurant, but she was surprised that Reed could actually find such a ce. "What do you want to eat?" "I, I don''t know..." There were many things on the menu that Dolores had never seen before. There were a lot of words, and she didn''t know what woulde out if she ordered something. She didn''t want to seem hesitant, but... "Should I just order for us?" "Okay." As if reading her mind, Reed asked her. Reed closed the menu and called a waiter to order food. He ordered neatly without any hesitation. As he was about to hand her a cup of water, Reed suddenly shuddered. Dolores was staring at Reed, lost in thought. "Did something get on you?" "Just... I realized how amazing you are." "I just tried it once and got good at it. I''m not good at this kind of thing either." "So you''ve been here once." Somehow, it seemed like an interesting story, so she dug deeper. "How did you know about this ce?" "Well, there''s a bit of a story." "What''s the story? Did youe here to meet a girl without me knowing?" "......" Reed couldn''t deny it, so he bit his lip. Dolores'' expression turned cold at the words thrown casually like throwing a pebble into a river. "......Why don''t you say anything?" Dolores red at him coldly. Her face was the same as when she was invited to dinner by Kamin. The ss of water she was holding was filled with ice. Even though her power had weakened, her trait was still the "Incarnation of Cold." Feeling jealous, she was more than capable of bing a cruel Ice Queen. "Well..." "Tell me, who did youe here with?" Dolores'' tone became more polite, but her intonation was fiercer. Worried that the misunderstanding would deepen, Reed cautiously told her. He didn''t tell her everything about the Saintesses, but just that they were people who helped Dolores'' research. Dolores'' coldness gradually subsided. "What, I thought... You could have just told me that." "It''s a bit awkward to reveal people who are trying to help you..." "You''re worried about those women, aren''t you?" "You¡¯re so mean." "If you don''t tell me, I won''t know, right? So can I just stay mad?" "Yeah, just tell me." He couldn''t win this moment. Dolores smiled with her eyes, seemingly amused. Shortly after, the ordered food was served. They seemed to be aware of Reed and Dolores'' attire, so they put some effort into the presentation. Dolores took a spoonful of soup with a wooden spoon. After savoring the lingering taste on her tongue for a while, she eximed. "So this ismoners'' food. Should I say it''s rough? It seems a bit salty too." "Is it not good?" Dolores shook her head. "It''s delicious in its own way. Eating it with bread seems to bnce it out." Tearing the bread with her hands, she dipped it generously into the stew and brought it to her mouth. She adapted so well to themoners'' meal that it seemed her hesitation over the menu was an act. "Yum, yum. This is good. This kind of food is nice too." The elegant image of her cutting a steak was gone, and amon girl was eating her meal. Was she quick to adapt? Or maybe she had been hiding this side of her all along. Maybe she had been suppressing this immature side of her to be the perfect Tower Master. Dolores, known only to himself. Not a strict Tower Master, but a cute girl. Chapter 119.1: (Part 1) Dolores (2) As Reed looked at her with a pleased expression, Dolores puffed up her cheeks and looked up at him. Only then did Dolores, who had been eating absentmindedly, remember who she was with. "Eat. Just like that." "I came dressed like a youngdy, so I should eat like one......" She started eating like a well-mannereddy btedly, but that appearance seemed even cuter. After filling her stomach to the fullest, they brought out tea as a post-meal drink. Reed smelled a familiar scent from the tea. "Excuse me, may I ask what kind of tea this is?" "Are you talking about this? It''s the trendy stone mountain tea these days." "Is stone mountain tea in trend these days?" "Yes. I heard high-ranking members of the Althea Church enjoy drinking it." Perhaps the Twin Saintesses¡¯ suggestion had been epted, and many people had started to drink it. Naturally, the trend spread among the nobles who liked it, and themoners slowly began to follow the nobles'' taste. "More than anything, it''s said that if men and women drink it together, love wille true, so many people seek it." "Love wille true?" "I think they said that this stone mountain tea was made to find the person you love." "......" "......" "Some high-ranking person went into the Kalton Mountains, defeated the evil monsters, and received this flower from theke''s spirit. So, it''s said to be the tea that proves true love." "I see." "Oh dear, I''m talking too much. Please enjoy it slowly." The owner bowed and apologized. Dolores and Reed''s faces turned bright red. It was because they knew who the high-ranking person and the woman he was trying to save were. "It''s quite romantic. Bards would love it." "That''s right." "But is that true?" "Isn''t it more romantic not to know?" "There''s no need to know for sure." Leaving the romantic as it is, is the most beautiful. Dolores picked up her teacup and moistened her lips with the subtle fragrance that spread. Reed watched her condition quietly. He had checked several times, but there was still no reaction. She was not a demon. She was undoubtedly human. "Have you made any ns for what to do after leaving the tower?" In the cozy atmosphere, Reed asked the question Helios had been curious about. Dolores nodded her head. "Yes." "What is it?" "I''m going to Escolleia to be a professor." "A professor?" Reed was surprised to hear the unexpected professioning from her mouth. "Being trapped made me think a lot. I''ve been running so frantically, so I had to think a lot about who I am." "So, you decided on being a professor?" "Yes. I found it really fun to organize my thoughts in order to teach others." She smiled beautifully. "I mentioned it to my teacher once, and he liked the idea. He even told me to start teaching as a professor right away, but... I think it''s better to start as a teaching assistant and learn diligently under other professors first." A professor. When he recalled her teaching Rosaria and Yuria, she seemed more suitable for that position than being a Tower Master. "I''ll continue teaching Rosaria and Yuria as I always have. The Sunday sses at the tower." "Will you have time for that while being a teaching assistant?" "If I don''t have time, I''ll make it. And they said I''ll definitely have Sundays off." "I thought they''d use you like a ve, but your rights are protected." "What''s the point of being the favorite if I can''t take advantage of it?" Reed had been worried about what she would do after leaving her position as Tower Master. He was worried about what would happen if she couldn''t ovee the fact that she was a demon and left without a word, but hearing her answer like this made him feel relieved. "The Tower Master of Timekeeper Tower seemed quite upset that you were quitting." "I feel a bit sorry because the Chairman took good care of me......" "No, that''s the right thing to do. If you were still suffering in the Tower Master''s position, I wouldn''t have stayed still." "......What would you have done?" Her blue jewel-like eyes sparkled and shone. She never let things go easily. "I would have kidnapped and imprisoned you." "What would you do after imprisoning me?" "Feed you delicious food and stroke your head, what else?" "Am I Rosaria?" "Let''s go with Rosaria¡¯s Senior, Dolores." At that remark, Dolores chuckled. Reed decided to change the subject. "How is your sessor?" "They''re a good person. They were someone the previous tower master had an eye on before I came, so they''ll undoubtedly do well." "It''s a problem that you''re too strong right now." He was worried that her strong support might overshadow others. However, since it wasn''t his business, he didn''t interfere any further. "If you''re done with the tea, let''s go. I still have a lot to see." "Alright, let''s go." The two got up from their seats. Their next destination was the market. * * * Dream big tl dot [Original Source ¨C dreambigtl .] * * * Dolores wanted to see the bustling market with lots of people. They blended in with the crowd as a youngdy and a sparrow, walking on the busy market floor. Sneaking a nce at Dolores''s face, it resembled someone. A pure and curious young girl. "What is this?" "It''s called beet. You''ve probably eaten a lot of it, haven''t you?" "I''m not sure. This is the first time I''ve seen it. What about this?" "That''s a lemon." "I know this. It''s an apple." The foolish girl who had only focused on magic and didn''t know much about the world didn''t know much about the items in the market. Her naive innocence made the middle-aged merchants smile. "Is this your first time going out with the youngdy?" "She doesn''t know much about the world, so I came with her today." "Coming to a market like this, wheremoners visit, is very bold of her! Here, take one." The middle-aged merchant handed Dolores a ripe apple. "Oh, thank you." Dolores smiled broadly and took the apple. "Is it okay to ept this? They''re selling things here." "Think of it as a fee for admiring your beauty." "Really? I''m full, so I''ll have to eat thister." "Then, put it away." Dolores slipped it into her clothes. As a magician, she made good use of her pocket in the void. Time passed, and the market became more crowded. It became difficult to even walk side by side. "Oops." Even a genius magician wasn''t strong enough to push through the crowd that poured in like a tidal wave. Reed grabbed Dolores''s hand. "Shouldn''t we not lose each other?" "Yes." Dolores obediently followed behind Reed. They finally made it through the crowd of peopleing in like a flood. "Shall we finish exploring the market here?" "Yes." "Where was the next ce?" "Now it''s my turn to guide you." Dolores pointed her finger in the air. Ice particles gathered and formed the shape of a broomstick. "Can you sit on it?" "Of course." They had practiced several times, but it was still difficult to get used to. Reed rode Dolores''s broomstick and headed somewhere together. The ce she took him was familiar to him. It was deep in the Kalton Mountains, which was once a territory of monsters. "There is a really beautifulke here. It''s a ce unknown to people and even to the orcs." Chapter 119.2: (Part 2) The ce she guided him to was ake. A blueke, a grassy field, and a huge tree. It was the exact picture Reed and Dolores had imagined. "How did you find this ce?" "I noticed it while surveying the terrain. I thought it would be perfect." "It''s really nice." Seeing Reed''s admiration, Dolores smiled with satisfaction. She shrugged her shoulders and walked towards theke. Then, she touched the surface of the water with her toes. "Vo." The top of theke turned white and spread out. It froze thinly but very firmly, creating an ice rink. "What about the skates?" "Just lift your feet for a moment." As she said, when he lifted his feet, ice des sprouted under the soles of his shoes. It was an instant pair of ice skates. "But you said it''s your first time skating, right?" "Yes." "Can you teach me how to stand first?" "Well, standing shouldn''t be too difficult......" Crash! As soon as he spoke, Reed''s view turned upside down. "Are you okay? You didn''t hurt your head, did you?" "......It''s not easy." "What''s easy at first? Take your time. I''ll help you." He couldn''t even stand for a second and fell right away. Dolores helped Reed stand up, but he kept falling over and over. Whenever that happened, Doloresughed heartily. He felt like he wanted to crawl into a mouse hole. It was embarrassing, but with his pride, he managed to stand up properly by the twentieth attempt. "Can you skate now?" "Maybe?" Having lost confidence in standing, Reed spoke cautiously. "I''ll teach you. Now, hold my hand......" Dolores kicked the ice rink lightly with her foot, pulling Reed along. They drew lines on the vast ice rink canvas that seemed to have no bounds. The sky turned red. They decided to have dinner with what Dolores had prepared. Reed was secretly looking forward to what she had prepared. She spread out a mat and pushed a basket in front of Reed. "It''s a sandwich." "I heard it''s your favorite." "Did you ask Rosaria?" "Yes. Do you not like it...?" Dolores looked up at him, fidgeting with her fingers. "No, I like it." There were various sandwiches, from ones with meatballs to in ones with ham and lettuce. Reed and Dolores each picked up a piece of sandwich. As soon as Dolores took a bite, she felt a chill down her spine. It was salty. She wasn''t usually good at cooking, but she had given it her all to make this day perfect. ''I thought it was fine when I tasted it......'' Making a sandwich was supposed to be easy. Thinking that she couldn''t even handle that, Dolores bit her lower lip. Feeling like she had failed to create the perfect evening atmosphere, she let out a quiet sigh. "Hmm......" Reed tasted the sandwich and put it back in his mouth. One bite, two bites, three bites... slowly savoring the taste, he finished it. "Do you have more?" "Huh?" "I want to eat more." "Uh, yes. There''s more." Dolores pulled out another sandwich from the basket. He calmly finished the second one as well. "Give me more." "Isn''t it salty? You can stop eating if you want..." "Huh? It''s just delicious." Without nodding or eximing in admiration, he calmly put the sandwich in his mouth. Dolores stared intently at Reed. How could a person shine like this? Even in the dark night, his face was clearly visible. Watching him eat calmly, her gloomy thoughts disappeared, and a smile appeared on her face. The ruined dinner passed by uneventfully. The setting sunpletely disappeared from view. Numerous stars spread out on the dark canvas. A crescent moon was visible. "It''s a bit cold." Dolores rubbed her shoulders with both hands. "Should I give you a coat?" "A coat wouldn''t be enough, right?" Realizing what she meant, he finally understood. "Come here." Reed leaned back. Dolores used Reed''s body as a chair and sat on him. Reed wrapped his arms around her from behind. "It''s nice." Dolores said. "Come to think of it......" "Hm?" "The words you wanted to say to make me feel better. Can you say them now?" "I had to hear them today, because I endured all the injustice and came back to life." Dolores, who had been in his arms, said. "Dolores." "Yes." "You''re the most lovely girl I know among women." "Yes." "Baldschmidt made you unhappy, and Jade gave you the greatest challenge." "......Yes." Dolores recalled the past events. It was too cruel for the poor girl. She clenched her teeth, pretended to be strong, and endured it, but eventually, she almost surrendered to the world. "But Adeleheights will make you happy." Dolores covered her mouth and turned her head. It seemed she knew what he was going to say next. It was a difficult thing. They looked into each other''s eyes. It was too hard to look at Reed, who was smiling faintly, but they had to face it. It was not a challenge, but the greatest happiness, so they had to endure it happily. "I''ll give you the happiness that Baldschmidt and Jade couldn''t give you." Reed took out an item from his pocket. It was an item he had prepared for this moment. When she said she would quit the tower, he had a hunch. So he prepared it. A gold ring inside a small case. The embedded gem was glowing faintly. It was a blue sapphire. "Dolores, would you please be an Adeleheights?" As Dolores''s mouth opened, her tears burst out. "I will. I''ll do it over and over again." Reed took out the ring. Her slender hand, which was covering her mouth, stretched out shyly like a peony flower. Reed carefully put it on her ring finger. As she received the ring finger, Dolores rushed to Reed. And their lips met. Both of their breaths stopped, and time stood still. In that space, the only thing left was the two people resonating with each other. Dolores''s hand went up Reed''s cheek. Her hair, reflecting softly in the moonlight, and her tears. "Why do you keep crying?" "Because I''m so... so happy. I''m afraid that I might be dreaming somewhere. That''s why I''m so scared......" "Shh." Reed pressed their foreheads together. "Don''t say anything. You shouldn''t say such things." "Then, don''t make me feel so insecure...!" "I won''t do it anymore. I''ll only look at you." "......I love you." "I love you too." "I love you. I really love you." They whispered love into each other''s ears. Time flowed by, and the night deepened in its own way. Chapter 120.1: (Part 1) Dolores (3) Reed and Dolores walked awkwardly together. It was no different from walking together yesterday, but awkwardness prevailed overfort. As ofst night, they were no longer just lovers. Could it be that their rtionship was still awkward? It was even difficult to make eye contact. "It''s really awkward." Dolores was the first to speak. "I know, right?" "After getting engaged, breaking up, and getting engaged again, I''m not sure if we''ll break up again when we fight." Although she knew it was a joke, it was hard to take it lightly. "Should we just get married then?" Reed boldly suggested. Dolores looked happy, but shook her head. "No, not now." "Why?" "There''s Rosaria. Be good to Rosaria. Now is the time for that." She was at an age where she was curious and eager to learn. Dolores didn''t want to awkwardly insert herself as a mother figure there. Her familiar sister and teacher were the ones who should be there for her now. "By the way, what kind of children do you want once we''re married?" "What kind do I want?" "You know, like how many daughters and sons." "Umm...." Reed had never thought deeply about it, so he was at a loss. Dolores, who had brought it up, felt embarrassed as time passed and scratched her cheek. "This kind of talk is so strange. I used to think about it a lot when I was young... If you''re embarrassed, you don''t have to answer." As Dolores was thinking about changing the topic of conversation, Reed opened his mouth. "...I don''t need anything else, just a daughter." "A daughter?" "Since I''ve raised one daughter already, I don''t think there will be any problem raising another one. I just want to have a daughter." Reed firmly held Dolores'' hand. Dolores smiled with her eyes and clung to his shoulder. "Don''t you think Rosaria is a good child?" "Rosaria is good, yes. But your daughter will definitely be as gentle as you." "Who says I''m gentle? I''m a cunning fox-like woman." "Really?" "Do you think the Ice Queen of Wallinexists for nothing?" "That will be history now." Reed looked up. He saw the tower made of blue, Wallin''s Tower. "We should go." "Yep." "How was your trip today?" "It was great." Dolores looked up, holding both of Reed''s hands. "I wish time had stopped." At Dolores'' words, Reed lightly kissed her lips. Unintentionally, Dolores put her hand on her chest. They had done so much yesterday, but her heart still raced. It was an excitement she didn''t want to forget. "I''ll go back." "Finish well." "Okay." Reed turned and moved first. After taking three steps, he looked back with a feeling of regret. He saw her looking down at him as he moved further away. As their eyes met, Dolores was the first to raise and wave her hand. She felt the same regret. *** * * * Dream big tl dot [Original Source ¨C dreambigtl .] * * * Dolores left Wallin''s Tower. The next tower master was a person named Frida Jade. Reed knew who he was. In the story of ¡°Disaster 7¡±, after suppressing Ludis Grancia Jade, he became the new tower master. Although his magic skills were lower than Dolores'', his knowledge of Wallin''s Tower made him more adept at leading the tower than Dolores when she first started. However, it was not easy to catch up to Dolores'' status. No one looked for the missing Ludis. Posters stating that he had gone missing were put up, but they were covered with malicious phrases like "Traitor!" and "Worse than a dog!" until his figure was unrecognizable. The Grancia Kingdom erased him as if he had never existed. Even for a royal born with the bloodline, joining hands with the demons, the enemies of all humankind, was an unforgivable matter. As the activities of the Eternal Church noticeably decreased, the demons that had been slowly encroaching on thend withdrew. It was a miracle created by a single flower. No one could have imagined that cultivating stonecrop would be more effective than the actions of the Althea Church trying to eradicate the roots of heretics. Dolores, who had been born a workshop magician and became a tower magician, returned to the academy where she had graduated. No one opposed the kind, diligent, and talented girl bing a teaching assistant. After she arrived, Escolleia became even more active. Dean Anton dered that he would open the lectures he used to give only asionally every year from now on. "Teacher! Are you really going to be an assistant professor at Escolleia?" She asked Dolores as soon as she visited the tower. "Not an assistant professor, but a teaching assistant. The two are very different." "Still, that means you could be a professor someday! I heard it''s difficult to even be a teaching assistant at Escolleia!" "That''s how it turned out." "Then, when I enter Escolleia, can I receive your guidance?" "I''m not sure about that." "My father said that Dolores Jade is a talented woman and will undoubtedly be a full professor within 3 years!" With her status as the dean''s favorite student and her experience as a tower master in Wallin''s Tower, her rapid promotion was already confirmed. "I still have a lot to learn, so I''ll take it step by step. And now I''m not Dolores Jade anymore." "Oh, I''m sorry!" Yuria immediately apologized. She made more mistakes in her speech than usual, perhaps because she was more excited. Now that she had left Wallin''s Tower, she had to give up the Jade surname. "May I ask what I should call you as my teacher now?" "Well..." Dolores hesitated, feeling a bit embarrassed. However, it was a matter that would soon be a reality. So she proudly announced. "Now I''m Dolores Adeleheights." "The Adeleheights family! ...Wait, Adele...heights?" Yuria, who had been happy, felt something was off. It was definitely a surname she had heard before. And from a very close ce. Yuria turned her head. What she saw was a white-haired girl, Rosaria. She smiled brightly and said. "Teacher is going to be my new mom!" Chapter 120.2: (Part 2) Rosaria spoke with an excited tone, and Dolores waved her hand. "That''s not a new mom yet. We''re just engaged for now. Since I don''t have a surname, I''m borrowing it for the time being." "Th-then, you''re saying that being engaged means getting ma-married?" "Um? Well... yes?" Dolores scratched the back of her neck. It was just stating an ordinary fact, but it felt ufortable. "My most admired teacher..." Her first love was connected. For Yuria, it was like a world copsing. It felt like a meteor had struck her heart and another one was falling again. Her heart was already in shambles. It felt like her soul was being burned white and was escaping. Dolores was at a loss for what to do. She already knew that Yuria liked Reed. Having be the bad woman who stole her crush, the problem was how to get through this predicament. "Cheer up. Most first loves don''t usually work out." "How many rtionships has Teacher had?" "¡­The first." For Dolores, who had no interaction with her peers, Reed was everything. Even when she broke up with Reed, her feelings remained in the form of affection, so she had never thought about anyone else even once. Whether it wasforting or pacifying, Dolores found her own words puzzling. Yuria wiped her eyes with her clothes. With reddened eyes, she looked up at Dolores and spoke with a determined face. "I...! I will be an even stronger magician than Teacher!" "Th-That''s the spirit." Dolores didn''t ask why she suddenly had such thoughts. A magician just needs to be stronger. Motivation tends to disappear like water flowing. "But, how did youe to like Dad?" "I''m curious about that too!" Yuria joined Rosaria''s question. "Isn''t it better to move on with the lesson? It''s not such a great story." "We can always move on with the lesson, but we don''t have many opportunities to hear about our respected teacher''s life." "Yeah, yeah. It''s a rare opportunity!" "Ugh¡­" She couldn''t beat this cheeky girl. Normally, Yuria would be insisting on having a lesson, but now she imed that life experience was more important. Realizing that it wasn''t the right flow for a lesson, Dolores reluctantly closed the book. "Do you really want to know?" "Yes!" "Yes, I want to know!" Stories of first love only encountered in books. For the curious child, the adults'' stories were like a romance novel. "Back in the day, I was..." Yuria, who had been jealous of Dolores, also listened to her story with sparkling eyes. The girlish story ripened. *** Meanwhile, when the news of the engagement reached the magicians, Reed received an invitation. Thinking it was an engagement celebration party, he epted the invitation and dressed neatly before heading to the party venue. "Silence Tower Master, Reed Adele..." His greeting stopped abruptly. He had been expecting a lively atmosphere at the celebration party, but upon entering, the atmosphere was as solemn as a funeral. Reed checked his location once more, wondering if he hade to the wrong ce, and checked the invitation again. The person who invited him was the master of the Radiant Tower. At the dinner table were magicians from the workshop and merchant alliance. "Are you here?" "I am here, but why are you all so gloomy?" "Sit down." Reed sat in the middle of the long table, guided by the tower master. It was clear that he was the protagonist of this party. ''Why are there so many magicians from the workshops and merchant alliances?'' He thought that if the Radiant Tower Master invited him, other male tower masters would gather. However, magicians of various affiliations had gathered. And all of them had a gloomy face. "You." The middle-aged magician sitting next to him spoke. He was the chief magician of the empire''s workshop and the man who contributed the most to the empire''s security. "I heard you got married to Dolores, the former master of Wallin Tower." "It''s not a marriage, it''s an engagement. We''re still" "Don''t you have the intention to get married anyway? Isn''t that right?" "That''s correct." "Then you''re no different from a married man." The chief magician put his hand on Reed''s shoulder. He had a face like that of an old man looking at his son going off to hunt monsters. "Think about it. Marriage is a crazy thing." "Huh?" "You''re still young. Your blood is still vigorous." "Being 36 isn''t that young, though..." "You still have plenty of women left. Do you need to be tied to just one?" "Yes, that''s right." "At this time, you''re still young. It''s the age to love other women." "What''s with that..." Before he could call it nonsense, Reed realized one thing. The merchant alliance, tower magicians, workshop magicians. He saw amonality among these people with different affiliations. That''s right. They were all married men. "You said your partner was the former master of Wallin Tower?" "Yes." "Then she''ll try to shake and control you even more. If you have no power, she''ll slowly eat away at you, and if you do, what will happen?" "I''m not sure about that. Dolores doesn''t seem like that kind of woman..." "I was deceived too. The idea that love solves everything is nonsense." At those words, everyone nodded in silence. "Women, after getting married, reveal their true nature." "They show their wicked faces, put a bridle on you, and hold you tightly." [T/N: bridle is the headgear used to control a horse, to which the reins are attached] "Then they slowly take control of your finances." "And eventually, they pull you back and make you surrender!" Seeing them pouring out as if they had all been treated the same by one woman, Reed couldn''t help but be amazed. Just by listening, it sounded like the work of an evil force invading a country, not a wife or a mother. Only then did Reed understand. That it was not an engagement celebration party, but a gathering of marriage scam victims. He realized that these were experts who would exin why he should not go through with this marriage, gritting their teeth. ''Insane...'' He was torn between whether to continue or end this gloomy men''s gathering. "Aria! That woman used to be so pretty! I waspletely fooled by her face." "Me too... I should have just run away when I seeded. Why did I go back to my hometown and suffer?" Like old men in a small room, they drank heavily and began topete in a contest of how miserable their lives were. Eventually, Reed felt that he was no longer the focus of their attention, and he quietly slipped away from the party venue. Chapter 121.1: (Part 1) Pure and Upright (1) The first gship product of the Silence Tower was a recording device. Various agricultural machinery such as stone saws and rock breakers were being developed, but the nobles were not interested, and themon people did not have many opportunities to ess them yet. In the meantime, the second gship product was apletely unexpected item. ''It''s really funny...'' What he was holding in his hand was a stylish box made of thin silver. There, the Silence Tower mark was written along with this: -Stone flower. Simply written in two characters. Just by that, people immediately recognize it as the stone flower petal tea made by the Silence Tower. Currently, the Althea Church is actively cultivating it, but the most famous thing was the product of the Silence Tower. The story of a man who devoted his body for a woman rather than defeating the demons. It was a more romantic and deeply ingrained beautiful story. As such rumors spread, the stone flower became known as the flower of love. It was decided to entrust the cultivation of stone flowers to the Kalton Mountain Alliance. The stone flower was discovered in the Kalton Mountains, and they promoted the cultivation of stone flowers as a specialty product by researching the ecology of nts and animals and recently clearing forests to create reimednd. From the standpoint of the unclear main ie of the Kalton Coalition, it was very good news. "How much of our stone flower productionpares to the Althea Church?" "They say it''s 1:10. We are 1." "What about the quality?" "They say it''s simr." There''s noparison. Reed was not in a hurry, although it was enough to be pushed back by the Althea Church. "How much is the product valuepared?" "The tea from the Althea Church is 10 UP per 10g, and ours is 1,380 UP per 10g." The product value was 138 times different. "It''s increased tenfold since thest time I heard." It was an effect created through rumors and stories. -If you give tea cultivated in the Silence Tower, not the Althea Sect, to someone you like, they will fall in love. -Since two people have actually been connected, the effect has been proven. The rumors spreading through hearsay grew uncontrobly, and it began to be considered a must-have item for nobledies. ''In a fantasy world, storytelling is important too.'' Reed realized that storytelling was an element that transcended time. Reed began to think carefully about how to use this tea. "Let''s not sell the tea. It''s not like we''re short on money." They weren''t short on money. No matter how much money they had, there was little influence they could exert on the tower. "Instead, we''ll make them wait for us to provide the tea." "How do you n to do that?" "There are a few issues rted to intellectual property rights, so we''ll prioritize that project first." "......" "So if they want to get tea from us, they have to solve this problem. That''s what we''re advertising. Then they''ll want to help us." "Ah, I see." Phoebe finally understood what he meant. "But would they really move just for the tea?" "What do you think the reason for the 138 times difference is? It''s because they can''t get it." It shouldn''t be thought of as just a number. This is an emotion. It''s an item that they want to obtain, no matter what they have to do. "Then manydies wille to the Tower Master and ask for help." "......You''ll take care of that for me, right?" "This is Phoebe Astheria Roton! I''m not called the watchdog of the Silence Tower for nothing!" Phoebe confidently smiled. Well, she knows how to handle such matters on her own. Normally, Reed wouldn''t care about it, but he wasn''t happy about women approaching him. "Master, is there a problem?" Phoebe, who wasn''t very smart, was always quick to notice when it came to Reed. "No, it''s nothing..." * * * Dream big tl dot [Original Source ¨C dreambigtl .] * * * Reed nced up at Phoebe. He thought about it several times, and eventually nodded his head and confided in her. "It''s because of Dolores." "You mean the master of the Wallin Tower?, right? Should I call her your fianc¨¦e?" "Yeah, her." Upon hearing that, Phoebe sat down across from him. With a serious expression on her face, she asked Reed. "Why is she like that? Has something changed? Is she being distant?" "Well, she has changed a bit since before." If she was lovely before, she''s even lovelier now. Their rtionship had be more intimate than when they were both Tower Masters, with more physical affection and acting cute like a younger woman. To others, they would seem like a perfect couple, showered with envy. Her pure, cute, puppy-like appearance had be stronger, but so had the opposite side. "When ites to other women, it''s like standing in the middle of a snowy field..." When stories involving women begin, the atmosphere takes a sharp turn. Her face is clearly smiling, but a cold chill blows in, freezing the surroundings. At first, Reed thought it was just his imagination, but after the third time, he was convinced. Her jealousy had be much stronger than before. "Indeed... it''s a personal matter to talk about with someone else." Phoebe nodded her head with a regretful expression. "Your fianc¨¦e is also on edge these days. There are so many women who nder her." "Dolores is being ndered?" "Yes. If it''s not true yet, there are so many people trying to take her ce!" "Hmm..." "Ladies of the nobility have unimaginable persistence? Since they can''t bring down the Tower Master, they spread malicious rumors about your fianc¨¦e being a wicked woman with a bad heart." "Huh..." Reed didn''t appreciate hearing that someone from his family was being ndered. "Dolores must be hurt." "But she doesn''t seem to be giving in. She says that being jealous only confirms that she is the winner." "That''s just like her." In that regard, she was strangely positive. As Reed smiled faintly at her words, Phoebe stared at his face nkly and asked. "Master." "Huh?" "Do you love your fianc¨¦e?" "Of course." He nodded his head as if there was no need for further exnation. "That''s what I thought... it''s only natural." Phoebe showed a strange mix of relief and sadness. Then, with aposed face that Reed didn''t notice, she said. "If I were in the same situation as your fianc¨¦e... I wouldn''t like hearing about other women." "Is that so?" "If I may suggest a solution, it would be better to keep some distance from women. And even if you do talk, it''s best not to mention it to your fianc¨¦e." "I guess so?" From now on, he had to maintain a certain distance when meeting unfamiliar women. Reed took note of the advice Phoebe had given him. "Don''t talk to women as much as possible, and don''t tell anyone about it... Okay?." As he was about to put down his pen, Phoebe eximed, "Ah," as if she had forgotten something. She added as if she remembered something. "Besides that, when that happens, you should act cute yourself." "¡­Me?" Chapter 121.2: (Part 2) Reed asked her again with a face that questioned her sincerity. Phoebe''s thoughts were firm. "Yes! You should tell your fianc¨¦e that you like her more than those women. That''s when you should act cute!" Though it was embarrassing to say, Reed felt convinced by her words. "How do I act cute?" "Well... you can approach your fianc¨¦e or make light jokes." Reed, listening to Phoebe''s words, crossed his arms and thought. He always made jokes when they talked. "A joke..." Did he need something new? He decided to think about it ande up with something. ¡°Dolores... Dolly, Dolly our Dolly... Dolly too?¡± An unexpected dad joke popped out. Reed regretted it even after saying it. As if being led by an aging body, the joke automatically popped out. It was no different than pouring cold water on the chilly atmosphere. "Pfft!" A bursting sound came from the other side. Phoebe burst outughing as if she was hit in the right spot. "Dolly... Dolly too... Pffft!" "......" "I''m, I''m sorry. But...hahaha, it''s just too funny..." Phoebe gasped for breath,ughing uncontrobly. Her horns dug into the table like a rock breaker as sheughed. After calming down, she fanned her face and stood up again. "Is it funny?" "Yes, it''s hrious!" "Really?" "But if you say it to other women, you might get scolded." Phoebe, not letting him get cocky, hit him with a fact. He wondered if she really found it amusing. "Anyway... Thanks to your advice, the rtionship seems to be getting smoother." "I''m d I could help. Is there anything else I can help you with?" "I''ll call you if I need anythingter." "Understood. Then I''ll take my leave." Phoebe left the office with a satisfied smile. Reed picked up his pen to resume his work. Then, out of the blue, a question crossed his mind as he looked at the firmly closed door. ''Come to think of it, Phoebe is a woman too, right?'' With her long blonde hair, tall stature, and curvy body visible even in her uniform. Always smiling and following him around like a puppy, she was one of the few beauties among the tower''s mages. ''What happens if I talk about Phoebe?'' Although he was curious, he decided not to bring up the topic. Thanks to Rosaria, the rtionship between Dolores and Phoebe was good, and he didn''t want to create trouble by testing that. It''s better to let such issues flow like water. That is the shortcut to peace. *** The holynd of the Althea Church, Pieta. In the Saint Gregory Cathedral, bishops from various ces had gathered in the conference hall. "Thank you foring together. Bishops who bring light to various ces. Thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedules." "What is the reason for summoning us, Saintess?" "I have something to announce to all of you." An announcement, not a conference. Summoning all the bishops without exception meant that it was an important matter. However, making such a deration about an important matter? "Following the testament of the former hero, I intend to award the holy sword to the one who has put an end to the Demons." "Award the hero''s sword? Who is worthy of possessing that sword?" "The Tower Master of Silence Tower, Reed Adeleheights Roton." The bishops'' eyes widened in unison. "What are you talking about!?" "No matter how much you insist, giving our legacy to a tower mage!" The bishops objected and rose from their seats. To give their symbolic item to a tower mage, and moreover, to a Tower Master, with whom they had a strained rtionship. "It''s not our legacy. It''s just an item left by the former hero." "That sword was left by the Saint of Light who drove away Demons. It is a holy relic that strengthens the faith of the Althea Church." Isel countered his words. "Is he the Saint of Light? Wasn''t the hero not a believer of Althea?" "What are you talking about? It''s written in the records left by the first Saintess who drove the demons away together with the hero!" The smile disappeared from Isel''s face for a moment. 300 years ago, the four heroes who defeated the Demon King. One of them was the first Saintess of the Althea Church and is now Isel and Rachel. It was truly ironic. Isel never recorded the hero that way. The reason they could so shamelessly push the records was that everyone didn''t know that Isel and Rachel were the reincarnations of the first Saintess. Isel and Rachel, who knew the truth, knew that there were fabricated records, but they didn''t care about that. She believed that a little lie could be forgiven if it helped spread the faith of the Althea Church. Now, that hase back to haunt her. ''No, even if it wasn''t in the records, they wouldn''t have given it up easily.'' Isel found them disgusting. "So." Isel''s gentle tone became stiff. "Are you saying that the current Saintess''s words are not worth listening to?" And she added a sharpness. Even conservative bishops know that fists are closer than thew. "Let''s make it clear. Everything left by the first Saintess is just a legacy of the past. There is no need to blindly believe in those records." "Are you saying that you won''t follow the words of the first Saintess?" "We should listen to God''s will rather than the words of the Saintess. I always ept God''s will, and I am prepared to devote myself to using my power for the people. To do so, I need to correct the old things." "Are you saying you want to tamper with it at your discretion?" The bishops interpreted it differently and restrained the Saintess. "Why would a heretic be a heretic? They deceive people with usible deception. If you try to fix the old things recklessly, you will try to fix them again, and eventually, the entire church will be heretical." Isel clenched her hands together tightly, making a fist and maintaining a smile with difficulty. "I also want to avoid bing a heretic." She turned her head and scanned the seated bishops. "But I don''t want to live as a coward like you." "What!?" "Are you talking to us, Saintess!?" "How do you think the heretics and demons who want to burn the church were destroyed? Was it with a silver sword and a Bible? No. They withered away with a single flower. It''s hard to see you not wanting to ept that fact." The bishops tried to retaliate roughly. "Let''s stop this." A heavy voice filled the conference hall, and everyone closed their mouths. It was the voice of the Pope, sitting in the highest ce next to the Saintess. Feeling the Saintess''s emotions bing more intense, the Pope personally intervened. The bishops looked up at the Pope. Although he had a long white beard, he was a strong old man whose physique could bepared to that of a young warrior. He rested his chin and closed his eyes quietly. He was trying to reach a conclusion in this conflict of understanding. Chapter 122.1: (Part 1) Pure and Upright (2) "Saintess Isell." "Yes, Your Holiness." Isel answered with a smile. "Give the Holy Sword directly to the Master of the Silence Tower." "Understood." "But, Your Holiness!" The bishops protested as if they couldn''t understand, but the Pope raised his hand to silence them. "As the Saintess said, it''s just an item left by the hero. That sword is not ours. The Master of the Silence Tower has greatly contributed to stopping the spread of evil. Then, it is right to follow the hero''s will." The Pope looked down at Isel again and said, "I won''t hold a separate award ceremony. The tower''s mages won''t be pleased either, so Saintess Isel, go and personally give it to them along with the hero''s will." "Understood, Your Holiness." The bishops still had faces that couldn''tprehend the Saintess''s proposal and the Pope''s approval. "The hero''s sword is an important holy relic of the Althea Order. Please reconsider, Your Holiness." The hero''s sword was a holy relic of the Althea Order and a symbol of freedom. It wasn''t easy for them to ept giving it to someone. "It has value as a holy relic, but it only shines when it has its own meaning. Ignoring the hero''s will would mean ignoring his spirit." "We, the bishops, are confused, and the believers will have a hard time epting it." "Then make a replica and put it there. It''s an item we don''t use anyway. If someone really needs to see it, a sword that looks exactly the same would be enough." The Pope tapped his bracelet with his index finger and said, "Let''s end this topic with this." The Pope stood up from his seat. The bishops reluctantly stood up from their seats. The Pope looked down at the Saintess again. The dignified voice that had controlled the bishops cautiously asked, "...Will you be alright?" "Yes." Isel nodded her head. "I didn''t care about what the bishops said from the beginning." The Pope already knew the Saintess''s identity. One of the four heroes who killed the Demon King together and the first Saintess of the Althea Order. And he knew what she had sacrificed to be reborn for the eradication of evil. That''s why he couldn''t dare not to follow her words. Isel stepped forward first. She passed between the bishops who couldn''t leave. The bishops'' eyes had be sharp. They red at her as if looking at a heretic. Yet, she just smiled and passed them by. As she stepped out of the conference room, she saw Rachel waiting outside. Rachel stood with the dignity of a holy knight. Isel smiled and passed by her, and Rachel cautiously followed her. Their destination was not her office but her bedroom. Click. As the door closed, Isel embraced Rachel. Rachel seemed to have been waiting, holding her tightly. "Rachel, Rachel..." "..." Isel was shivering like a kitten, leaning against her chest. Rachel stroked her head. As if understanding what she was feeling, she leaned her head against Isel''s. "It''s painful." "..." "It''s just a single sword, just an item left by the hero, but seeing them expose their vile desires like that... My faith... wavers." "..." Isel''s legs gave way. Rachel picked her up andid her down on the bed. And carefully, she removed Isel''s nun''s headdress. Cold sweat was running down Isel''s face. "It''s all a lie. The existence of the hero, our stories, and the people who fought with me are all lies." "..." "Did we move forward with courage? We tried to run away back then. We tried to abandon everything and run. But only the hero, that hero, stood up and faced it." "..." "And that made him a follower of the God of Light... the Order is changing everything about the hero for their own gain. Even though it''s not the hero...." "..." "At first, I thought this was the right path. The belief in spreading benefits widely remained unchanged. But...tely, I don''t know. Lies breed lies, and it seems like they''re eating away at us." "..." Rachel held Isel''s face. Isel and Rachel, the twins born on the same day. So they looked alike. However, unlike Rachel''s white eyes, Isel''s eyes were red. The blood of the demon race still flowed in her body. But she was not a demon. There was a crucial difference. Rachel wiped the corner of her eye with her thumb. The thumb soaked with tears. Tears were a human thing that demons could not possess. Rachel looked worried. Rachel''s worry flowed into Isel''s mind. "Is it because of the demon''s blood after all? Maybe it''s right to treat it as you said." Isel held both of Rachel''s hands that were holding her face. Then, carefully detaching them, she sped both hands as if praying. "But this is the sin I must bear. With this sin, I can approach the happiness I pursue." Isel closed her eyes. "The four remaining fates ahead. Let''s just endure those four." Isel started a devout prayer. Rachel also closed her eyes. *** * * * Dream big tl dot [Original Source ¨C dreambigtl .] * * * After a bountiful autumn, deste winter came. It was a suitable time for the magicians of the Silence Tower to test their winter equipment. Kaitlyn continued her research on ancient golems. Since trying to apply golems to cure Dolores'' illness, she had been stuck in theb, not thinking abouting out. There wasn''t much progress if asked. She still couldn''t solve the fundamental problem. ''Will she transcend soon?'' If the potential sleeping within her body awakens, the golem research, which had no progress, would be much easier. That''s why they didn''t try to disturb Kaitlyn. Reed held a winter idea contest and gathered the creativity of many magicians in the Silence Tower. Reed operated the tower in a way to bring out the magicians'' motivation as much as possible. ''The tower is running smoothly on its own, so I should focus on my work.'' Reed looked at the letter on his desk again. Isel and Rachel. The two women, who hadn''t visited since the demon incident, sent a letter. -We want to hear the new song you''re preparing at the Silence Tower. Reed recalled the conversation they had during their first encounter. Although they secretly met during the demon incident, as time passed and the rtionship recovered, an invitation was possible. Reed asked them to visit when they had time, and they replied that they woulde today. ''I''m not sure if they really want to hear the song...'' Reed was uneasy about them. Especially, Isel made him nervous. Although she was a benefactor who helped him, he couldn''t help but be on guard since he couldn''t know her true intentions. Isel was wrapped in a veil, hiding her thoughts. In the case of Rachel, she didn''t speak but remained consistent, making him feel morefortable. Although they were twins with the same face and shared souls, their personalities were pr opposites. -Master of the Tower, the Saintess have arrived. Upon hearing the servant''s message, Reed stood up from his seat. He decided not to think about them anymore. He would hear it directly. Chapter 122.2: (Part 2) "Thank you for sparing your precious time, Master of the Silence Tower." Isel and Rachel were sitting on the sofa. Their clothes were different, but both were sitting in the same posture, looking like a decaania symmetrically ced side by side. [T/N: A design on paper and its copy transferred to other material] Reed ced a small box he had prepared on the table. "It''s the new song you wanted." "Thank you. With this, my ears won''t be bored during work." Isel smiled happily and handed the crystal ball to Rachel. She didn''t pay much attention to itpared to the fuss. Reed was sure they hade for something else. "So, what did youe for? It doesn''t seem like you came to get the new song." "Of course. This is just an excuse." Isel nodded her head. "We have something to deliver to you, Master of the Tower, ording to the hero''s will." "Will?" Reed wondered if he had any connection with the hero. Seeing this, Isel chuckled. "The hero passed away 300 years ago. There''s no connection with the Adeleheights family, so you don''t need to worry." "Then tell me why you came." Isel cleared her throat. As if reciting an epic, she began to tell the hero''s will. "The death of the Demon King is not the end. Evil will once again devour the hearts of humans, and eventually return. Give this sword to the one who defeats that evil. He will be the hero and the hope." Reed knew what that will was. It was the event dialogue that urred in Pieta after defeating the second disaster, Demon King Peon, in "Disaster 7". Along with those words, Rachel ced a sword, which she had taken out from somewhere, on the table. A smooth sword de and a dark opal embedded sword. It wasn''t adorned with fancy decorations or designs like the Empire''s swords, but the aura emitted from that sword was extraordinary. ''I can''t believe I''m getting the holy sword that the protagonist receives now...'' It was the holy sword, Dawnbreaker. Name: Dawnbreaker Type: Equipment A sword used by the hero 300 years ago when a massive evil swept across the continent. A rare gem was embedded in it. To defeat darkness and bring forth the dawn. Its appearance was undoubtedly that of light. (Equipment) Durability: 150/150 Attack Power: 102~110 "Crafting Lv.3": There are no defects. "Magicology Lv.4" -Not recognized as the owner. -The gem has an ''enchant'' that cannot be deciphered. Reed looked at the sword with aplex expression. ''''Was this a good-looking but useless thing?'' The attack power was high, but it was far inferiorpared to other relic-grade items. This was because Dawnbreaker could only be used by someone recognized as its owner. And among all the characters appearing in "Disaster 7", there was not a single person who could use Dawnbreaker. In the end, it meant that ''there was no one with the qualities of a hero.'' ''But I never thought I''d receive this.'' Reedughed as if it was absurd. It was funny that the very person who created the Demon King was contributing to the aplishment of defeating the evil. "Originally, it should be ced in a box adorned with a dragon and publicly awarded at Pieta... But given the current sentiment, I have no choice but to give it to you secretly." "I understand." The Althea Church, which had been in control during the demon crisis, wouldn''t be pleased that the tower''s magician found a solution. If the holy sword was also awarded, the prestige of the Althea Church might havepletely fallen. ''Dawnbreaker... Do I have the qualities of a hero?'' Wrapped in doubt, Reed gripped the handle of DawnBreaker. Nothing happened. ''Of course.'' It was ridiculous for a man who became the source of evil to be chosen by the hero''s sword. Reed ced the sword on the disy stand. That''s when it happened. Knock knock. Someone knocked on the reception room door. The knock on the door was soft, so it was easy to tell who it was. "Excuse me. Just a moment..." Reed stood up from his seat and opened the door to the reception room. As expected, Rosaria was standing there. "Dad, have you seen our puppy?" "I haven''t seen him, hasn''t he been following you around?" "I thought so too, but I can''t see the puppy." Rosaria looked around. "So I thought he might be with you, but I guess not." "I''ll help you look for himter. I''m meeting with someone else right now, got it?" "Yeah, sorry." As Rosaria was about to leave. A shadow cast over Reed''s back. "Oh my, is this young girl... the rumored magic genius?" Isel and Rachel stood up from their seats and looked at Rosaria beyond the door. Rosaria looked up at Isel and Rachel. Then, she was surprised, and her eyes widened. "Gosh, there are two identical people..." "Rosaria, what should you do when you meet new people?" Rosaria, as if realizing her mistake, btedly greeted them like a youngdy. "Hello? My name is Rosaria Adeleheights Roton.¡± "Hello, Miss Roton. I am the Saintess of Meditation, Isel Lindea. And this Saintess next to me is the Saintess of Silence, Rachel Lindea." "......" Isel greeted gracefully, and Rachel next to her gave a light nod. "My daughter was rude. I''ll send her back." "No, if it''s okay with you, Master of the Tower, I''d like to have a conversation with your daughter as well, would that be possible?" Isel showed interest in Rosaria. Reed wanted to make an excuse that Rosaria was shy, but Rosaria had a face that showed she was also quite interested in them. "Alright." Being a father who couldn''t win against his daughter, Reed had no choice but to allow her to meet with them. Chapter 123.1: (Part 1) Pure and Upright (3) Rosaria sat next to Reed. She stared at them with a different expression than when she looks at Phoebe and Dolores,pletely absorbed. "You sisters are so pretty." "Thank you, young sister." "Sister?" "The believers of the Order call each other brothers and sisters." "Even if you''re not really family?" "Everyone embraced by Althea is considered family." As Isel spoke kindly, Rosaria tilted her head. "That''s strange." Hmm. The atmosphere suddenly turned cold at Rosaria''s words. Isel and Rachel froze in ce, and Reed, who had been watching, felt a chill run down his spine. Reed gently pulled Rosaria''s shoulder towards him and spoke cautiously. "Don''t say it''s strange so tantly." "But it is strange! It''s strange to have so many families." "It means that everyone is treated like family, not that they are actually family." "Is that so? Why didn''t you tell me that sooner?" Rosaria nodded in understanding. Reed apologized to Isel and Rachel. "I''m sorry. My daughter still can''t help but speak bluntly..." "It''s alright. If we get angry at her ignorance, we cannot call ourselves clerics of the Althea religion." Isel smiled lightly and turned her head to Rachel. "How can there be such a pure soul? Don''t you think so, Rachel?" "..." At first, it was a shock, but as Rosaria didn''t know any better, Isel gradually became excited. Rachel nodded lightly in agreement. Her fierce eyes softened strangely. "I can''t help but give this to Sister Rosaria." As Isel put her hand into her pocket, Rosaria stared curiously at where she was reaching. What Isel pulled out was a small stick with a round sphere hanging on the end. It was a lollipop. "Would you like a candy? It''s strawberry vored." "Thank you!" Not knowing how to refuse, Rosaria gratefully took the lollipop that Isel offered. She tore off the paper wrapper and popped it into her mouth in one go. Reed felt a sense of difort watching Isel''s actions. ''It feels like I''ve seen this in real life before.'' As he was thinking that, Isel smiled brightly and spoke to Rosaria. "Our Althea Order, you see, is a religion that bestows mercy and tolerance in the name of light. We believe in making everyone happy." "I want everyone to be happy too." "Right? It would be so nice if everyone was happy. A world without war, only peace. How wonderful would that be?" "It would be really fantastic!" Isel chuckled, and Rosaria replied while sucking on her candy. As expected, it was a candy meant for proselytizing. It was meant to capture the attention of children and then teach them the faith. ''What should I do...'' It would be better to stop them, but he was curious about what Rosaria would think, so he decided to leave it as is. "But my dad says not everyone in the world can be happy." "Oh, is that so?" "Yeah. So, my dad wants to make something that can make everyone happy!" Embarrassing. * * * Dream big tl dot [Original Source ¨C dreambigtl .] * * * Reed felt heat rising in his face as if he had drunk alcohol. Isel smiled and looked up, and Rachel also turned her gaze to Reed. Reed turned his head away, pretending not to hear. "That''s great. It''s truly a pleasure to know that the Master of the Silence Tower understands the will of Althea." Iselughed. "Everyone has Althea''s light within them, just like that. However, some people don''t believe in their own light. Those people are easily tainted by darkness." "What happens when they''re tainted by darkness?" "They fall into corruption. Just like humans bing demons, they get consumed by darkness and cause harm." "Demons are bad. Dolores unni was hurt because of demons, too." Ever since she found out that Dolores had been hurt by demons, Rosaria always furrowed her brow and showed her resentment whenever she heard the word ''demon.'' Isel and Rachel''s faces brightened more and more. Hating demons and being pure. For them, she was a rare, hard-to-find new believer. "So, how about taking an interest in our Althea religion?" "I like peace too. But my dad is a magician, so he can''t have a religion." "For our sister Rosaria, joining the church is entirely possible. You''re not yet old enough to be part of the Silence Tower. If joining feels burdensome, would you like to learn a little bit just to get a taste?" "My teacher is Dolores Unni! Magicians can''t have too many teachers." Isel, who had thought everything was going smoothly, encountered a problem. She had discovered the purity they desired, but even the wall she faced was pure. However, Isel was not an easy opponent either. "If you join now, you''ll get five candies for free!" "Really?" Knowing that candies work, she offered many of them. Showing five candies in both hands, Rosaria''s eyes sparkled. The colorful mix of candies, not just the red one in her mouth, was perfect for captivating children. "Yes, not just strawberry, but five different vors." "Wow..." Rosaria, who was still sucking on her candy with her mouth wide open, stretched out her left hand toward Isel''s candies, while her other hand pulled it back, resisting the temptation. "But... um... I can''t..." "Now, now, if our Sister Rosaria bes a little believer, we can give you one more!" "Six!" Seven rainbow-colored candies. Rosaria''s face, who loved eating tasty things, contorted in agony. "After eating the strawberry vor, I can eat lemon, and after lemon, I can eat apple..." "Haha, I think it''s perfectly fine. You''ll just study the scriptures together and receive candies." "Ugh..." To eat or to refuse, that was the question. Rosaria''s mind was no different from a scene in Hamlet. ''Is she really a saint?'' Reed was disgusted by Isel''s proselytizing method. Her pretty face made her look innocent, but her actions felt like a sinister man trying to kidnap an unsuspecting girl. Reed was about to intervene when Rachel, who had been quietly watching, moved and snatched all the candies Isel was holding. Crunch! "What?" Chapter 123.2: (Part 2) It was a quick hand movement. It took a few seconds for Isel to realize that the candies in her hand had disappeared and turned her head to look at Rachel. The ck cloth covering Rachel''s mouth fluttered with her breath. Her white eyes looked down at Isel and then nced at Rosaria. Rosaria shuddered at her fierce gaze. Rachel approached, knelt down, and took her hand. Then she handed all the stolen candies to Rosaria. "...Huh?" Rosaria, who was frightened, looked down at the candies with a puzzled expression, then looked up at Rachel. Her eyes were still scary, and her breath was rough. And her face was visibly flushed. Isel scolded Rachel as she looked at her. "Rachel, you can''t just give them away because it''s cute. These candies are for proselytizing!" "..." "Really, you... You''re too emotional. We need to always be rational to gather more believers." "..." "But it''s cute. I want to hug her tightly because she''s adorable, but being cute doesn''t mean everything is allowed." Isel spoke gently to Rachel, but Rosaria knew right away that it was an argument. Rosaria looked down at the six candies in her hand and tugged at Isel''s clothes. "Sisters, please don''t fight." Rosaria showed the candies in her hands to Isel with a worried expression. "I don''t have to eat the candies. I''ll give them back." She knew it was a fight over the candies and was willing to give in. Isel and Rachel stared nkly at her. Her halo was dazzling. Unlike Isel''s artificially created halo, the pure goodness shone even brighter. Isel looked down at her and said with a hint of regret. "No, Sister Rosaria. It''s not because of the candies that we fought. It''s just a simple disagreement." "Is that so?" "Yes, I shouldn''t ignore Sister Rachel''s desire to give them to you." "Then can I eat them?" "Of course. You can eat them." Rachel watched Rosaria eat the candies. Her face was satisfied. The proselytizing had failed, and Rosaria had received seven candies, so it was only Rosaria who benefited. "Today, don''t eat them all. Eat only one after a meal. And brush your teeth well." "Okay, I''ll keep them!" It was good to receive many candies, but as a father, the nagging came out automatically. Rosaria put all the candies into a ss jar with a beaming face. "Rachel, you''re thinking the same thing as me, right?" Rachel nodded her head. Isel spoke seriously. "That''s right. I saw the qualities of the next Saintess." The next Saintess is a matter no one can mention lightly. For those not born with overwhelming power, like Isel and Rachel, saying that someone shows the qualities of a Saintess at a young age is a kind of sphemy. Mentioning the next Saintess means that Isel genuinely felt that Rosaria had the qualities. "That purity. The selflessness that cannot be shown at a young age. She''s truly the talent our Althea Church desires." "..." "If we take her to the convent and educate her, she will undoubtedly be the Saintess who seeds us. We should quickly n a kidnapping..." "Ahem! Ahem!!" Reed interrupted with a fake cough, as Isel''s words seemed to cross the line, even though he appreciated their fondness for his daughter. Isel covered her mouth with a slender finger and spoke. "Of course, it''s a joke. It''s absurd for a clergyman of the Althea Church to kidnap someone." "It would be good to choose your audience when making such jokes." "There''s nothing more fun than making jokes in front of the most troubled person. Isn''t that right?" "..." When Isel asked, Rachel turned her head away, avoiding the answer. Contrary to her gentle voice, she had quite a wicked hobby. Isel and Rachel. Seeing the contrasting two people, Reed could not help but wonder. "I have one question." "Please, go ahead." "Who among you originally resembled the Saintess the most?" At that question, Isel and Rachel stared at each other. Their behavior was pr opposites. Unlike Rachel, who is good at organizing, Isel is incapable of it. Unlike Isel, who is rational and gentle, Rachel is emotional. He was curious about who among them resembled the original Saintess the most. Isel answered with a smile. "Your question is like asking whether a zebra is white or ck. We both took half of her qualities. That''s why it''s impossible to determine who is most like the original Saintess." "I''m sorry, I asked a pointless question." "Hehe, no. It''s because you know us that you can ask that." Isel gracefully lifted her teacup. "But if we have topare, I would be the most simr." "...?" Rachel, with her eyes narrowed, tapped Isel''s shoulder. "I am the closest to the Saintess. A zebra''s head is white." "...?" "Not being able to organize is the humanity left in me. Aside from that, I am rational andpassionate. But Rachel is emotional. Shecks the qualities of a Saintess." "...?" "Ah, really. I''m sorry. I was too careless, even though I didn''t do what Rachel wanted. Please cheer up." Isel tried to lean on her shoulder and act cute, but Rachel turned her head away, seemingly angry. "Looks like they''re fighting..." "We haven''t fought recently. But thanks to you, we''ve had a lot of disagreementstely." Isel smiled as she stroked Rachel''s shoulder. Feeling sorry for causing their quarrels, Reed made a suggestion. "By the way, it seems like you like music. Would you like to watch a performance?" "Oh, can we?" Isel pped her hands and smiled brightly. "Music created in the Silence Tower. I''ve always wanted to see it in person; this is perfect. Do you have time, Rachel?" "...?" Rachel nodded her head. She seemed to want to see it too. "Then follow me." Reed left the reception room and guided them. There was no need to go far to the recording location. It was on the second floor of the Silence Tower. "Do you do it inside the tower? It seems like there would be security." "We''ve set up a recording studio on the second floor. It''s cumbersome to move, and even ordinary people are part of the project, so I thought we could at least give them ess to the second floor." They carefully entered the room where the recording was taking ce. A single window on the wooden wall. The recording studio was simr to what Reed remembered from the modern era. A song had just ended, and the musicians were taking a break. Their gazes naturally turned toward the opened door. "Ah, the Saintess!" "Why is the Saintess here...?" Their faces were more surprised than when they saw the Tower Master. Among the members of the band, some who believed in the Althea Church knelt and paid their respects to the Saintess. The Saintess greeted them familiarly and began to look at the equipment set up in the room. "So this is the recording equipment. I thought a mage would just sit and do it." "Simply recording doesn''t capture the original sound urately. So we''re developing it in various directions." "Indeed, that''s why all the music thates out of the Silence Tower is good." Isel admired. Reed nced at the band members who were waiting. Their excited looks undoubtedly wanted to present a song to the Saintess. Reed decided to give them the opportunity. Chapter 124.1: (Part 1) Pure and Upright (4) "Would you like to listen to a song here?" At Reed''s words, Isel pointed to the floor with her finger and asked. "Do you mean now?" "It''s a band I like. It wouldn''t hurt to listen to a song." "Then I won''t refuse and will listen." Isel sat down with an excited face. The atmosphere of the band, which had been yingfortably, heightened in an instant. The fact that they were ying a song directly for the saintess excited them. The band started ying following the conductor. Sweet and rough sounds blended together, harmonized, and filled the room. Isel seemed to enjoy the rhythm. After a song thatsted for 5 minutes, Isel apuded their performance. "It was really amazing, everyone. It''s an honor to be able to hear my favorite song live." "No, it''s an honor for us!" "May the blessing of light be with you!" As the resting signal fell, the band retreated. Isel spoke with a face immersed in the afterglow. "I can''t believe I can listen to such beautiful music. I wish we could record the music of the church choir as well." "If you have any thoughts, you can tell me anytime." "As expected of the Master of Silence Tower. You are generous." Saying that, Isel tapped her lips. After pondering for a while, she asked Reed. "Then, since I''m here, shall I try recording my song?" At Isel''s words, Rachel''s eyes reflexively widened. Reed also showed a surprised reaction. "Do you know how to sing too?" "Hehe, of course. My song is very famous in our Pieta." Isel showed a confident smile. Then Rachel quickly shook her head. As if not satisfied with just shaking her head, she strongly expressed her opinion by making a throat-slitting gesture with her palm. Unable to understand what she was saying, Reed allowed Isel to proceed for now. "Well, you can sing once." "Hehe, thank you, Tower Master. You will never regret it." As permission was granted, Rachel''s gaze became strange. She began to re as if resentful. Reed instructed the magician waiting on the other side to start a new recording. She took a deep breath. And facing the recording device. "%#@$~!" She began to sing something. It wasn''t a song. * * * Dream big tl dot [Original Source ¨C dreambigtl .] * * * It was a scream with all her might, and it sounded like it was showing how people could be killed with music. Concerned for Rosaria''s well-being, Reed turned his head, and Rachel was firmly covering her ears with her fingers. That mostly screaming hymnsted for a full 5 minutes. Isel elegantly wiped the sweat on her face with a handkerchief and said. "Hehe, I''m not sure if my old skills came out well since I sang it after a long time. How was it?" "Um, well..." "It''s a hymn of the Althea religion, called ''In Althea''s Arms''. It''s a song I''ve enjoyed singing since the old days. That''s why I''m confident." Unsure of how to respond, Reed nced at Rachel, who was staring at him with a furrowed brow. It was a resentful expression with an implied message of why did you let her sing. Reed turned his head again and pondered. Should he say it was okay, or should he say it was really a terrible song... At that moment, someone entered the recording studio. It was Phoebe. She rushed over and asked about Reed''s well-being. "Master of the Tower, are you alright?" "Well, I''m fine, but...?" "I heard a sound like a goblin getting strangled... I thought someone was dying." [T/N: https://youtu.be/knFCcWZxBlw] Phoebe calmly dropped a bombshell. At that, Isel, who had been standing behind, stepped forward and stood in front of Phoebe, seemingly offended. "It''s not a goblin-strangling sound, but a very sacred hymn, Deputy Tower Master." Then Phoebe pped her hands and apologized as if she was sorry. "Was it a hymn? I''m sorry. I thought you were summoning the hellish Master of death. The song was so hideous. I was very surprised." "Hehe, it might be no different from a lion to sphemous heretics. But for our believers, it has received praise as ''Celestial Guidance.''" "Celestial Guidance... I cautiously specte that it''s because all the believers nearly died. If it were me, I would have dragged you down from the podium." The atmosphere gradually became fierce. Both were smiling, but they were radiating an intense aura as if they were about to draw their weapons and strike each other soon. "I need to check the equipment. I''m worried if our microphone is broken because of that ''Celestial Guidance.''" "Isn''t it because of its age?" "Even if it''s not time yet, things can still break." Phoebe said and proceeded to detach the microphone. And, surprisingly, the inside of the microphone was damaged. "As expected, if it''s bad enough to ruin a person''s ears, there''s no way it wouldn''t be damaged." "Huh." With the evidence presented, Isel''s rxed smile faded. She then turned her head swiftly and looked at Rachel. "Rachel, are you just going to watch?" "......" When Isel protested, Rachel did not even pretend to have heard. Although she was angry, she seemed to maintain neutrality, as if she was not wrong. Realizing she had no support from her, Isel forced a smile and said. "Please bill Pietater. I will pay the amount." "It''s okay. Even if the song is a mess, we can''t just ignore it without recognition. We can overlook this much, can''t we?" "You are very merciful, Deputy Tower Master. I wish you would definitely join our Althea Order." "I prefer being under the Tower Master~. He''s no different from my god, you know?" At the end of the fierce battle, Isel bowed her head. Isel turned her body swiftly and approached Rachel. "Is this revenge for you, Rachel?" "......" Rachel nodded calmly. It seemed that the grudge from the discussion of who resembled the saintess the most was finally resolved. Reed, really curious, quietly approached Phoebe and asked. "Did it break because of the song?" Phoebe smiled brightly and replied. "No, I found out that the microphone was broken when I listened to today''s recording and found something strange." "......" "Well, thanks to that, I showed that religious fanatic a lesson." Phoebeughed as if she was happy. She always smiled gently, but she definitely wasn''t an easy character. Reed went outside with Rachel and Isel. Having finished touring the recording studio, the only thing left was to say goodbye. "By the way, Saintesses." Rosaria looked up at Isel and Rachel and spoke. "What is it?" "The hats on your heads seem a bit different." "Are you talking about this?" Seven lights stretched downward and three lights stretched upward. Isel wore a long hat with the light stretching downward, and Rachel wore a long hat with the light stretching upward. "The White Saintess has a shield-like shape, and the ck Saintess''s hat looks simr to a sword." "That''s right. Being a shield that protects everyone is my symbol, and destroying evil is precisely the symbol of Saintess Rachel." Looking at Rachel''s hat for a moment, Rosaria eximed, "Ah!" "Rosaria also has something simr to a sword!" Rosaria took out a ne she had tucked inside her clothes, biting on a piece of candy. "Isn''t it amazing?" "......" "......" Chapter 124.2: (Part 2) Rachel''s pupils grewrger, and the smile on Isel''s face faded. Their expressions were not happy, even worse than saying they already believed in another religion. Theughter in Isel''s voicepletely disappeared. "Young sister, can I take a look at it for a moment?" "Yes!" Isel gently unwrapped a thick cloth, covering the light with both hands, and observed the ne. "A pair of wings and a sword... I see. It must be something from the Kalton Mountains, right?" Seeing her pinpoint it urately, Reed was a little surprised. "Do you know the religion?" "Yes, this is an ancient religion created by the demon race to infiltrate beliefs, just like the current Eternal Church." "The demon race?" Hearing that, Reed became cautious, and Isel reassured him with a smile. "You don''t need to worry. There was nothing wrong with the religion itself. Like the Eternal Church, all religions have their characteristics." Isel returned the ne to Rosaria. "The problem is using those characteristics to manipte people''s hearts. That''s the most problematic aspect of the demon race''s tactics." Was it because it was a religion used by the demon race? Reed felt uneasy about the ne Rosaria was carrying. Feeling the need to resolve his curiosity, he asked Isel. "What kind of religion is this?" "It was once called the Human Order." "The Human Order?" "Those who don''t rely on gods, but believe in themselves, follow the teachings of this religion." "Believe in your own potential." It seemed close to Buddhism, which does not rely on something else. It was an unpleasant religion for them, who mainly relied on gods. "It''s one of the heresies I became interested in because of the hero." "Because of the hero?" "Yes, it was the only religion the hero believed in." Hearing that, Reed was surprised. It was said that the hero who vanquished evil 300 years ago believed in the God of Light, Althea. The reason he knew this was because it was part of the content of a book Rosaria was reading. "Even in adversity and injustice, if you believe in a righteous heart, hope will follow. Trust your pure inner self and move forward." "Nice phrase." "Indeed, it''s a great phrase, isn''t it? I still remember it. It''s what the hero said. And in my previous life, I changed this phrase a little. ''Believe in the light within your heart.''" Isel smiled faintly. "It''s funny, isn''t it? I im to distance myself from other religions, yet I''m borrowing their words." The reason Isel said this was because the Althea Church advocates monotheism and evangelizes. "It''s not bad to borrow if it''s a good word." However, Reed didn''t see it as entirely negative. In reality, he had seen too many such situations and thought it was understandable. Then, Isel looked at Reed with a slightly open mouth, seemingly surprised, and Reed asked her, wondering if something was wrong. "Why is that?" "The words you just said are exactly what the hero said back then. When I said I would change it, that''s what he said." "Is that so?" "Thinking about the hero... You''re quite simr to him. He also had simr gray hair. His hair wasn''t as long, but he had a cheerful impression. The only difference is... maybe he didn''t teach his name." "Didn''t he teach his name? Wasn''t his name John?" "John is just a pseudonym. He always concealed his name. He never once said who he was. We always just called him the hero." "He must have wanted to hide himself thoroughly." "But that couldn''t be done. People needed the name of a good person who defeated rampaging evil in order to have hope." Isel smiled bitterly as she spoke. "Come to think of it, I was the one who spread that lie." As Isel struggled tough, Rachelforted her by cing a hand on her shoulder. "All the pain was created by me. I have reasons to be tormented because it''s all my fault." Isel''s anguish could be felt in those words. Without time to console her, Isel grabbed Reed''s hands and spoke. "Our conversation has been long, Tower Master. We must return now. Thank you very much for allowing us to have such a precious experience today." "I''m d you enjoyed it." "Please take good care of the hero''s sword." "I will." Isel and Rachel went outside the tower as theirst stop. Reed returned to the reception room and looked down at the Dawnbreaker they had given him. "Hmm..." It''s an item he can''t use anyway. He decided to keep it hidden as much as possible. *** "You said you got an interesting item?" "......" Freesia barged in before even a day had passed. What''s wrong with the security of this damned tower that it keeps reaching her ears? "Hand it over." "I can''t give it to you... but I can show it to you." "I wish our Reed would just give it to me quickly, but why is he always so talkative?" "Do you have a reason to covet it so much when you can''t even use it?" "You can''t use it? That''s what you think. Our Reed''s shallow tricks won''t work for that, right?" It''s annoying. It''s even more annoying because it''s true. "I know what you want to use it for, but I can''t give it to you. Just take a look." "Our Reed has grown up. It''s annoying to see him talk back to his sister like that. No, I should just kick him, right?" Thump thump. Freesiaughed mischievously like a brat full of pranks and kicked Reed''s leg. Reed sighed at her persistent targeting of his shin and headed to the warehouse where the sword was hidden. Chapter 125.1: (Part 1) Rosaria Adventure Party (1) "This is the holy sword." I took out the holy sword on disy at the storage facility and showed it to Freesia. "Hmm... It looks just like the one I saw a long time ago." Freesia grabbed the handle and lifted it. "Was this the Dawnbreaker? What a funny name, ''Destroyer of Dawn.''" She observed the de, the jewels embedded in it, and examined it from various angles. And then, holding it in reverse, Whoosh! She stabbed it right into her chest. It went straight into where her heart was. If it were anyone else, they would have bled out and died, but Freesia was different. "Hmm..." Freesia looked down at the sword stuck in her chest with a sour expression. Seeing that not even a drop of blood was flowing, she scratched her chin and raised her head. "Hey." "Yes." "You said this is a holy sword." "Yes, I did." "Was it made from junk? It''s no different from a piece of scrap metal. Who can you kill with this?" "That''s why I told you, it''s unusable." "No, you''ve been scammed. This is definitely a fake. It must be a sword containing the conspiracy of those religious fanatics who gave you the holy sword and then tried to make youmit suicide." "Didn''t you say it looked genuine when you checked it? Then your judgment was wrong." "Annoying point, Mr. Reed. Forget about such things. Should a man cling to the past like that?" I want to scold him. I can''t help but want to pinch his cheeks and make him cry, but I can''t. Freesia tilted her head and said, "So there''s a holy sword, but there''s no special ability?" ''Hmm...'', Freesia let out a faint breath and snapped her fingers. "No, there might be something else. Reed, try holding the sword." "Why should I hold the sword?" "Let''s try flowing mana through it, then maybe the holy sword will react and release its sacred power to punish my body?" "What an elegant way of speaking." "I always wish my body would be punished." Reed made a disgusted expression, but Freesiaughed as if she was enjoying it. Let''s get along as much as we can. Reed ced his hands on the sword embedded in her chest. "What should I do here?" "First, let''s try to awaken it by sending mana through it." "Um..." Reed sent as much mana as he could without dying. He tried to gather the mana of the Silence Tower and do something, but the holy sword didn''t budge. It was an obvious result. If it had been released with just that, the Althea Church would have already released it. "Don''t you know how to unseal it?" "If I knew how to do that, I wouldn''t have gotten into magical engineering." "Well, you''re quite a handful." With no other choice, Freesia ced her hand on it and sent mana through it herself. It was a skillful performance, a level of precision that was different from what Reed did, befitting a magician who had practiced for over a hundred years. "Hmm, it doesn''t work." * * * Dream big tl dot [Original Source ¨C dreambigtl .] * * * Freesia let go of her hand and pressed down on her forehead. What should she do, what should she do? Muttering to herself, she looked up at Reed again. "Let''s try to pull it out for now. Reed, pull it out for me." Reed grabbed the handle of the holy sword and pulled. It didn''te out. "Huh?" It was stuck more firmly than expected, so he applied more force. It didn''t budge at all. "What are you doing?" "It doesn''t seem toe out easily?" "It''s a sword stuck in a kid''s body, what''s the problem? Try harder." "I''m trying, but it''s not working..." Reed held it with both hands and exerted all his strength. But like Excalibur stuck in a rock, there was no sign of iting out. Freesia looked up at Reed and her mischievousness kicked in. "Come on, you can do it! A man should be able to do this much!" "Grrr...!" "Come on, Dad. We''re here for you~." She began pping her hands to the beat and singing. The song sung in her young voice somehow fit well. Was it because of the harmony that came from that fit? Reed''s strength drained from his body. Drenched in sweat, Reed eventually gave up and sat down. "Phew..." "Lift your head! Don''t you know that a man with a bowed head can''t receive love? Huh?" "Please... just close your mouth. Please..." His patience was boiling. It was hard enough to die, but with her making strange noises, he couldn''t bear it. "You reallyck perseverance." Freesia clicked her tongue. Then, her shadow moved stealthily, and she grabbed the handle of the sword embedded in her chest. Swoosh. She pulled it out cleanly. As she gently ced the sword on the desk, Reed red at Freesia with resentful eyes. "What''s wrong? Do you want to kill me?" "Does my face look like that right now?" "Good attitude. Make sure to kill me. You''re the only one who can." Freesia patted Reed''s shoulder tofort him. "Anyway, now we know this thing is useless. Just stick it somewhere appropriate." "I would have done that even if you hadn''t said so." "And always be careful with your waist. A man''s waist is his life, right?" "......" Reed didn''t respond. He had the urge to punch the tiny-bodied Freesia right then and there. Reed got up from his seat to put the holy sword back in its ce. "In the end, the holy sword was not the answer." Freesia muttered. She had thought of several ways to kill herself. One of them was soul transntation, which she had obtained through a contract with Morgan Hoffer. And the holy sword she had just embedded in her body was another possibility. Both of those options had failed. It would usually be an annoying situation. ''I am annoyed.'' Freesia hated ipetence. She, who had lived unwillingly for a long time, didn''t have the patience to watch someone''s ipetence. Most of them she turned into corpses or enved them in her tower to suffer eternally. "Are you satisfied now?" Reed looked down at her with displeased eyes. It was an attitude Freesia hated the most. No one could stand someone being arrogant. "No." Freesia smiled. "Find a way to kill me quickly, you rotten, ipetent fool." Chapter 125.2: (Part 2) "I finished all my homework!" Rosaria, who finished all her homework, immediately closed the book. "Meowmoew, I finished all my homework today!" -Meow. "It''s 2:30 now, and we eat dinner at 6:00, so the remaining time until dinner is..." She counted on her fingers. Meowmoew watched her struggle with his round, shiny eyes. After finishing her calctions, she finally announced the answer. "I have 4 hours and a half left!" -Meow! Rosaria puffed out her chest proudly, and Meowmoew nodded in agreement. "It''s not 4 hours, but 3 hours." Orphe, the water spirit who had been quietly watching from behind, poured cold water on the excited atmosphere. "Is it 3 hours?" "Yes, how can you not do such basic arithmetic properly?" "Math is hard." Rosaria looked at her fingers with a pouting expression. "Anyway, I''m going to make a strategy map until then!" Unlike her peers, Rosaria had a strong sense of adventure. She had a deeper sense of adventure for the unknown than boys who mainly read adventure stories to grow strong. However, her adventures always took ce within the tower. To go outside, she had to apany Phoebe, and there were limited ces she could go. So, she looked for ces to have adventures within the tower. "By the way, Dad said he brought something, right?" The tower was small, and rumors spread quickly. "What did he bring? Do you know, Meowmoew?" -Meow. Meowmoew shook his head. After a moment of hesitation, Rosaria made a rough guess. "Considering he didn''t tell anyone, it must be the Hero''s Sword!" She couldn''t actually tell what it was. Rosaria decided it was the Hero''s Sword, thinking that it would be more fun if it were an adventure to find it. She began to create a strategy map with the Hero''s Sword and colored pencils. Orphe looked down at Rosaria and said, "Isn''t it time for kids your age to stop drawing like that?" "What are you talking about?" "I''m talking about kids your age. If you''re the child of a magician, you should be practicing magic circles or copying spells instead of doodling like this. If you don''t hone your magic skills, you''ll regret itter." That was actually true. Even if they were a little yful, it was a time when they were undergoing intense magic education through early education. Compared to other noble magician''s children, Rosaria was far behind, as she didn''t do anything other than the homework Dolores gave her. In fact, Reed didn''t prefer that kind of education. He preferred a self-directed learning method that nurtured love and allowed her to know what she wanted to do. Rosaria was annoyed by the words Orphe was saying. "Orphe, you sometimes say difficult things. And mean things too. That''s why I don''t like it." "Hmm......" Rosaria turned away, sulking. Orphe sighed with a troubled expression. ''Good words are usually bitter...'' In fact, Orphe, the high-ranking water spirit, was actually Orneptos, the king of water spirits. However, she had to hide his identity through a contract with Reed. She was faithfully fulfilling Reed''s contract. Orphe tried to please Rosaria in her own way. She swallowed her pride, but it didn''t yield great results. She believed that she should guide her on the right path to be a good magician. Orneptos found it strange that Rosaria did not understand her. Usually, she would have slept again inside Yggdrasil until another contractor appeared. ''In order to open a new age of water, this child''s power is essential. I have to do whatever it takes for that.'' With that determination, Orphe stayed by Rosaria''s side. However, it was not easy to change the habits maintained over thousands of years. That''s why a close rtionship with Rosaria was still far away. "Little one." While Rosaria was humming and singing, Orphe asked. "Yes?" "What do you want to be when you grow up?" What would she like to be in the future? Rosaria spoke as if she had thought it all through. "Rosaria wants to go on adventures!" "Adventures?" "Yeah! Like heroes, defeating evil! Eating delicious things! And I want to try holding a cool sword." "Aren''t you a magician? Why would you need to hold a sword?" "Isn''t there... maybe?" "You''re so careless." "It will be! Definitely!" Rosaria insisted with a determined look in her eyes. Orphe pondered over Rosaria''s dream. ''An adventure?'' When observing talented humans, there was onemon point: they all preferred adventures. Even when they were well-prepared, they threw themselves into unexpected situations and faced life-or-death moments. As a spirit king, or even as a spirit, she couldn''t understand the psychology of humans. "Alright! The strategy map is all done!" Rosaria looked down at the map with a proud face. Orphe also looked at the map that Rosaria had struggled to make for about 30 minutes. It was extremely crude. So much so that he couldn''t think of any sarcastic words to say. "Rosaria''s Hero Squad, assemble!" Although it seemed like there would be more, the three of them were all there was. "The invincible fire dragon that burns fiercely, Meowmoew!" -Meow~ "The reliable shield, the invincible knight, Lucy!" Rosaria swung Lucy''s arm threateningly as she lifted it up. "And the invincible great magician and hero, Rosaria! Together, we are Rosaria''s Hero Squad!" "Am I not included in that foolish n?" Rosaria turned her head at the casually thrown question. "Orphe, are you going to join our Hero Squad too?" "Um......" Orphe hesitated. Should he go along with such a childish act? He would have refused originally, but he needed to make up for the bad impression he had given Rosaria so far. So, he decided to go along with it this time. "Alright." "Great! Then Orphe''s nickname is the Picky Water Fairy!" "¡­Why am I not invincible?" Orphe was a high-pride spirit. It was a childish act, but he felt upset when he was treated differently. "To be invincible, you need to go through an evaluation. It''s only possible after going through a tower master conference. The evaluation always takes three months!" "You''re picky about unnecessary things." She didn''t even know about the holy sword, but it took three months to give a title. Orphe just let it go. Rosaria carefully opened the door and crouched down to move. "We have to move stealthily for this mission! If we''re discovered by the enemy, we''ll be hostages." "Understood." "Shhh!" "¡­¡­." Rosaria, who was crouching down, carefully put her body on the elevator. Their destination was the floor below. She always took the elevator, but she enjoyed this adventure with a serious face. "We''ve arrived at the treasure storage!" The ce Rosaria arrived at was a storage room for items. Moreover, they were the personal belongings of the tower master. Since most of the items were used for projects, anyone with ess to the research facility could ess them. That included Rosaria. She carefully opened the door and went inside. The dark storage room where sunlight couldn''t enter. Although the room would brighten up if she turned on the switch, Rosaria didn''t touch it. Instead, she used the light emitted by Meowmoew, a fire spirit, like a torch to navigate through the storage room. Rosaria was excited, as it felt like a real adventure had begun. "Here, we''re going to find the Hero''s Sword." Chapter 126.1: (Part 1) Rosaria Adventure Party (2) "There''s only one treasure you can get here! Be careful, because all the rest are traps!" -Meow, meow. The dog that lights the fire took the lead and started moving. [T/N: dog refers to Meowmeow.] Most of the items Reed kept were developed by magic engineering, and those that failed and were discontinued. "That''s a magical glove that''s been handed down from ancient times. They say it gives you tremendous power when you wear it." "I see." "This is a magic wand that the Magic Council coveted! It had to be sealed because it had too much power!" "Hmm." "That ax was picked by Rosaria." "Yes, it''s truly amazing." "This one is real." There were many made-up stories, so even the real stories were not taken seriously. Rosaria went deep into the storage room. Finally, Rosaria discovered a new item she had never seen before. "And this is......" Rosaria stopped talking. "Ah." The exmation that burst from her mouth. Rosaria looked up at the sword ced on the stand. A smooth de, a jewel burning like sunlight. Although the design was simpler than the swords made by the Empire, an unusual energy emanated from the sword. "Little girl?" Orpheus looked at Rosaria in the changed atmosphere. The little girl, who used to recite her adventures like reading a book, was staring at the sword as if she had lost her soul. Orpheus felt something pulling between the sword and Rosaria. ''The sword is attracting the child.'' As the iron was drawn to the ma, it became stronger as it approached. Rosaria reached out with an anxious expression as she looked up at the sword. Unaware that the sword was the holy sword used by heroes to defeat evil, Rosaria grabbed the sword. At the moment Rosaria grabbed the handle. The sword on the stand began to react. Ooong- The sword''s spirit vibrated, and light burst from the red gem embedded in it. "Ahh!" As they were surrounded by bright light, everyone closed their eyes. After a moment, the light disappeared, and Rosaria opened her eyes again. "Where am I?" Rosaria looked around the dark ce, turning her gaze. Unlike the storage room, she could not adapt to the darkness even if she tried to. Rosaria lowered her head. The dog at her feet looked just as puzzled. "Can you make the fire bigger, doggie?" -Meow. This time, it tried to spit out a bigger me with its huge mouth. Although there was a fire burning like a bonfire, it still couldn''t see even an inch ahead. Rosaria started to feel scared. "What should I do...?" -Meow... Rosaria hugged Lucy and looked down at the dog. However, it was unlikely that the low-ranking elemental smander would provide her with an answer. She seemed about to burst into tears. "Don''t cry. Crying children are annoying." "Uh..." "Stay calm. It''s not a harmful magic, so if you keep your wits about you, you''ll be able to get out of here." "Uh." Rosaria sniffled and wiped her eyes. As she said, she tried to concentrate. The dark space where nothing could be seen began to brighten gradually. Stone walls and floors, rectangr pathways. And a faint fork in the road appeared. It had a structure simr to abyrinth. ''Did the magic manifested from that sword lead us to thebyrinth?'' It wasn''t a difficult situation for Orpheus. She had experienced such situations dozens of times, and it wasn''t that difficult with traps like these. It wasn''t impossible to escape, even if it took a long time. ''It''s cut off from the outside, but it''s still flowing. And I can feel that essence gathering in the middle of thebyrinth.'' The purpose of this space was to show something and for testing. If it was a space for testing, it wasn''t a ce filled with malice. "Little girl." "Huh?" "It seems you''ll have to go on a real adventure now." "Adventure?" "Yes." Actually going on an adventure. Suddenly put in that situation, Rosaria started to feel scared. It was natural. Even if she longed for the unknown world, fear woulde first when faced with the unknown. Then the light that had illuminated the inside gradually faded and was swallowed by the darkness. Having checked the inside, Orpheus tilted his head at the sudden change. ''It suddenly brightened, then suddenly darkened. The change that urred whenever the child was up and down... Could it be that it changes depending on their state of mind?'' That meant Orpheus had to help Rosaria regain her hope. Orpheus approached Rosaria and asked if his hypothesis was correct. * * * Dream big tl dot [Original Source ¨C dreambigtl .] * * * "Little girl." "Huh?" "How did you feel before you got scared?" "Before I got scared?" "When I said that you just need to focus inside here, what were you thinking?" Rosaria told Orpheus what she had thought at first, as he had asked. "I thought I could do it. I thought to myself, ''Let''s go, let''s go!'' to gather courage." "And how did you feel when you had to go on an adventure?" "When I thought I had to explore here... it felt like I entered a hugebyrinth, and I was scared. I was afraid I couldn''t get out." "I see." Orpheus felt that his hypothesis was confirmed. "It seems that what you see in this dungeon depends on your state of mind." "What do you mean?" "If you have confidence that you can break through thisbyrinth, it will be as bright as daylight, but if youck confidence, you''ll have to make your way through the darkness without stars and the moon." "I see." It depended on determination, but that wasn''t easy. ''In the end, it''s up to one''s mindset. Does that mean it''s right to keep her as hopeful as possible?'' Continuing to despair would only make it harder to escape from here. Orpheus came up with words to encourage her. "However, on the other hand, it means that you can change depending on your state of mind." "Change?" "Yes. When you''re in the most challenging dungeon, think about what you need most." "¡­Dad?" The first thing that came to her mind was Reed. "It seems that the person you want to rely on won''t be helpful." "Sniff..." "Think about the form of the adventure you''ve always wanted." Rosaria began to imagine the adventure she had always longed for, as Orpheus said. Yes, Reed appearing in that adventure was not their adventure. Rosaria acknowledged that and tried to think of something else. Excitement. She thought of the things she truly needed in an adventure. Chapter 126.2: (Part 2) "Rosaria''s Adventure Party!" It was always the same thing she had imagined. Herself, her elemental smander, the dog, and the teddy bear Lucy. Then, thebyrinth brightly lit up. "That''s right, think of that and... huh?" Orpheus stopped exining in confusion. The brightening of thebyrinth was not the end. The teddy bear Lucy in Rosaria''s arms began to swell. It wasn''t just Lucy that was affected. -Meow? The dog, which was a smander, soared into the air and swelled like Lucy. An astonishing thing happened. The teddy bear Lucy became a knight with a steel helmet, armor, a sword, and a shield. And the fire smander, the dog, grew bigger than Lucy and transformed into a majestic figure. It was simr to a dragon but not a dragon. Its body length was about 3 meters, but its height was simr to Rosaria''s. It was the invincible knight and the invincible me dragon that Rosaria had thought of. "Did you really change?" -Meow. Despite its threatening appearance, the dog was still fundamentally the same. The teddy bear Lucy bowed like a knight, showing respect. In the meantime, Rosaria noticed that she had also changed. She wore a shabby robe, a high hat, and held a twisted staff. "Why are you dressed in such shabby clothes?" "Great wizards always hide their appearance! That''s why their clothes are worn out!" Rosaria touched her high hat and showed off. Orpheus wondered if something strange had happened to his appearance, but there was no change like the dog and Lucy. It meant that she was still thinking of herself as a water elemental. "Rosaria''s Adventure Party..." The appearance of the adventure party she had dreamed of was revealed. "Adventure Party!" Rosaria raised both hands with a sh. At the same time, the inside became even brighter. ''Just by forming this kind of adventure party, did it be this bright?'' If the brightness of the light represents fear, she seemed to have no fear at all. It meant that she really believed she was invincible. ''Do human children have no fear like this?'' Or is it possible because of their purity? Rosaria moved. "Rosaria''s Adventure Party! Let''s move to find the treasure in thebyrinth!" -Meow! The teddy bear Lucy held a sword and shield, standing in front, and Rosaria climbed onto the back of the dog. Orpheus joined this strange party and traveled with them. The path through thebyrinth was unknown. However, they moved forward, forgetting even such fears. ''It doesn''t seem to be going smoothly.'' If it''s abyrinth, there will undoubtedly be monsters, and traps will be set. As they entered an alleyway, Lucy raised her shield and lowered her body. A monster appeared. It was a horde of slimes. The green semi-liquid slimes filled the pathway. If there was something different from regr slimes, it was that they looked a bit cuter. "Evil creatures blocking our way have appeared. Let''s fight!" Rosaria raised her staff, and Lucy, standing in front, attacked with her shield. Boing! Boing! With the sound of stic objects bouncing, the slime horde attacked Lucy. She swung her sword brilliantly to cut the slimes, but it was not enough to fend them all off. "What we need here is..." Rosaria looked down at the dog. "Doggie, burn them all!" -Meow! The cheeks of the drake dog swelled up. The dog, full of red light, spat out fire. Kwaaaa! The powerful breath filled the corridor and spread out. The horde of slimes instantly evaporated, leaving only scorch marks on the long corridor. Lucy also removed all the slimes stuck to her body and stood up again. "Indeed, the invincible me dragon and the invincible knight! An overwhelming victory!" -Meow! Meow! Rosaria raised her hands to the sky, celebrating her victory, and the dog and Lucy joined in the celebration. At the same time, the inside of the dungeon became even brighter. Orpheus watched the situation and clicked her tongue. ''That''s a truly terrifying talent.'' It''s hard to hold onto hope, but that hope transformed the people around her. Not only that, but as the adventure began, courage and joy grew. "Huh? Lucy got hurt?" She btedly noticed Lucy''s condition, excited by the celebration. The teddy bear knight, Lucy, lowered her head. Although she said that, cotton dripped from her arm. "Rosaria will fix you." Rosaria swung her staff. She imitated the actions of the wizards in the tower and chanted freely. "Heal!" The corroded pieces of fabric on Lucy returned to their original state, and the sewn areas tightened firmly. Finally, the cotton inside swelled up, and she was back to normal. Although it was a clumsy imitation, the magic worked properly. Lucy lowered her head as if she was embarrassed. "Let''s march on, Rosaria''s Adventure Party!" The adventure party moved forward with confidence! Thebyrinth Rosaria had feared became a series of unstoppable victories for Rosaria''s Adventure Party. Lucy, in the vanguard, was like an iron wall, and the me dragon, the dog, spewed fire from behind. ''This is going too smoothly.'' At first, she thought she had to do everything alone. However, when the time came, Orpheus did nothing, and everything worked out on its own, contrary to her thoughts. ''Can I only guide the way?'' She marked the entire path with fragments of her body to ensure that there would be no disaster of returning the way they came. She diligently did her job so that there would be no wandering even if they had to return. Rosaria''s party moved forward boldly, and they were finally able to reach the center of thebyrinth. Chapter 127.1: (Part 1) Rosaria Adventure Party (3) As they entered the depths, the regr-sized passageway disappeared, and a wide-open space was revealed. It was the end of the long journey, with Meowmoew carrying them, Lucy shing, and Rosaria firing magic. "It looks like we''ve arrived." "We have indeed arrived." Rosaria felt it with a simple intuition, but Orphe was sure of it. The reason for the existence of thisbyrinth was right in the center. However, they couldn''t confirm it with their naked eyes. To find out, they had to move. Rosaria carefully stepped off Meowmoew''s back and started moving. As they approached a certain distance, light spread out in a circr pattern from the center tile, shooting upwards. The light split into two and took on a specific shape. One was a man kneeling. And the other was a woman surrounded by light. Rosaria was surprised to see the man''s face. The gray-haired man somehow resembled Reed. "Dad?" "It won''t answer your questions. This is a record." "Oh, I see." Rosaria heard Orphe''s words and stepped back. Her gaze never left the gray-haired man. After much consideration, she was certain. "He resembles Dad." At first, it felt simr, but after spending more time observing, she could tell it was someone else. Soon after, the figure began to move. "Oh, divine one." The man prayed. "I have traveled the Cloud Continent for eight years. I have seen the sun rising from the sea, the sun setting in the sea, and gazed at the moon from the highest ce. Those hardships and adversities have forged and tempered us." Despite the eight years of adventure, his voice was filled with desperation. "But even with that arduous journey, we cannot defeat the Demon King. Everything will be in vain." The man''s clenched hands grew tense. His desperation flowed into the woman surrounded by light. -Is that what you say because you do not believe in yourself? The woman asked in a merciful voice. "I believe in myself. I believe I will save everyone from evil, and I believe I can even risk my life to eradicate that evil." -But you cannot believe in victory. "I believe in myself and myrades. However, they are fragile humans. Their wills will be broken by the hands of evil. When that timees..." The man took a deep breath, suppressing his surging emotions. He knew that it was childish to go further, so he didn''t act rudely. "This is me acknowledging my shorings and asking for mercy as a servant who serves you, hoping to bring joy." The man ced his hand on his chest. Watching him, Rosaria unconsciously ced her hand on her chest as well. The man''s emotions flowed into her young heart. Affection for someone. The powerless anger of not being able to protect them. "Please grant me the glorious opportunity to bring victory to you." The woman of light didn''t immediately respond to his words. She lowered her head as if contemting something and fell silent. When she raised her head again, her clear voice echoed. -You have not qualified for faith. If you still need my power, you will have restrictions. "Restrictions are what I wanted." He didn''t even ask what kind of restrictions they were. He was prepared to give up anything for the sake of hisrades. Then the woman wrapped in light nodded her head. -Understood. I will lend you my power in exchange for imposing restrictions on you. The woman reached out, and a sword made of light was held in her hand. The moment she grasped the hilt, a pair of wings sprouted from her back and stretched out vigorously on both sides. Rosaria, who had been watching, was so awestruck by the appearance of an archangel who came to punish evil that her mouth hung open. The man respectfully raised both hands above his head. The woman ced the sword of light she had created on his hands and spoke. -This sword will aid your faith. The effect is only once. If you cannot finish it in one blow, your faith will not reach. "Yes." -The moment you use that holy sword, you will be subject to two restrictions. The restriction of existence and the restriction of tragedy. "Thank you for your mercy, my god." The woman finished speaking, as if saddened. The man sincerely expressed his gratitude to her with a humble face. With those words, the goddess ced her hand above the kneeling man''s head. -May faith be with you on your journey. As the white powder settled on the man''s head, it was dyed with light. The two figures gradually shone white and condensed into a single sphere, which moved somewhere. Following the sphere with her gaze, Rosaria noticed that at some point, seven spheres were arranged in a circle along the floor tiles. From the floor, white light shot up once more, shaping the figures. The woman who had blessed the man just a moment ago was sitting in midair, looking at Rosaria. * * * Dream big tl dot [Original Source ¨C dreambigtl .] * * * The woman asked Rosaria a question. -How did youe here? Rosaria responded energetically. "I just came in! Are you a goddess?" At that question, the woman shook her head. -I am not a goddess. I just transform the faith and possibilities they have umted into the form they want. They only believe that I am a god. The woman pointed to the spheres arranged in a circle with her hand. -These are all left by the people who have reached the end of thisbyrinth. They are the individual beliefs that each of them held in their hearts. "Why do they leave these behind?" -It''s because they are all desperate. They believe in themselves and move forward, but at some point, a momentes when they cannot ovee their own power. People then search for me ande here. And then, in exchange for their faith, I grant them the power to ovee their obstacles just once. "So, is Rosaria desperate too?" At Rosaria''s question, the woman shook her head. -No. You are a person who believes in yourself enough to change yourself. That''s why you can invite everyone in like this. "Are you saying Rosaria is an amazing person?" -It''s truly difficult to change others as much as you believe in yourself. It''s remarkable. Rosaria smiled broadly at the woman''s praise. "Anyway, you grant the wishes of the people whoe here, right?" -Most of theme here because they have a wish. "Then can you grant Rosaria''s wish too?" -Tell me, brave one. I will grant you one wish. "Uh... that''s..." When asked to speak up, it was difficult for Rosaria to choose right away. As pure as she was, her desires were strong. Being a girl of an age to experience whatever attracted her senses, saying just one thing was too painful. Meowmoew, Lucy, and Orphe watched Rosaria struggling with her arms crossed. Finally, one idea struck her mind. "I wish for my dad to be happy." -You mean your father? "Yes!" Rosaria nodded vigorously. "World peace is good, and defeating evil is good too, but I want my dad to be the happiest of all!" She spread her legs wide, raised her arms above her waist, puffed out her chest, and her eyes were as fierce as a tiger''s. It was the posture she thought was the coolest. -That is the faith you desire. The woman smiled. For the first time, the woman who didn''t smile even when granting power, smiled. -I will grant you the power to fulfill that faith. "What kind of power is it?" -That''s a secret. The woman spoke, raising her index finger to her lips. -Among the heroes who havee to me so far, not a single one has wished for such a pure power as you have. So, I want to keep this power a secret. "Ugh, it''s my wish, though." -Sometimes not knowing is the happiest thing. Not knowing allows you to look at that person, and not knowing allows you to love that person even more. Rosaria pouted and grumbled. The woman gently sped her hands together and reached out in front of Rosaria. -Little hero, give me your hands. At her words, Rosaria spread out her hands. -This power will be a great strength for your father. What the woman gave was light. The light gently entered Rosaria''s hands. -When the timees for someone who didn''t know themselves to start understanding themselves, it may be confusing, but they can be stronger than ever. Through that, the day wille when they understand the destiny they possess. Rosaria looked down at the light. It was faint, but that''s why she could look at it closely. It couldn''t warm the whole world, but it was warm in the palm of her hand. Rosaria knew that feeling. The emotion when she first met Reed after being dragged to the ve market by Leto. Led by her emotions, Rosaria took it to her heart. The light seeped in softly. And then it exploded. -May faith and courage be with you on your journey. With those words, thebyrinth disappeared. Chapter 127.2: (Part 2) "Ugh!" Rosaria, who had been standing nkly, let out an exmation. Rosaria, who had been standing in thebyrinth, was now in the storage room. And in her hand, she was holding the hilt of the holy sword that was ced on disy. It felt as if only a fleeting moment had passed in reality, even though she had been on a very long journey. So she even doubted if she had just dozed off for a moment. "We''re back to where we were." "Orphe, do you remember?" "How could I forget that long journey?" Rosaria looked down at Meowmoew at her feet. -Meow! Meow! The smander, with a proud face, was spitting out small mes. It was a confident face, as he had been the most active during the journey. Happy that it wasn''t a dream, Rosaria dered with her hands on her waist. "The adventure of Rosaria''s Adventure Team ends here! It was a greatbyrinth exploration." -Meow, meow! "We defeated tons of slimes, caught scary rats, and got treasures too!" Rosaria looked up at Orphe floating in the air and spoke. "If it weren''t for Orphe, we would have been in big trouble for sure. It''s all thanks to Orphe!" "Of course. I am the higher rank of the spirits..." She quickly changed her words, knowing that if she said king, her identity would be revealed. Rosaria looked at Orphe and thought for a moment. "What do you call someone like Orphe... There was definitely something..." Then, as if recalling it, she pped her hands. "That''s right, a sage!" "A sage?" "The smartest person who helps the hero! If it''s Orphe, you could give us advice in our Rosaria Adventure Party!" "Hmm..." Orphe sighed, trying not to show her feelings. When he nced at her with his eyes, Rosaria was waiting for an answer with a hopeful expression. "Well, I guess I can do at least the role of a sage." "A sage is born in Rosaria''s Adventure Party!" -Meow! Meow! Rosaria shouted excitedly, and Meowmoew spewed out mes like fireworks. ''A sage?'' Although she appeared calm on the outside, she was excited inside to be acknowledged by Rosaria. She felt a sense of unease at the change in her feelings. ''Getting excited like a child, am I bing like this little girl?'' It was really ridiculous. If it were the prideful Queen Orneptos, she would have shouted at such rudeness, but instead, she was giggling as if holding backughter. "Let''s go back to the room, have a feast, and rx!" Although she was excited about drinking fruit juice, reality wasn''t so easygoing. Another challenge appeared in front of them as they opened the door to the storage room. "Miss?" The usually affectionate voice now chilled the air. Rosaria cautiously turned her head like a creaking doll. A pair of intimidating horns. Thick blonde hair and sharp eyes. A smile on her lips. It was Phoebe Astheria Roton, the second-inmand of the Silence Tower. "Didn''t Phoebe say not to go somewhere?" "Uh... Dad''s office?" "And?" "I... I don''t know..." "Miss?" Phoebe took a step closer, and Rosaria felt the pressure. Her face was smiling, but anyone could tell. Phoebe was angry. "An evil dragon! Everyone, prepare for battle!" -Meow? "Huh?" Meowmoew and Orphe looked at Rosaria with a puzzled expression. Rosaria held the bear doll Lucy in front of her and assumed a battle stance. Hearing that, Phoebe twisted her face and showed an evil smile. It was undoubtedly acting, but an eerie sensation crawled over Rosaria''s body. "Oh? Do you think you can defeat Phoebe, Miss?" "In the Rosaria Adventure Party, there''s an invincible me dragon, an invincible knight! And also, a picky water sage!" In the end, the picky water sage Orphe, who didn''t get promoted, looked at Rosaria with an unhappy face. "In the name of love and justice, I''ll defeat you! You evil dragon!" Rosaria''s Adventure Party bravely charged. Rosaria''s Adventure Party fought very bravely, but they were defeated by the evil dragon in just 10 seconds. And they listened to a lecture for an hour. *** Reed had a vivid dream. It was so vivid that he couldn''t even realize it was a dream. However, he couldn''t move freely in that dream. Everything seemed to have a scripted n, and he felt like a puppet moving ording to that n. In such a situation, Reed didn''t panic and just epted it. Since it was just a dream, it was best to let it go as it flowed. But at this moment. At this moment, something too embarrassing was happening to just let it pass by. Reed was in his bedroom. The bed he was lying on was smaller than usual but still spacious enough. He was restrained. Not tied up with restraints. He was pinned down by a body on his stomach, and his hands were tied by small, soft hands. He tried to resist, but it didn''t budge. It was an overwhelming force. But the force was adjusted very gently so as not to hurt him. Having confirmed that his hands couldn''t move, Reed lifted his head again. A woman with long hair was sitting on his stomach, pressing down on his hands. Although it was a dark night when even the moon was hidden and he couldn''t see an inch ahead, he already knew who she was. There couldn''t be two women in the world who emitted a faint glow from their golden eyes. As if fed up, Reed opened his mouth to speak. "Is it you again, Phoebe?" Chapter 128.1: (Part 1) Faint but Clear (1) Again? The words came out of Reed''s mouth, but he couldn''t understand them. Phoebe asionally came into the room, but only when she woke upter than scheduled or prepared clothes for special asions. She didn''t usually look down at him like this, with her arms crossed. "What''s bothering you this time?" Reed asked again. Phoebe, who had been staring at him, opened her mouth. "It''s a protest." It wasn''t her usualnguid tone. Her voice, which was alwayszy, was surprisingly sharp. Sharp enough to make anyone tense. But Reed''s voice remained calm. As if it were a familiar matter. "What protest? Have I done something wrong to you now?" "Because you won''t keep your promise." Promise. Reed didn''t know what that promise was. But he knew his words and actions. That''s why all he could do was sigh. "Sigh¡­¡­." "You know very well. Pretending to pity me, pretending to cherish me, and then leaving me." Her hand, holding his strangely, squeezed tightly. "You''re talking nonsense again, Phoebe Astheria." "Don''t call me by my name. It makes me delusional every time you do." She growled menacingly. But she wasn''t really hostile. It was just a threat. "Just say it. You too, the reason you said that is because you just want to use me. Just say it." "I have no intention of using you. You just want to believe that." "I can tell. I can see how people think of me." "Did you judge that with your great sense? Am I trying to use you?" Phoebe closed her eyes tightly. "I can''t tell with you¡­¡­ That''s why I''m angry." Reed snorted as if it was ridiculous. "Do you think it''ll be refreshing if I die with such a messy logic?" "Well¡­¡­" "Then kill me. Do it again like you did on the first day." The first day? What happened on the first day? The only certainty was that it was an unforgettable event for Phoebe and Reed. * * * Dream big tl dot [Original Source ¨C dreambigtl .] * * * Contrary to her seemingly hateful actions, Phoebe hesitated. If she were to grab Reed''s neck with both hands, his neck would snap like a twig. Both Phoebe and Reed knew that. Reed wasn''t afraid, and Phoebe couldn''t bring herself to do it in the end. Reed released her hands and stood up from his spot. Phoebe, who had been pressing down on him, backed away, and Reed stared at her straight. Then Phoebe turned her head to avoid Reed''s gaze. The initiative that Phoebe had just a moment ago shifted to Reed. "Did you sneak in here in the middle of the night just to say that?" "¡­¡­." "It''s not proper for a woman to casually enter a man''s bedroom. Are all the half-dragons as dimwitted as you?" "I''m not dimwitted!" "Then recite exactly what I told you to memorize yesterday." "That, that is¡­¡­. that¡­¡­." Phoebe stuttered and fumbled her words. She tried hard to recall it while darting her eyes around, but there was nothing in her head. "Ten more pages are added. Memorize them all by tomorrow morning." "What? You gave me too much! Adding ten more pages would make it double!" "If you can''t memorize it, go under someone else. I won''t stop you." Phoebe bit her lower lip with her teeth. All she had to do was say she wouldn''t, but she didn''t spit out that single word. Reed looked at her with a pitiful expression and pressed his finger on her forehead. "And it''s not you, it''s sir. Call me Sir Adeleheights properly in front of others." "Do you think I''ll call you¡­ sir?" Her sharp voice echoed like an angry woman. Reed snorted as if it was amusing, despite her voice. "Where in the world can you seed by only doing what you like? You have to do the things you dislike in order to find what you like." Reed ignored Phoebe andy back down on the bed. "If it''s really hard, try pretending to like it. If you keep pretending to like it, you might actuallye to like it." The bed rustled, and Phoebe got up from her spot. Just as she was about to leave the room, she turned her head as if she had something left to say. Phoebe''s face, which had been hidden behind the tower''s pir, was revealed. The woman who looked like a golden retriever was staring at Reed with the eyes of a fierce warrior. "No one will ever like someone like you." Phoebe left those words and went outside. *** Phoebe closed the door, and Reed woke up from his dream. It was such a strange dream that he couldn''t even think of getting up and washing his face right away. He unconsciously reached out to measure the size of the bed. Even with both arms stretched out, he couldn''t reach the edge of the bed. That was natural. "What is this?" Reed muttered as he got up from his spot. Why did he think he was lying on a smaller-sized bed? Why was Phoebe on top of him? What did that conversation mean? He couldn''t quite know for sure, but it felt so vivid. It was too vivid to dismiss as a mere dream. Chapter 128.2: (Part 2) "Tower Master~ I came to report~." Phoebe, with her protruding ck horns and flowing blonde hair, approached. In her neat uniform, a cat''s-eye gem that Reed had gifted her sparkled in the center of her chest. "Go ahead with the report." "Yes." Smiling sweetly, Phoebe summarized the main content of the report. He tried not to pay attention, but Reed kept ncing at her face. Her speech seemed dull, but her senses were sharp. She noticed that Reed was bothered by something. "Why are you doing that?" "Huh?" "I thought you kept looking at me because something was on me." Reed waved his hand. "No, it''s not. Continue." "Yes." Phoebe resumed her unfinished report. ''I seem to be too conscious.'' Let''s not worry about the dream. It feels different from usual because I''m paying attention to it. "Ah, right! And thedy went into the storage room." "Rosaria infiltrated?" "Yes¡­¡­." Reed hadn''t entered the research building all day yesterday, so he couldn''t check the ess records, let alone any signs of intrusion. There was no doubt that Rosaria had entered the storage room for an adventure. ''Did she touch the holy sword?'' He thought of the Dawn Breaker he had stored in the storage room. Wouldn''t her curiosity have inevitably led her to touch the holy sword? "Did anything happen?" "There were no incidents." "Didn''t she touch anything or anything like that?" "Since there were no items showing any abnormalities, it seems like she just broke in." "Hmm..." The sacred sword didn''t react. Reed felt a strange sense of relief. If he carelessly awakened that sacred sword, he would undoubtedly be bothered by the church. ''She is at an age of curiosity.'' Rosaria is soon turning nine years old. She has learned a lot more since she was seven, and her curiosity has deepened ordingly. It was a time when careful attention was needed to ensure that she didn''t get into danger because of her curiosity. "For the time being, we''ll restrict ess to the research facility." "I''ll immediately make adjustments." "Please do. Leave the rest of the documents on the desk." "Yes." Phoebe gently ced them where Reed could easily pick them up. Her golden hair swayed, emitting a fragrance. Reed''s pen, which had been moving hectically, stopped. "Perfume..." Reed suddenly realized something and looked up at Phoebe. "Perfume. Are you still using it?" "Yes? Yes." Phoebe nodded her head. After using up the perfume he had given her once, Reed gave her another bottle of the same perfume. Reed naturally thought it was a good gift, and Phoebe naturally used the perfume. That natural assumption was a mistake on Reed''s part. "I''m sorry." "What do you mean?" "Thinking about it, I knew your senses were sensitive and that you disliked strong smells, yet I still gave you such a gift." "No? It''s okay! I love any gift from the Tower Master!" Phoebe made a troubled expression and waved her hands. What Reed said was all true, but Phoebe had ovee all of that. "It''s my mistake. I''ll be more careful next time." "Yes, yes......" She wanted to say it was really okay, but she couldn''t find the right words. The phrase ''I''ll be more careful'' echoed in Phoebe''s head. "Then, I''ll leave for now......!" "Alright." With her face flushed red, Phoebe hurriedly left the office. Reed wondered. ''How did I just find out that Phoebe has a sensitive sense of smell and dislikes perfume?'' No one had given him a hint. He simply figured it out from the scent wafting from her hair as she tilted her head slightly and her hair fell down. ''It''s strange.'' Too many strange things were happening for it to be just a dream. *** In the early spring, when the cold wind had not yet subsided. The annual graduation ceremony was approaching. Reed got off the sky carriage and approached the man waiting in front of him. "Have you arrived, Silence?" "Tower Master of the Radiant Tower, you''re here." "Let''s go." Reed and the Pivotal Tower''s master walked across the bridge crossing theke. It was the way to Escolleia. There was nothing special about the members of other magicians who came to check the graduates. The only change from the previous year was the position of Dolores, who had originally been the master of the Wallin Tower. "Who''s leading the way?" "The former master of the Wallin Tower will lead this time. She''lle if we wait." "It''s not the former master of the Wallin Tower. Isn''t it Miss Adeleheights now?" The magicians smiled slyly and turned their heads. Regardless of affiliation, everyone looked at them with sympathetic eyes. "You know very well, don''t you?" "Marriage is a crazy thing." "¡­Yes." Why do you guys worry about that? Although he wanted to say that, Reed just nodded his head. Let''s not talk about it. In a way, these men are also pitiable people. Dolores took off the Wallin Tower master''s uniform, and she wore a navy-blue sweater and a wide skirt. It was a look that exuded the innocence and freshness of a university. "Hello, seniors." Dolores greeted them with a bright smile. The magicians who saw her smile for the first time were quite flustered and greeted her back. Since she had always greeted them with a poker face, this was the first time they saw her smile. She greeted each person, and it was Reed''s turn. She wiped away her smile and said, "¡­¡­Master of the Silence Tower." She greeted him coldly enough for everyone to feel it. Reed calmly epted her greeting with a poker face. "Now that everyone is here, I''ll guide you." "Alright." Dolores led the way, and Reed followed her. "Did the two of them have a fight?" "......Well, it seems like there is some issue." "Well, even a handsome man who charms women so much can''t know his own woman''s heart." Theyughed, enjoying themselves as if watching a fire across the river. As in the previous year, they first greeted the president and received a briefing on this year''s graduates. Although excellent talents were nurtured as in the previous year, Anton still seemed dissatisfied. "That''s the end. Thest lecture is underway, so let''s take a look before we go." After finishing the briefing concisely, the magicians from each faction dispersed. Reed was about to take a step, thinking maybe he would do some exploration on his own. "Master of the Silence Tower." Dolores stopped Reed by calling him. She looked up at Reed with a sharp gaze. Her eyes alone seemed ready to p him in the face. "Please look at me." "......Alright." Reed nodded as if he couldn''t win. The master of the Radiant Tower patted his shoulder, showing a tearful expression. His face expressed that marriage was a crazy thing. Reed followed Dolores. The ce she headed to was her office. Although assistants were called ves among magicians, Anton''s assistant was his favorite disciple and had her own private office. Dolores closed the door. Click-. She locked the door meticulously and turned her head. The cold face gradually spread an awkward smile, and soon sheughed hesitantly. Her tense shoulders moved loosely as she looked up at Reed. The awkward ice queen was gone, and the fluffy Dolores greeted Reed once more. "Wee, oppa." Chapter 129.1: (Part 1) Faint but Clear (2) "Why did you keep ring at me? Were you pretending to be angry?" "Was it strange?" "I thought it was the return of the cold ice queen." He had noticed to some extent, but he acted cautiously just in case. He was relieved that it wasn''t a mistake he had unintentionally made. Dolores hugged him. After leaving the tower master''s seat, her physical affection had be more active. "But then, my favoritism would be exposed. It would be so lovely to stay hidden like this while pretending not to get along. Can you even imagine?" "Are you going to call me out and re at me like this every year?" "Don''t worry. I''ll give you some variations." "No......" What to do with this cheeky girl. Seeing her face closing her eyes and slightly pouting her lips, Reed grabbed her cheek. He marveled at the mochi-like texture that was even more stic than before. "Wow, it''s chewier than before. You must really be eating well." "¡­I''m really getting angry?" As her expression turned cold, Reed quickly kissed her, feeling a sense of incongruity. Then she smiled as if nothing had happened. "Where did you leave Rosaria?" "I didn''t call her, and I thought she''d be bored if I brought her, so I left her at the tower. She''s been really into board gamestely." "Will the child let you do that?" "Since I yed with her every time she suddenly entered my office, I think it''s okay to be a bad dad for about three days, right?" "How romantic." Dolores giggled and teased. There''s still more time when they can be together like this without being disturbed by anyone. At that, Dolores hugged Reed tightly. "I think it''s time to take an academy tour soon, so can you let go of me a little?" "Can''t we just go like this?" "If the person who was acting cold to avoid showing favoritism suddenly does this, wouldn''t they be flustered?" "You''re right. That would be really annoying. Then how about we just kiss as soon as we meet next time?" "You''ll be scolded for flirting in a sacred academic ce." "If someone objects, they can juste at me. I scolded ten people yesterday, so it''s no problem if there are more." Dolores spoke with a confident expression. If it wasst year, it would have meant proving that she could beat the headmaster Anton''s beloved students, but from this year, it has been carried out like a kind of event. Reed gently let go of Dolores, who was in his arms, and asked. "Let''s talk about work. How''s the magic engineering major these days?" "The number of majors has decreasedpared tost year, with only 12 graduates." "That''s not very good." "But, as I mentioned before, we started recruiting magic engineering talents from the freshmen this year. As I heardst time, we''re testing about 30 selected people, so why don''t you go and see more then?" "Hmm... Do you have their profiles?" "I brought them because I thought you might need them." Reed looked at the documents Dolores handed him. Even at a quick nce, Reed couldn''t help but click his tongue. "It''s going to be tough for them to survive..." Out of the 30, 20 weremoners, and the remaining 10 were nobles who hade to get a diploma from Escolleia by any means necessary. The biggest problem for themoners'' studies was money. Because the quality of life was no different from that of the nobles, tuition fees and maintenance fees were based on the standards of the nobles. Since the conversation with Kaitlyn often revolved around the difficulty of not having money, it must have been a significant issue. ''If there are some useful talents among them, I should support them.'' He was thinking of making a proposal to the dean, as he had something in mind for nurturing talent. "That''s something I''ll take care of separately." Reed looked down at Dolores and spoke. "Now I''m going to go see the graduates. Do you want toe with me?" "Is it okay?" "You were just saying let''s kiss earlier." "That was obviously a joke." Dolores blushed, and Reed shrugged his shoulders. "Well, then, let''s say there was a misunderstanding, and it''s resolved." Dolores rolled her eyes and then got up from her seat as if she had nothing more to think about. "So..." Dolores grabbed Reed''s hand. "Let''s hold hands." "Sure, we can." Dolores stuck to his side and smiled broadly. It was finally the moment when she could walk hand in hand with her fianc¨¦ through the campus, a dream she had had for a long time. * * * Dream big tl dot [Original Source ¨C dreambigtl .] * * * *** A strangely alien vividness. It felt like reality, but there was a feeling of being trapped in a space that was not free. Reed knew what it was. ''Is it this dream again...?'' Last time, he had dreams of studying without any context and researching magic. While thinking about what kind of dream it was this time, he heard a voice that still had a babyish tone. "How do you like your bread, oppa?" "Oppa" was a term only Dolores used. Reed looked down. When he looked lower than usual, there was a girl with blue hair sitting there. Bright eyes and a wavering face. The girl was as cute as Rosaria, exuding innocence. Reed knew who the girl was. It was Dolores from her childhood. Reed sat next to Dolores and had a meal together. "I like to spread butter and raspberry jam on mine." She picked up a butter knife with her small hand, spread ayer of butter evenly, and put raspberry jam on top. He took a bite of the toast with the butter and raspberry piled up appetizingly. He ate the crunchy toast andughed sheepishly. "Is it good?" A stern-looking voice. Although it sounded younger with a higher ent, it was undoubtedly Reed''s voice. Dolores nodded her head. "Yes. It''s really delicious." She looked as pure as Rosaria, with only blue hair. Dolores brought the toast to Reed''s mouth. "Do you want to try a bite, oppa?" Should he? But Reed didn''t move. Instead, he wiped the breadcrumbs from the corner of his mouth with his index finger. Dolores put down the toast, blushing. "Just watching you eat is enough for me. Eat a lot." "Yes..." Dolores started eating the toast. With her face flushed, she med herself for looking so naive. She tried to eat the toast without getting breadcrumbs on her mouth, but the toast was bigger than her small mouth, so it stuck all over. Reed just looked down at Dolores. Seeing the girl, who he had worried about starving every day, continually feeling the happiness of eating, he felt joy. Chapter 129.2: (Part 2) His arm was numb. He wondered why it was numb, and it turned out that sincest night, he had been offering his arm as a pillow for Dolores. ''Is it this dream again...?'' Reed carefully moved Dolores'' head andid it on the pillow. As Reed tried to get up, he froze. Dolores, with her eyes tightly closed, burrowed into Reed''s arms. "I''m about to get up now." "Just a little longer..." "How are you going to teach the kids if you''re thiszy?" "It''s because of you, oppa..." "Then I just won''te from next year." "Ugh... I hate you." Dolores stretched out her arms and hugged him tightly like a teddy bear. Reed lightly kissed her forehead. "Sleep a little more. I''ll get some breakfast. Let''s eat in the room." "Um, and a cup of coffee..." She released Reed after finishing her order in a drowsy voice. Reed got dressed and headed to the cafeteria. As much Chapter 130.1: (Part 1) Faint but Clear (3) "Industry-academic cooperation? What is that?" "Simply put, we provide knowledge from our tower in exchange for solving tasks given by our tower. You can learn tasks in advance from our tower, and I think it''s better in practical terms..." "In that case... I just need to take care of the basics so they can acquire other knowledge on their own." That meant the young new professor only needed to focus on the basics. Thomas''s face, which had been burdened, brightened a little, but not all problems were solved. "Even so, if the Silence Tower provides us with knowledge, won''t other affiliated wizards object?" "Objections are inevitable. However, to secure talent, they won''t just sit back and do nothing. Approach them first and ask if they intend to do the same. These days, workshops and merchant associations are also considering whether to adopt magic engineering, so they''ll likely be proactive." Thomas nodded in agreement. "I''ll ask when the otherse. Thank you for the great idea, tower master." The most difficult people to adapt to rapid changes are educators. Thomas must be grateful that Reed reached out first. "I have a favor to ask." "Yes, please tell me." Thomas replied with a brighter voice. "I would like to talk about the magic engineering major." "Graduates must have already left... Are there any current students you''re interested in?" Reed shook his head at the question. "It''s not a graduate, it''s a dropout." "A dropout?" * * * Dream big tl dot [Original Source ¨C dreambigtl .] * * * "I have something to tell you about Kaitlyn Ramos." "Kaitlyn Ramos?" Thomas''s face showed that he had no idea who she was. "Yes. She must have been a student scheduled to graduate in the 398th ss when I was learning magic engineering as a freshman." "398th ss... It''s been a long time. I''ll check if the former professor left any records." As Thomas snapped his fingers, the library rotated quickly. Thousands of files went by swiftly, and finally, the desired record was found. "Here it is. Kaitlyn Ramos, expelled due to unpaid tuition after three years of leave of absence." It was not a unique type of expulsion at Escolleia, but it was a rare reason. Once you graduate from Escolleia, everyone wants to take you in, so you would want to graduate even if you had to borrow money. "I heard that her schrship was canceled due to giarism, is that true?" "Wait a moment... One of her magic engineering major courses has an F." Thomas tapped his finger on the grade section. The cancetion reason was due to insufficient grades, but at the center of it was giarism. giarism is one of the taboos that wizards must notmit. Thomas began to dig into the case he hadn''t known about so far. "But..." Suddenly, Thomas, who was looking through the documents, asked Reed. "Why are you telling me about this case?" "I''m curious about the truth. Kaitlyn Ramos is our tower''s chief engineer, and I promised to correct that mistake." Thomas swallowed the word ''huh?'' as if it was strange and tilted his head. "Really? I thought you were the one who knew this case best, tower master." "What do you mean?" Then Thomas handed over what he was looking at to Reed. It was a petition iming that the paper Kaitlyn had written was giarized. "I can see that you agreed on the giarism case of Kaitlyn Ramos''s paper." Reed looked down at the signature line. There was no doubt; it was certainly Reed Adeleheights'' signature. At that moment, something flowed into Reed''s memory. It was a memory rted to Kaitlyn Ramos. *** Reed sat on a bench and took a short break. When he left the department office, his legs were wobbly, and he could hardly walk anymore after trying hard to hide it. All he could think about was Kaitlyn''s giarism case. ''Did I ruin Kaitlyn?'' It was a time when guilt should have been felt. It might have been a time when he would have despised her as human trash. But Reed couldn''t simply me her. ''At that time...'' It was precisely when Reed Adeleheights was in his second semester of the fourth year at Escolleia. Suddenly, he lost his parents, clenched his teeth leaving only hisst semester, and it was a tough time. There would have been no time to worry about anything, and he would have just dealt with things as they came. Among them was Kaitlyn''s giarism case. ''Kaitlyn was... a junior.'' He expanded his horizons thinking he would try to learn various things and ended up taking magic engineering in his senior year. That day, he was attending a basic training ss with the freshmen, and that was when he connected with Kaitlyn. Kaitlyn followed Reed around like a puppy. ''She was a junior who followed a senior who bought her meals...'' Magical tools are all expensive. There was no way Kaitlyn, who barely entered the school as a poormoner, could have enough money to buy such magical tools. Reed asionally bestowed kindness on Kaitlyn, who was hoping for a handout. ''What to do...'' He couldn''t predict what her reaction would be if Kaitlyn found out about this. She could either brush it off casually or get extremely angry. ''First of all... telling the truth and apologizing would be best.'' It wouldn''t be toote to decide after hearing her words. Oneforting fact was that at that time, Reed had no malice towards Kaitlyn. When he first heard that Reed had agreed to the giarism case, he doubted if he had instigated it. He might have had some negative feelings like resentment towards Kaitlyn or feeling annoyed that a freshman had too much talent. ''If only the memories didn''t dig into my head.'' Then, a sudden question came to mind. ''Why are these memoriesing to me all of a sudden?'' If this was some kind of event that came one by one when a trigger was pressed, other memories would have flowed in during the past two years. However, the memories that dug into his mind began with the dream where Phoebe attacked him. It wasn''t long ago. ''Does this mean that I am gradually bing Reed since then?'' Reed closed his eyes. He tried to remember what he liked when he was in the original world. ''A hamburger with two beef patties and truffle sauce.'' ''What did the original Reed like?'' ''A chicken breast steak with tomato puree sauce.'' In this way, he would ask himself, and there was a boundary between the previous Reed and himself now. However, sometimes there was only one answer when he asked. It was natural that many questions ovepped, but Reed worried that even these natural things might be ominous signs. It felt as if Reed had merged with his original self. ''But this is an opportunity.'' It''s a chance to know Reed, whom he had learned about through others'' perspectives for two years, on his own. Reed was hiding much more than he had simply thought. He decided to dig into himself. What was the best way to know that? ''A ce where Reed''s memories reside.'' It was to go back to his hometown. Chapter 130.2: (Part 2) After the graduation ceremony and watching the entrance ceremony roughly, Reed didn''t return to the Silence Tower but went to his family home. Dolores told him the location of his birthce. She didn''t doubt it when he said he hadn''t been there for a long time and told him without hesitation. The inside was neatly empty. When Reed moved to the Silence Tower, he disposed of all the assets in the mansion. ''The inside is intact.'' Though dust had umted and spiderwebs were in a few ces, as arge and expensive house, it hadn''t corroded or lost its shape after being abandoned for several years. Reed headed to the living room first. Upon opening the door, an empty rectangr room was visible. Reed lowered his head and looked down at the wooden floor. He counted each uniformly cut wooden nk as he walked. One step, two steps, three steps... and eight steps. Reed stopped at that spot. "There was... a sofa." The item Reed mentioned was in this very spot. Next to it was a table and a vase. No, that vase was gone. Reed had broken it while testing his psychokinesis when he was young. Upon seeing the broken vase, his mother shed tears, and his father scolded Reed. That vase was part of his mother''s dowry when she moved into this house. It was also a precious item containing memories of when she had fallen in love with his father. ''So, did I try to fix it?'' To make up for the mistake, he borrowed ttery from the staff in the mansion and painstakingly tried to put the pieces together. He spent five hours fitting the fragments together, but he couldn''t put them all together. The shape looked usible, and Reed showed it to his mother. His mother burst into tears once again. The first thing she saw was Reed''s torn hands, not the broken pottery. That''s how they reconciled. They can remember again because they can forget, and they love each other again because they hate each other. That was the happiness of the Adeleheights family. ''Yes.'' This house was a happy house. Only a few puzzle pieces were quickly fitted together, but other memories fit themselves into Reed''s mind. The Adeleheights were a noble magician family who knew how to mingle with humans while generously bestowing their knowledge. From their ancestors, they umted knowledge and application, receiving support from the empire and many kingdoms, and bing wealthy. They didn''t keep their wealth in reserve but spent it generously. As they spent, it returned, and soon the Adeleheights family amassed enough wealth to stand shoulder to shoulder with the wealthy. However, before Reed''s second semester of his fourth year in college, the Adeleheights family fell into disgrace in an instant. A viin broke in, killed everyone in the mansion, and stole all the knowledge of the Adeleheights family. Reed felt a pang in his heart. He knew what kind of emotion it was. ''Anger.'' The tragedy didn''t end with the massacre. People paid off all the debts owed by the Adeleheights family. Even the targets of the debts were important at the time, so when they felt the Adeleheights family had no value to use, they repaid all the debts. As soon as their value disappeared, they wiped their mouths and spat them out like despicable viins. He was furious at the grief of losing his family and the fact that he was just a lowly person after all. ''And then I gave up the workshop.'' He headed to a tower that was rtively free from background and social status. Only the former tower master, Jude Roton, epted Reed. At that time, the Silence Tower was the weakest force among the magic towers, but Reed didn''t want to be bound by it. ''I poured all my money into the tower.'' On the contrary, Reed put all his money into the Silence Tower, trying to solve everything that could be solved with money. As a result, it became a tower with only money. The knowledge of a magician and what the tower pursued could never be solved with money. ''I''m starting to understand Reed.'' Though it looks unfamiliar, it blends in familiarly. Reed stopped indulging in his thoughts. ''There''s definitely some gain.'' Coming back to his birthce was the right answer. He only thought that if he could find a ce that would stimte the past, he could get a little closer to the past, but he could think of another clue. ''What was the information that supported the Adeleheights family?'' Could it still remain in his memory, even very faintly? Reed decided to try moving again, stepping on the traces of the past. He walked, filling the empty space where footsteps echoed clearly with memories. Reed arrived at the ce where everyone had targeted the Adeleheights family. It was the library. Reed entered it. Creaking-. As expected of a magician''s family, the walls were filled with bookshelves. It was muchrger than the tower master''s exclusive library, and there were several times more bookshelves. However, there were no books left there. He had already lost many books, and the remaining books were so useless that he threw them all away. When he entered here, there should be dust piled up on the floor and spiderwebs hanging on the corners of the bookshelves. Lost in such thoughts, Reed stood still with the library door open. There should be no one here. That''s right. Then who is that man? The light that seeped through the tattered ckout curtains. Standing in the middle was a figure wearing a robe. The viin slowly raised his head, meeting Reed''s eyes. He was wearing a white porcin mask. It was a mask with nothing drawn on it and only two eye holes. ''Enemy.'' Even without an outcry, his instincts sensed the man''s presence. He reflexively checked the gauntlet in his hand once more. The seams and bonding. He was sure that everything was in perfect condition. "Reed Adeleheights." The man called Reed''s name in a low tone. Chapter 131.1: (Part 1) Faint but Clear (4) He said. "Who are you calling?" "You''re quite cheeky." Although I thought he might have guessed about Reed without knowing, this man knew Reed. "Even though you know me, I don''t know anything about you. Shouldn''t you at least give me your full name?" "Do you need to know?" He rustles something out of his thick robe. The smooth de, over a meter long, reflects the light and is dazzling. What he pulled out was a longsword without any fancy decorations, only the essence of the sword itself. "You''re going to die anyway." The man''s figure disappeared. Reed instinctively twisted his body. Then, the man''s figure reappeared. Whoosh! The sound of the wind btedly chases the man''s movement. The whirlwind in the shape of a spiral centered around the tip of the sword pierced the ce where Reed''s chest had been. I need to respond. The counterattackes before the realization that a battle has started. Reed clenched his right hand. He swung his fist to p the masked man''s face. "Hmm!" The man stopped in front of Reed and hit his chin with his elbow. Fortunately, he evaded the blow that tried to pierce his chest, but the luck didn''t follow twice. Crack! "Gah!" For a moment, everything in his sight ripples like waves blooming in a mirage. The masked man responded improvisationally, and even though it wasn''t clean, the damage was significant. Luckily, the masked man had backed off. Reed spat out the blood pooling in his mouth onto the ground. It was bright red blood. ''He''s not an easy opponent.'' If Reed''s movements had been even a little slower, giving the man confidence tounch a follow-up attack... If he hadn''t taken the risk and kept fighting in closebat without backing off, Reed would have died, just as the man said. "You''re lucky. I thought it would be over in one blow." The masked man said calmly. Reed smirked and hid his true intentions. He put on a bluff that didn''t work. "You think you''re lucky?" Reed snapped his fingers and tried to provoke him. "Move your slow body one more time. Then I''ll really kill you." The masked man stood still, pointing his sword at Reed. The man was an experienced swordsman in battle. The first attack was a surprise attack when Reed was not aware of it. The second attack was prepared for everything, like a true magician. No matter how weak a tower master may be, Reed is a man who stands shoulder to shoulder with high-ranking magicians. So, he didn''t want to move rashly until he saw the cards he had clearly. "Are you noting? Then I''ll attack first from here." The magic stone embedded in the center of Reed''s gauntlet began to shine. The man prepared for Reed''s magic chanting. He tried to read all the moves, as he couldn''t tell what kind of magic and in what form it would attack. However, Reed''s mouth didn''t seem to be chanting. ''Is the magic chanting a fake?'' The man sensed that Reed had thrown a bluff. Then, what move was Reed aiming for while standing like that? He was looking at his waist. ''Waist?'' * * * Dream big tl dot [Original Source ¨C dreambigtl .] * * * A magician always pierces the opponent''s weakness with unexpected means. The masked man only then realized that Reed''s counterattack had already begun. Three explosive runes were attached to his body. The rune within Reed''s awareness glows red and vibrates. "Die." Boom! Reed''s body floated up with the red explosion. Despite being out of range, the strong wind pressure pushed Reed''s body away. He rolled once, regained his posture, and recovered his shaken center. ''Did he die?'' The answer was NO. It didn''t seem like the man would die from the explosion of the cards Reed had ced. The masked man was an unconventional figure. Reed immediately prepared a response. The ck smoke cleared, and the man''s figure was revealed. The ming robe flew into the sky, and the smokepletely cleared. "Indeed......" The appearance of the masked man, which had been hidden by the robe, was revealed. He was wearing a thick leather armor over chainmail. It was the most standard style to bnce speed and defense. Silver hair?'' It was lighterpared to his own hair color. It was a color closer to silver. ''What about the damage?'' There was damage. Marks of chainmail being scratched by the rune bomb attached to his waist could be seen. However, the man''s body was so intact that it was hard to believe he had been hit directly by the three explosions. The floor had copsed, and the library was destroyed, but the man''s flesh was surprisingly tough and resilient. Reed instinctively clicked his tongue. The man swept up the hair that had fallen in front of his mask with his left hand. His calm appearance beyond the mask made it impossible to think he had been attacked. "Magic without chanting... a simple magic circle... runes? You''ve managed to use runes, Reed Adeleheights. Are you trying to ovee your weakness with that?" "You''ve got quite the insight." His tone was annoying, but it was even more annoying how quickly he grasped Reed''s tactics. It seemed like mockery, but listening to his tone, it was utterly nd. It felt as if there were no emotions. "It''s only natural for the weak to struggle. It''s the curse of Adeleheights." "The curse of Adeleheights?" Reed raised his eyebrows and red at him. "Like a river flowing down a mountain, gradually weakening, this too is an inevitable fate. It''s the curse of Adeleheights." What is the identity of this man who speaks as if he knows Reed well? Reed couldn''t hold back his curiosity and asked him. "Who the hell are you?" The masked man answered by pointing his sword at Reed. "Last descendant of Adeleheights, face your predetermined tragic end." There was no way Reed could fully understand what he was saying out of the blue. What Reed understood at this moment was one fact. This man is someone who must be eliminated. ''However...'' Reed calmly assessed the masked man''s and his own skills. He couldn''t see the possibility of defeating this man. Chapter 131.2: (Part 2) He took another look with the "Talent Appraisal" with a hopeful heart, but it only confirmed his thoughts. The man''s energy, soaring over the white mask, was dark. The ck energy emanating from his body was so constant that it was hard to believe it came from a person, covering the ceiling. He possessed pure purpose and conviction, as well as the abilities to match them. This man would kill Reed. ''Can I beat this person?'' It was a different dimension from Peon, who had been hunted like a rabbit. It was a skill created through pure physical training and experience, not amateurish martial arts. He was the type to calmly observe his opponent andbine the answers from that observation with his experience to throw the best move. That means the more time he buys, the more Reed''s weakness will be exposed, leading to defeat. It would be nice to end it quickly, but Reed didn''t have the means in this disadvantageous situation that wasn''t even close. ''I have to do it.'' Being scared and standing still won''t help. Reed, prepared for his weakness to be exposed, raised his gauntlet. That''s when it happened. ''What is this?'' Reed felt the flow of mana. A very precise and massive amount was gathering in one ce. The detected location was a room across the library. It was precisely next to the masked man. Bang! An explosion from the wall. A giant blue spear emerged through the dark dust. It pierced through the library wall and directly hit the side of the masked man. His body was dragged by the spear and embedded in the opposite wall like a stuffed animal. Reed looked up at the spear. A huge spear, and above it, a woman with even bluer hair stood. "Are you okay, oppa?" It was Dolores. She came running to Reed with a panicked face. "How did you get here...?" Dolores didn''t answer Reed''s question. As soon as she saw Reed''s face, Dolores''s pupils contracted, and she couldn''t speak like a mute. Dolores wiped the blood from Reed''s dusty face with her finger. A brief panic. Soon it turned to anger. "This..." A very cold anger. "Did that bastard do this to your face?" Chatter. Her hair turning white and frost spreading from her center. She showed the true form of the ¡¸Incarnation of Cold¡¹, a master of ice magic. Dolores raised her staff without even listening to Reed''s answer. A magic circle appeared above the ice spear, and numerous ice spikes were created. ""Execution"." Whoosh! Hundreds of ice spikes flew towards the tip of the spear where the dust hadn''t even cleared yet. It was a merciless bombardment that wouldn''t even leave a trace of demons. As the bombardment ended, Dolores melted the ice spear embedded in the wall. She turned her head and stared at the other side with her blue eyes, centered on the spear. The man was still alive. A few ice spikes had pierced through his armor, but he remained calm. "Are you the Tower Master of Wallin, or the former Tower Master? I thought a genius magician like you would use the right magic at the right ce, but that wasn''t the case." If it had been usual, Dolores would have responded calmly. But seeing Reed''s condition, her eyes flipped. The floor the masked man was standing on began to freeze, and the ice climbed up his leather boots. "Indeed, befitting the Incarnation of Cold. Just by standing still, you can freeze my body?" ""Frost Tornado"." Dolores chanted magic in response. A swirling cold wind from the magic circle in her left hand engulfed the masked man. Chatter! The slowly freezing furniture was instantly frozen and shattered when hit by the windstorm. The masked man stepped sideways, avoiding the range of the tornado. He immediately counterattacked. Kicking the ground, he quickly aimed for Dolores. His sword was targeting Dolores''s neck. A precise, straight sh of light bent towards her neck. Snap! But in an instant, an icicle rising from the ground blocked the strike. It urately hit the sword''s de, twisting its trajectory upwards. The de didn''t even graze Dolores''s hair, and the man''s posture crumbled. His experienced, trained body reflexively recovered the broken posture, kicked the icicle, and increased the distance. "Hmm..." The masked man exhaled as he watched his sword being deflected. And he stared at them, releasing his attacking stance. He was a quick swordsman who could disappear in an instant, but he sensed that he couldn''t break through Dolores''s barrier. "Dolores Baldschmidt, you truly are a talented magician. It wouldn''t be strange to think you created this using the power of the demon seed embedded in your body." Dolores''s eyebrows twitched. What she hated the most was stories rted to demons. Because of that, she had almost lost her life, and her loved ones had suffered, leaving a trauma-level memory. However, the man had no ill will. He was merely speaking the information he had seen and heard as it was. The man, fiddling with his mask, made a decision. "I must retreat." The man eventually backed off, unable to ensure victory. He moved his head slightly. Reed knew he was looking at him. "Reed Adeleheights, follow your fate. If you know why that disaster hase to you, submit to that fate. This is my first andst piece of advice." Advice, not a warning. With those words, the man''s body disappeared. Dolores tried to move to track him but stopped. Reed was the top priority. Her reason returned, and her hair regained its original color. "Are you okay?" "Don''t worry, it''s just a scratch." "Don''t show off and show me your face." Dolores brought her hand to Reed''s face. He didn''t notice it when adrenaline was rushing, but as the tension subsided, aching pain surfaced. Dolores let out a hollowugh after checking Reed''s condition. "Phoebe would be really shocked if she saw this." "Are you okay?" "Don''t I look shocked too?" Her hand holding his face trembled. "Don''t worry about me, I''m fine." "If you say so... I won''t worry..." Dolores discreetly wiped her eyes, stopping the tears that threatened to flow. She changed the subject and asked about the man''sst words. "What did that crazy guy say to you? What does he mean by a disastering?" Dolores didn''t understand, but Reed knew the meaning. The disaster that approached Reed. The main cause of creating the seven disasters. "That swordsman is after Rosaria." "Rosaria?" "No doubt. What he mentioned was Rosaria." "Did he attack you to get to her?" "I don''t know." Reed''s mind was in turmoil. From the identity of the masked man to thest words he threw as advice, everything was a bundle of questions. It was like walking through a thick fog, not even knowing if he should trust those words. Chapter 132.1: (Part 1) Protecting Something (1) Silence Tower. One of the research rooms in the tower was remodeled into a training room exclusively for the tower master. Reed pulled out a card mounted inside his gauntlet and threw it towards the dummy standing on the opposite side. His series of actions were quick and agile, like a cowboy from a western movie. Thud! The card embedded itself in the experimental dummy''s body. At first, he focused on urately throwing the cards at stationary targets. Reed immediately moved on to the next level, practicing against moving targets. He practiced everything from targets moving in one direction at a constant speed to targets moving irregrly as if in a real fight. His overall uracy rate was 98%. Two of the cards thrown at targets with irregr movements missed. ''2%, huh?'' Just a week ago, his uracy rate was 95%. As one''s skill level increases, it bes harder to improve, but raising it to 98% was a significant achievement that he could be proud of. However, Reed thought differently. ''These 2% will hold me back.'' Even a 1% chance cannot be ignored. He believed that as long as there was a possibility, it was virtually no different from a 50:50 chance. His pursuit of perfectionism has grown even stronger recently. ''That man in the mask.'' Reed picked up a card from the table. He made a few changes to the cards he used. He added small balls that could explode like time bombs, reduced their weight to make it easier to control their direction with telekinesis, and attached des inside the cards to inflict additional damage when they exploded, all as a result of various experiments to strengthen his means of attack. When measuring the damage, they were at least 1.5 times stronger than the original cards. ''But it would still be just a trick against that guy.'' It might momentarily distract him, but it wouldn''t be enough to deal a decisive blow. Reed closed his eyes. He focused on the burning desire that welled up from his heart. ''The desire to be stronger.'' He had the desire but couldn''t be stronger. Human talent is limited. ''A wall.'' It was as if a huge wall was blocking the track he had to walk on. How nice would it be if everything could be solved simply by putting in effort? How nice would it be if everything could be solved by sleeping less, flipping through books, and thinking? ''Surely Reed must have felt the same.'' The curse of the Adeleheights. It was said that the bloodline would be weaker and weaker, inevitably leading to their downfall. His father was a somewhat recognized magician, but Reed only showed a brief glimpse of genius when he was young, and soon that genius faded, and he became an ordinary magician. ''Ordinariness.'' Ordinariness is not a sin. More than half of the world lives an ordinary life. People live their lives boringly and steadily, hoping for a meteor or gold coins to fall from the sky. It was not a sin for Reed to be ordinary. However, when the light of the ancestors is too strong, that ordinariness bes ipetence. Ipetence is a sin. Reed, who couldn''t protect anything, is the scapegoat of the Adeleheights family. ''Can I... protect it?'' He had managed to get through without any major threats so far. But if he couldn''t protect it thest time, even after 99 sesses, it would be a failure. He couldn''t even console himself by saying he did his best during those 99 attempts. Reed looked at his own hands. ''I need to be stronger.'' What was needed for that? Project: Flower Garden came to mind reflexively in Reed''s head. "No." He shook his head, blurting out his refusal. He pped his face, driving away the forbidden thought. The Flower Garden was a project that drew on someone''s mana and abilities. It exploited Rosaria, and eventually, Rosaria gave birth to seven disasters and became a disaster herself. ''There''s no way I can touch Rosaria.'' What''s the difference between burning down a house out of fear of fleas? Then there was only one option left. If he couldn''t use his abilities, he would resort to tricks. Like the reason why magicians fear secrets, he would create secrets that they don''t know. *** * * * Dream big tl dot [Original Source ¨C dreambigtl .] * * * Escolleia Assistant Office. Dolores was finishing up her work in preparation for Anton''s ss. "Phew, this should be enough..." She took off herrge sses, interlocked her fingers, and stretched up towards the sky. As soon as she felt a moment of refreshment, worries filled Dolores'' head. ''Is he okay?'' When she heard he was returning to his birthce, Dolores btedly followed Reed, curious about what he was thinking. She was a little worried that she might be obsessing too much like a stalker, but in the end, her concern helped her prevent Reed''s crisis. One unexpected thing was that, contrary to her intention to maintainposure and face the enemy, her eyes immediately flipped when she saw Reed bleeding. ''Those who threaten him...'' Rosaria is the one being threatened, but Dolores knew that Reed would do anything for Rosaria. The Reed she knew was a man dedicated to the one he loved. "Even though he''s weak..." He had a strong sense of responsibility despite his weakness. Dolores didn''t dislike that about Reed. She fell for that side of him, and it was still one of the many reasons she liked him. Dolores bit her lower lip and tapped the table with her finger. ''He must be wallowing in self-pity again, keeping his mouth shut like a fool.'' Dolores recalled the days when they were divorced. He didn''t exin anything and left only scars. She knewter that it was his consideration for her to meet a better person, but she resented that consideration. "I need to be stronger." As the fianc¨¦e of the one she loves. As a member of the Adeleheights family. If there are people threatening her family, she must be able to punish them without mercy. Dolores manipted the panel on the table. - Magic practice room rented from 04:00 to 06:00. She had to be stronger than when she was the Tower Master of Wallin, if not stronger. *** "Tower Master?" "Huh? What''s up?" "I informed you about the new recruit training, but did you fully understand?" "Training? Oh, is that what you''re talking about? Just handle it for me." At Phoebe''s words, Reed fumbled with his neck and mumbled. "Should I reduce your workload? There are many things I can do at my discretion." "Huh? No, it''s fine. What would happen if the Tower Master neglected his duties?" "You seem to space out a lottely. I''m really worried if your health is not good." "I''ve just been out of ittely, so I''m getting lost in other thoughts from time to time. Don''t worry too much." ''Is it because of the youngdy?'' "Even though she causes some trouble, she hasn''t had any major idents so far. It''s not because of her." Reed chuckled in response, but the worry on Phoebe''s face didn''t disappear. "I heard that there are people targeting the youngdy." "..." Reed looked up at Phoebe. Only then did he realize that her concern was not just about his fatigue. "How did you find out?" "Your fianc¨¦e told me." Chapter 132.2: (Part 2) Dolores. When she informed Phoebe of Reed''s condition in advance, she must have talked about various things, including Rosaria. He could understand her intention. Knowing that Reed would undoubtedly keep silent, she must have talked to Phoebe. Reed decided to tell the truth. "Yes, there are people targeting Rosaria." "Why did you try to hide it?" "I just wanted to sort out my thoughts a little more. It''s nothing¡ª" "Don''t you trust me, Tower Master?" Phoebe rarely interrupted Reed''s words and asked a question. There was suppressed anger mixed in her speech. "Do you think I can''t protect the youngdy, and that''s why you worry?" As if he had touched her reverse scale, Reed lowered his head at her words. "It''s not that. I''ve never thought for a single moment that you''re not reliable." "Then why do you worry about the youngdy''s safety? If you trust me, there''s no need for that..." "I always trust you. It''s not that I don''t trust you." Phoebe lowered her head, fiddling with her arm. Instead of looking at Reed''s face, she looked down at the floor. "Do you remember the promise you made with me, Tower Master?" Phoebe looked up with an anxious face. Her expression was simr to when she identally flipped ss shards all over her body without realizing the runes inside. What was that promise? As he tried to remember, memories flowed into Reed''s head. That day, Phoebe had a face as if the world had copsed, and Reed told her this: "I promised... to always work together to solve problems." He couldn''t remember why he made such a promise. Phoebe faintly smiled and bowed her head, knowing that he recalled their promise. "I... always want to be your strength, Tower Master. No matter what situation arises, even if it''s a moment when I have to lose my life, I always want to be by your side." Phoebe sped Reed''s hand with both of hers. "Please use me. I''m always ready to act for you." Reed knew what her loyalty and her feelings meant. Reed respected Phoebe. "I trust you. Yes, you are my proudest secretary above anyone else. But..." Reed had one thing he couldn''t concede. "I think I need a little strength to solve problems on my own." "...Is that so?" "If I can''t protect her in a situation where it''s just Rosaria and me, without you... I would be an ipetent father. That ipetence... would hurt me the most." "..." "I want to prepare for that time. So please... try to understand." At his words, Phoebe reached out and touched Reed''s face. Her index finger touched his rough skin. Her warm touch gently brushed along his jawline. Phoebe opened her eyes and gazed at Reed with her golden eyes. She scanned his face with a tender look. "Vacation..." She said. "Can I go on vacation?" For the first time, she who had never taken a vacation before, mentioned it. "Where are you nning to go?" "It''s a secret." Phoebe answered with a smile. Since it seemed she had no intention of telling him even if he inquired further, he didn''t ask. "Alright, go ande back." "Thank you, Tower Master." Phoebe bowed politely and handed over the documents. Then, she returned to her room with her usual stride. Phoebe disappeared for a week. Although the workload increased, it was somewhat bearable. *** Garcia Empire. Although they were in a long period of peace, they were always preparing for war. Vanguard Captain Gorgon watched the soldiers'' work with the inspector. "Store weapons in warehouse 1, separate training clothes ording to their condition and put them in theundry basket. Don''t put the dummies in the warehouse as they need maintenance, leave them out! Hey, there! Are you cking off? Come here!" The inspector frantically directed and organized the supplies. The vanguard captain, Gorgon Garcia, just quietly observed his actions. He was a half-dragon with thick golden hair and deer-like branched horns. Gorgon was not the type to provoke others by showing off externally. ''I need to increase the intensity of the training.'' He was just the type to return the favor without them knowing. Not doing well when he''s around, it would be even worse when he''s not. He decided to move up the next training schedule to apply new tactics devised by the staff. "Huh?" At that moment, one of the soldiers moving boxes raised his head. "What''s wrong?" "Don''t you hear something?" "What sound?" "It sounds like a vibration, like a ''woooong.''" "Hey, you! Stop talking nonsense and carry the box!" As the inspector shouted, the man shook his head and continued moving the boxes. "I can''t believe it, making strange noises. They say that the longer the peace, the more the army besx. I''m worried about the security of the empire." "..." "Captain?" When there was no response, the inspector turned to look at Gorgon. He was looking up at the blue sky at an angle. The inspector cautiously asked Gorgon. "Captain, is something wrong?" "It''s nothing. I was just lost in thought for a moment." Gorgon resumed his work as usual. However, less than three minutes passed, and he turned to the inspector and said. "I just remembered something urgent, so I''ll have to step away. Can I leave the personnel management to you?" "Yes? Oh, sure. Take your time." How could he stop him when he said he had urgent business? The inspector received the inventory status board. Gorgon didn''t walk as usual. Instead, he pulled back his cloak and knelt down. Flutter-! At that moment, a very loud sound echoed from behind his back. Large bat wings sprouted from the wing joints and spread out powerfully. Golden wings that were more than 2 meters in length on one side. It was a symbol of the empire''s vanguard and a barrier that would not sumb to external threats. Gorgon, who was kneeling, took off into the sky with a leap. The soldiers who were moving supplies stared at the spot where Gorgon had passed for a long time, dumbfounded. "So the captain really is a dragon." "It''s my first time seeing the wings." A long and peaceful era. It was the moment when the soldiers, who had doubted Gorgon''s true identity a little, had their questions resolved. Chapter 133.1 Protecting Something (2) A very faint low sound, audible only to a select few people. To Gorgan, it was as clear as if arge speaker was ying music. There were not many things that could make such a sound. A dragon, or a drake simr to a dragon. Or a half-dragon with dragon blood. The ce where Gorgannded was the Empire''s ins. It was about 2 kilometers away. On the blue grasnd where white flowers bloomed, a half-dragon woman with golden hair and threatening ck horns stood. "It''s you, Phoebe." At Gorgan''s words, Phoebe greeted him warmly. "Nice to see you again, Gorgan." "Not really happy about it." Gorgan red at Phoebe, unlike usual. The fact that she had intimidated the third prince was still lingering. Because of that, Gorgan had more work outside the pce than within. Phoebe apologized to Gorgan with her hands sped. "I''m sorry. But you know I had no choice at that time." "Just because you had no choice doesn''t mean your actions disappear." "Then are we going to fight?" At her question, Gorgan closed his mouth. He did not want the situation to lead to a fight again. It was not a matter of skill difference or such. Given Phoebe''s nature, the moment a decision was made, someone would die, and the remaining person would have to carry the burden. ''That''s the ck Dragon.'' It was the dragon that shined the most in battle. "Gorgan, as always, you''re reluctant to fight. Then, I think I have to make a really sorry request." "What is it?" "Actually, I came here to fight with Gorgan." "Why?" Gorgan had an expression of not understanding. Phoebe noticed Gorgan''s understanding and waved her hand. "Oh, of course, it''s not a life-or-death duel, but more like training." "Training, you mean?" "Fighting has inertia, too. It''s been too long since I used my body." "But you were fast, weren''t you?" "If it had been a sustained battle, Gorgan would have been much better off. I would have definitely lost." Phoebe was confident about that, but Gorgan couldn''t know for sure. Phoebe could see right through others'' intentions, but she had never properly revealed her own. Since Reed, the owner of the Silence Tower, had changed, it had be even more so. Whether it could change all at once, as she said, or whether she was acting all along. "What is the purpose of your training?" "Perhaps the Tower Master doesn''t trust me." Sadness was embedded in Phoebe''s tone. "If I were very strong, the Tower Master would surely trust me, but I can''t give him that trust." "Did that man hurt you?" "No, that''s not it. He is a very kind person. He is so good that it''s an honor to serve him." Phoebe had a happy face. Gorgan looked at her happiness with discontent and then spoke. "I think I know a little reason why you seem untrustworthy." "What is it? Do you see a weakness in me that I don''t know?" Phoebe desperately asked Gorgan, leaning her face towards him. Gorgan nodded and replied. "Cut down on your food intake and lose some weight. It''s not strange to think you''re slow when looking at your body. The Tower Master must be aware of it as well." "Oh, oh my! That''s rude! Women don''t like to hear that!" Phoebe scolded Gorgan, her face turning red. She covered her chest with her own hand, perhaps aplex in itself. Gorgan looked down at her with an indifferent face. ''I''m sure of one thing.'' He could clearly see how Phoebe thought of the owner of the Silence Tower, at least in her heart. It had the same color as when she looked at the owner of the Asteria family, whom she regarded as a father before following Reed. ''Is that man so precious?'' He couldn''t ask. Gorgan didn''t want to ruin her smiling face. "Help me." With Gorgan''s consent, Phoebe''s face lit up brightly. Phoebe thanked Gorgan, holding his hand. "Thank you so much, Gorgan." "Don''t get me wrong. I don''t intend to help you unterally." "Do you have a request for me?" "Do you remember Saul?" Upon hearing that name, Phoebe nodded happily. "Of course. How could I forget myrades?" Gorgan sighed and spoke. Gorgan felt that a big event was about to happen. * * * * * * Dream big tl dot [Original Source ¨C dreambigtl .] * * * Gorgan took Phoebe to a knight training facility on the outskirts of the empire. They passed through an unripe wheat field and entered the stone-built walls. Although different from the interior of the empire, the facility was neatly constructed as it was a ce where elite knights were trained. "As expected, the empire''s buildings are different. I''ve always been curious, but I haven''t had a chance to see them." "It''spletely different from the buildings inside the empire. It''s originally a ce far from the empire." "Oh, really? I must have acted like a country bumpkin." Phoebe blushed as if she was embarrassed. Phoebe had never seen the interior of the empire before. Unlike Gorgan and Saul, who became knights, she was an enemy of the empire, and her ess was prohibited. That''s why Phoebe had to call Gorgan with a voice that no one could hear outside the empire. "What is Saul doing here?" "He''s not doing anything. Literally..." He was just assigned to a ce where a supervisor was needed. They were heading to Saul''s office, but Gorgan ended up at his bedroom instead. Phoebe found it strange that they were going to the bedroom in broad daylight. They could hear a man and a woman''s voiceing from inside. -"Hey, how about that dress you showed mest time?" -"That dress? I think it would make you look fat." -"Wouldn''t I look slim in anything I wear?" -"You''re really out of your mind." -That''s too much! Really! Despite the harsh words, the sound ofughter and ss shattering could be heard. Phoebe cautiously asked. "Is she his girlfriend?" "...It''s a bit different than that." "Hmm, I understand." Phoebe took the lead and opened the door. A red-haired man, lying on the bed and chatting with a woman, came into view. "Oh my!" The pretty woman pulled the nket to cover her body. Unlike the fussing woman, the man was also surprised. The woman in front of him. Golden hair and threatening horns pointing forward. "It''s been a while, Saul." "...Phoebe?" Saul spat out the name of the woman calling him. "What? Why are you here?" "Our Saul has grown a lot. He''s taller, has a better physique, and now he doesn''t even call me ''sister''." "...Why is your tone like that? Did something happen to your head? You''re stretching your words like a fool all of a sudden." Gorgan warned him as he spoke sharply. "Saul, she is a former leader. Show some respect." "No, it''s weird. Gorgan, you honestly think so too, right?" Gorgan didn''t say anything. It was because it feltpletely different from thest time he saw her with his honest feelings. The sharp leader, Phoebe, was gone, and she had be round overall. Whether it was the atmosphere, body lines, or personality. It was a time when she would have disciplined the mischievous Saul as usual. But she was smiling. Like a fool. Chapter 133.2 "Let''s catch up as a family for the first time in a while." At Phoebe''s words, Saul snapped his fingers at the woman sitting next to him. The woman, sensing the atmosphere, picked up her clothes and left the room. "So, what brings you here?" Phoebe yfully tapped Gorgan''s palm. "Gorgan said he needed someone to correct Saul''s habits. So, I came to ask if you''d like to have a match with me after a long time." Then, Saul snorted and sneered. "Then you should ask politely, right? No matter what, I''m not so weak as to lose to someone who''s be an olddy." "Saul." "I used to call you sister back then. You don''t even look like a sister now. Are you still scared after strangling that third prince brat?" "..." Gorgan sighed. Saul had been getting more and more out of control since bing a knight of the empire. In fact, Gorgan had a hard time when sparring with him as he learned about his abilities. Gorgan nced at Phoebe. She looked up at Gorgan with a smile. "Gorgan." "Hmm?" "I''m sorry, but I think I''ll have to break something during the process. You won''t me me, right?" Phoebe asked with a calm face. Gorgan nodded. "Fine, I won''t hold you responsible if you break¡ª." Gorgan couldn''t finish his sentence. As soon as the permission was granted, Phoebe''s body disappeared. "Huh?" She reappeared in front of Saul. Her right hand pped Saul''s head. Crash! Saul flew straight through the wall andnded precisely in the middle of the training ground. Saul shook his head and got up. Phoebe aimed at his temple. If he were a human, even a knight, he would have died from the bold strike. "This... This damn... Suddenly hitting and going crazy...!" Saul couldn''t even finish his sentence as Phoebe mmed his head into the ground again. "Ugh!" He tried to resist with his hands, but Phoebe pressed his neck with her knee and twisted his shoulders with both hands to block his strength. Complete suppression. Saul, with his bnce broken, had no means to resist. "Do I still look slow to you? Do I look like an olddy?" "Phoebe..." "Do I look like an olddy?" Phoebe asked obsessively and fiercely about the word "olddy." It was only after being suppressed that Saul realized. Why Gorgan still showed respect to her. Realizing that was always after the incident had urred. In other words, it was already toote. "Our soft Saul, you''ve been rotting my insides since the old days. Do you remember? You haven''t forgotten how I dealt with you back then, have you?" "That..." "I hit you. Although it was gentle with the permission of the owner, I still hit you." "You were beaten. Although the master allowed it, I hit you very gently." At the scene where Phoebe used violence, blood was shed, and the people watching were scared by the terrifying punches. "..." Gorgan sighed. Saul had been consistently the same ever since he became a knight of the empire. He had to be hit to regain his senses. Thud. The threatening sound that came out when Phoebe clenched her fist. She grinned like a grim reaper that came out in broad daylight. "Experience once again what kind of person I was." That day, a sandstorm erupted in the middle of the training ground. *** "Thanks for letting me use the bath, Gorgan~." Phoebe drank the tea Gorgan had prepared with a gentle expression. Her entire body was covered in sand due to the chaotic battle. She washed her clothes and wore the spare clothes she had prepared. "Phoebe." "Yes?" "¡­Your face seems to be glowing." "Oh, is that so? Is it because I took a shower?" It wasn''t the shower. She felt refreshed as if she had shed a hundred-year-old dirt. For her, who had lived without using violence, the battle with Saul must have been a salvation like an oasis in the desert. ''No. Could that have been considered a fight?'' The fight with Saul was almost one-sided. First, it was a surprise attack. And secondly, bypletely dominating, she won overwhelmingly. ''She''s indeed the leader.'' Her style was always like that. She alwaysunched psychological warfare to suppress her opponent in one go by striking at their weaknesses from unknown ces. Although she was far from the type to confront fairly, she could be considered a true warrior as she could do anything for victory. Saul was carried back to his hole-ridden room on a stretcher. Nobody worried about his well-being, even though his joints were broken and twisted like a broken puppet to the point that it wouldn''t be strange if he died. The blood flowing in Saul''s body boasted an enormous vitality of a Corpse Dragon. Everyone knew that he would recover in just one day. "¡­Will you also fight me like that?" "No. I''m asking for Gorgan''s help, so I shouldn''t be rude." Phoebe''s style of fighting was different with Gorgan, as she knew her boundaries and didn''t want to be disrespectful to him. "Thank you." That meant at least while drinking tea now, he was safe. [T/N: Lol, just how terrifying was she during her leader days!] Gorgan finally took a sip of tea with a rxed heart. "You seem to be still in good shape if you can suppress Saul. Aren''t you worrying too much?" She had suppressed Saul in one go, making him unable to use his skills, but he was also originally a formidable force of the empire. Phoebe''s victory was possible because of her outstanding skills. Phoebe herself knew that fact very well. "I guess so. It seems my worries have transferred to the tower master." Phoebe touched her chest and smiled awkwardly. "As much as the tower master worries about the youngdy, I''m also worried about the tower master." "Is it because you think you can''t protect him?" "Yes. I''ve already failed once." "That man won''t die easily. The owner has gone in vain, but that man will be fine." "..." Phoebe closed her eyes slightly and recalled that day. A pain like a sword piercing her heart came up. The copsing mansion. Thest sight of the owner was covered in blood from being attacked by someone. There was no memory after that. Her reason disappeared, and she was busy destroying everything. "I won''t let that happen this time." She would protect him. She would definitely protect the man who became her second light. "Is that the end of your feelings?" "Yes?" "Is it the end of thinking about your tower master like you think of the owner?" At Gorgan''s question, Phoebe asked herself inwardly. "Is thinking about your Tower Master like you think about the Master the end?" At Gorgan''s question, Phoebe asked herself inwardly. How do I think of the Tower Master? The answer did note easily. No, it did. She just wants to deny it. The more she thinks about it, the more her heart aches. She just wants to let it go. But she can''t let it go. The more she hides it, the bigger it grows. That''s because it''s the human heart. Chapter 134.1 Protecting Something (3) Reed went to see Kaitlyn. As the chief engineer, he actively arranged for a part of the tower''s research building to be turned into her personalboratory. Reed knocked on the open door and caught Kaitlyn''s attention. Kaitlyn greeted Reed warmly. "Oh, Tower Master, what brings you to this humble ce?" "I have something to discuss. Do you have a moment?" "Of course." Kaitlyn stood up from her seat. "I went to Escolleia to recruit graduates." "Ah, right." "That day, I went to the department head to request your records because of your expulsion." "¡­¡­So?" Reed bit his lip. It was difficult for anyone to admit their mistakes. But he had to do it. Reedposed himself and told Kaitlyn all the facts. He brought up everything in the records, as well as his memories, and confessed that he had beenplicit in the giarism issue. Kaitlyn listened to the story calmly. After conveying all the facts, he waited for her response. "Well¡­¡­" * * * Dream big tl dot [Original Source ¨C dreambigtl .] * * * Kaitlyn scratched her head, showing a bewildered reaction. "Actually, I''ve known about that since two years ago." "How can that be?" "I found out by chance when you first gave me a vacation." It must have been during the time when they were working on Project: Sound of Music. Reed had given Kaitlyn a reward and a vacation, allowing her to take a short break. "Why didn''t you say anything until now?" "Well... I thought it didn''t really matter now, and bringing it up might cause unnecessary conflict, so I let it go." "Didn''t you regret not being able to graduate from Escolleia?" While ying the game, Kaitlyn sometimes talks about her past. She says that if she bes a prominent figure, she wants to confront the person who used her of giarism and show them what she''s made of. "Regret... I might have had regrets. When I was hungry and wanted to me someone." Kaitlynughed nonchntly and said to Reed, "Do you know the saying that nobles are tied to the past, andmoners are tied to the future? I am a person who lives in the present rather than the past." As they talked, even the time to wet their dry lips became awkward. "We should be having a drink while talking about this. I can''t do it sober." Kaitlyn took out a bottle and sses from her cupboard. It was fruit wine that Reed had brought from Yggdrasil''s territory. They filled their sses and drank the first round. The strong alcohol content quickly took effect. As the smell of alcohol rose through their stomachs, their words flowed more easily. "As I said, I live in the present. I do have thoughts of wanting to return to Escolleia, but I like the present. I like it when Miss Rosaria brings me her proud doodles as ideas, when the confident magicians be fledglings under me, and when I solve the tasks given by the Tower Master here." As Kaitlyn tried to pour herself another ss, Reed picked up the bottle and poured it for her instead. They drank the second round without hesitation. Her reaction was tough, more like a man than a woman. "When I got my first vacation... I went to see the senior who had framed me with my own eyes." Kaitlyn leaned back in her chair and opened her mouth as if to say she was enjoying herself. "Is that so?" "That day, the first ce I went was actually my hometown. I thought about where to go and what to do with the money, and that''s what came to mind first." "And then?" "I couldn''t go back because I was afraid of being called a fool for not getting a schrship and not graduating... So I decided to go to my hometown first to pay my debts." Kaitlyn wore a happy expression. Seeing her smiling while talking about her hometown, which should have been a sore spot, put Reed at ease. "I wanted to seed and repay them somehow, but I never thought I''d step foot in my hometown again... When I went back, my mother said, ''If you''re ashamed, why don''t you show your face!'' and pped my back. I went from house to house apologizing, paying back the money borrowed from the vige, bragging about the person I am at the tower... With some leftover money, I bought a pig, bought stew ingredients, and had a festival with the vigers." "It seems things went well in your hometown." "I couldn''t just pay back the borrowed money. I had to pay back the interest, too, to make up for the frustration." She still had debt, but her face looked relieved. "Anyway, I left the vige after the festival. I was thinking about where to go next... and that bastard''s face came to mind. Simon von Ettwar!" It was the name of the man who had used Kaitlyn of giarizing her paper. Seeing that she still remembered his name, it seemed that the grudge was still strong. "So, did you go and take revenge?" "I intended to, but... there was no need." "Did he die or something?" "He was as good as dead. When I went to see him, he was living a pitiful life. He was barely making a living as a coachman for some remote noble family. It turned out that even with a good lineage and a good university, one political move from powerful people could bring him down to rock bottom. So, I just greeted him." She didn''t take revenge. What good would it do to spit on someone who had already fallen into the abyss? Showing the one who had fallen that she was living well was the best revenge for her. "That''s when I thought, life is really futile. The guy who was boasting about his bright future is now a coachman, and themoner who couldn''t rely on lineage and couldn''t even raise her voice is now a respected engineer in the tower... It seems like there''s a predetermined fate in life." "A predetermined fate..." Though it must have been an unintentional, thoughtless remark, Reed found it annoying. "Do you believe in a predetermined fate?" "Yes, I do." Kaitlyn nodded her head and showed her ss to Reed, asking for a toast. "Isn''t it a predetermined fate that my senior and I met like this again?" The revival of magic engineering, too, is all predetermined fate. Yes, if this changed future is predetermined, then Reed''s fate was good as well. "Still, there''s something I''ve done wrong that remains. I will clear the false charges you''ve been used of. Let''s put an end to this." One must not simply ept the world as it is. If things need to be settled, they must be settled properly. Kaitlyn nodded her head. "It seems that it puts your mind at ease, then." "I''ll go now. Don''t drink anymore, rest for about two hours and then get back to work." Kaitlyn took another sip as Reed left. ''Tower Master, you are such a good person.'' People who judge others by their abilities tend to fall easily. But instead, Reed seemed to be getting better and better. From epting her to treating her differently from othermoners, everything was different. She felt he was a good person from the beginning, but gradually she was drawn to his humanity. ''I never thought he woulde to apologize for that.'' She was ready to let it go as if nothing had happened. The opportunities and work that Reed had given her were enough to wash away her grudges. ''So this is how good it feels to have someone believe in me.'' Her spirits were lifted. Even the unresolved, painful things now feltfortable enough to be enjoyable. ''Let''s work harder, even more.'' To not betray the expectations of the person who trusts her. She had no choice but to work hard. Chapter 134.2 The headquarters of the Althea Order, Pieta. In the bedroom of the Saintess, Isell and Rachel were sleeping together. Isel, who usually had trouble sleeping deeply, tossed and turned. Then, one of her traits, "irvoyance," was activated. The ability to see through walls and all objects. With this ability, she could watch everything without even opening her eyes. ''Is it a thief?'' The inside of Saint Gregory Castle is literally a treasure trove. Just as bugs infest where there is food, thieves often infiltrate Gregory Castle to target its treasures. Isel had always remained silent during such incidents. If they couldn''t protect it, it was the fault of those guarding it, so they should be held ountable. ''This isn''t an ordinary thief.'' Isel felt that this intruder was different from the previous thieves. The ce they were heading to was the bedroom of the Saintess, which was her own bedroom. "Rachel." "......" She had been awake much earlier than Isel. As the twin sisters who understood each other''s thoughts, they seemed to know what to do without saying anything more. They headed towards the bedroom. And then... The intruder disappeared. "¡­!" Isel, startled, tracked the intruder''s location. Ironically, the first to detect their location was Rachel. On a night when beautiful silver light poured through the window. A ck silhouette stood in front of them like an obstacle. Flutter! Rachel threw the nket straight at the intruder. Then, she drew her sword. It was a sword called the Sword of Retribution or the Thorn of Malice. Rachel stabbed the sword deeply into the spot where the man was standing. Creak! The sword pierced the ck nket smoothly, but something inside caught on the thorn, making a rough sound. With the nket still pierced, she ripped it apart in a diagonal line. The cotton inside the nket scattered, revealing the stranger''s appearance. Revealed in the bright moonlit night was a robust adult male, and a sword he held in his hand. ''Who is he?'' Isel was quite taken aback by the energy the man was emitting. The feeling was familiar yet strangely unfamiliar. If the feeling was familiar, then he must have been someone she had encountered before, but among the people she had met, no one had such an aura. Rachel gestured to Isel. Knowing what it meant, Isel raised her holy power. "Lord Althea, grant me the courage to pierce the darkness, ¡°Hymn of Courag¡±." A faint bell sound enveloped Rachel''s body. The Althea Order''s blessing magic temporarily increased all abilities. A sacred light glowed softly like a firefly. With the sword stretched out diagonally in both hands, Rachel stared at the masked man. Her sword shed with his. ng! The swords collided, and sparks flew. He pushed Rachel''s sword back momentarily and counterattacked. Rachel''s sword skills were already at the level of a "Swordmaster." Plus, with Isel''s blessings, she could exert tremendous power and speed, never falling behind in one-on-onebat. However, the man was not to be underestimated. ''He''s not just skilled with the sword.'' Isel analyzed through the thoughts and sensations flowing from Rachel''s mind. There are three important elements in every battle. Equipment, ability, and experience. If you can''t properly equip any of them, you can''t dominate in battle unless luck is on your side. He was not a reincarnation of anyone, but the hero himself. "Is it really... you?" "......Yes." "You''ve been alive all this time, defying the flow of time as if it never existed..." Isel began to remember the lies she had made up about him. The lies she had created so that more people would know about the hero. A mix of guilt and joy filled her. "Why have youe now, after all this time without showing yourself or saying anything?" There was a hint of moisture in Isel''s voice. The hero did not answer her question. Looking into her eyes, he spoke dryly. "Your eyes... have be the eyes of a demon." "Ah." Isel quickly closed her eyes. "This is... not because I have fallen. It''s not what you think..." "I know. If it''s you, you must have sacrificed yourself for a greater cause. Aries, that''s how you''ve lived." The warmth in his voice made Isel feel overwhelmed with emotion. She had relied on him as he stood tall and led her when her faith had wavered. The hero spoke. "Aries, disaster ising soon." "Disaster... I know." The seven fates that create disaster. Isel knew the fate of that disaster. "But now, there will be no disaster. There will be no need for it." "What do you mean?" "There is a man who has changed himself to change that fate. That man will surely save this world." Isel answered with a relieved expression. But the hero''s face could not. "This world..." He said coldly. "Should not be saved." "What?" Isel doubted her ears. She doubted if she had misheard what the hero had said. But the hero repeated his answer very clearly. "Disaster must be realized." "What do you mean?" Isel couldn''t believe it. As someone who had fought against evil side by side for years, the hero''s words were unbelievably cold. "In order for the continent to unite, a great evil is needed. An evil that can make them stop their meaningless fights and face reality. The Tower Master of Silence is the one who must be that evil. Don''t you know that?" The hero reached out to Isel. "If you want to save this world on the right path, a new evil is needed. Help me, Aries. We must make that man... the enemy of the world." Isel and Rachel knew who the hero was. He was a person with firm beliefs, moving toward justice. At that time, even Aries, a devout saint, could only be a shadow in his light. So there was no doubt. Everything he did was right and led to the right path. "Hero..." Reaching out her hand, Isel withdrew it and lowered her head. "I can''t do that." "......Why?" The hero asked. "It''s the same as defeating the Demon King. Someone has to sacrifice so that everyone else can survive." "I know how much you''ve done for this world. And that memory... has always hurt me." The lies she had created. When those lies were used for the benefit of the Order, they made her despise herself. She put her hand on her chest and spoke. "Even now... it hurts so much. You fought for us to the end, and now you''re talking about making someone a sacrifice. I''m so scared that our memories and everything I remember will crumble." Isel''s emotions reached out to Rachel. The power wrapped around Rachel''s hand holding the sword. "So, I''ll pretend I didn''t hear what you said. Please step back. Please..." Isel politely refused. The hero withdrew his hand, listening to Isel''s words. "I understand your will... Aries. I''m sorry." The hero turned away. He spoke coldly, as if they were notrades who had been through thick and thin together. "If you don''t want to make that man a disaster... I''ll bear the burden." "What do you mean?" "I will be a disaster that threatens this world once again." For a moment, Isel''s heart seemed to stop. She clenched her teeth and endured her legs almost giving way. "Why... Why do you make such a decision?" "Didn''t I tell you? I made the decision for this world. That decision is firm. The Tower Master of Silence shall embrace that child as I said." "Do you think we can ept that?" "Just as you didn''t ept my will, I have no intention of persuading you." "Aren''t you ashamed of what you''ve done?" The man put his mask back on. He looked at them, wearing his white porcin mask. "I have never made a decision that I was ashamed of myself. This is an honorable thing." As soon as his words reached their ears, Rachel rushed at the hero. She mercilessly stabbed the hero''s heart with the thorn of malice. ng! The hero blocked Rachel''s attack with his half-drawn sword. For a moment, they exchanged nces. In Rachel''s eyes, there was a pure white fury. It was a sense of betrayal of her faith. The hero deliberately caught the thorn of malice on his de and shattered her bnce. With his empty left palm, he pushed her chest away. Though he couldn''t inflict a fatal damage, it was enough to create distance. The hero sheathed his sword back into the scabbard. "If we meet again, we will be pointing our swords at each other." "I have no regrets." "Then I''m d." The hero''s form blurred. "There''s nothing more disgusting than cutting down someone who hesitates." Suddenly, a gust of wind blew, and the curtain fluttered wide open. As the gust died down, the hero disappearedpletely. Isel and Rachel stood still, watching the ce where he had vanished. They mulled over the conversation they had just had. They wanted to deny it, but denial wouldn''t help. It was just painful. Chapter 135.1: (Part 1) Protecting Something (4) Reed had a dream. He was familiar with it by now, and he could easily recognize what it was. It was definitely a dream of the past. -Reed. Reed looked up at a man whose face he didn''t know well. He knew that this was his childhood. Judging by the gentle tone of voice, it must have been his father. "Yes, father." -Isn''t studying difficult? It wasn''t difficult. Reed had been praised as extraordinary when he was young, and it was because he was genuinely smart, not just ttery. Reed nodded his head. "I can handle it on my own now." -I see. His father seemed relieved, but Reed knew that it wasn''t a relieved expression. It was a worried face, as if he knew that Reed would face a huge wall in the future. -Adeleheights is loved by many people. Thanks to the virtues umted from our ancestors, we can livefortably like this. "Don''t worry, father. I''ll be a magician who can live up to your expectations." -It''s good to live up to my expectations, but always cherish the people around you. Our family''s eyes are always special. They can see through people and know their abilities. "The eye that sees talent." It was not just an ability that Reed had, but a trait passed down through the bloodline of the Adeleheights family. -Seeing someone''s ability is good, but at the same time, it can be a bad thing. You may end up seeing them only for their abilities, not as a person. "What''s the difference?" -Depending on what you prioritize, the way you view people changes. But they''re not fools either. They''ll know what you''re thinking. "I think I understand what you mean. I''ll be careful not to be that kind of person." The middle-aged man smiled. And he gently stroked Reed''s head. -When youe of age and graduate from college, you must take over our family business. It''s the most difficult task that our ancestors couldn''t solve, but I believe you can do it. The voice of the middle-aged man was gentle like a loving father, but there was an undeniable sense of apology in it. As if he was passing on a heavy burden to his young son, doing something that he shouldn''t. -You must... protect it. *** * * * Dream big tl dot *** Reed greeted a guest who he had mixed feelings about weing. Isel and Rachel. The saintess of the Althea Order had visited the Silence Tower for personal reasons. It wasn''t that he disliked them, but it was not a pleasant thing for them to visit often due to political issues. As he entered the reception room, Reed had an intuition that they weren''t here for personal reasons. Rachel was standing far away, and only Isel was sitting there to greet Reed. The personal reason was just an excuse. There was no doubt that someone hade to deliver a secret that should not be known. Reed gathered himself and asked them. "What brings you here?" Isel opened her mouth with a heavy expression. "The truth is..." What she said was all about what happenedst night. As Reed listened to her words, he felt as if his head had been struck by a hammer. An intruder had attacked. The fact that the intruder was a human who had been a hero in his previous life. And the fact that the man was trying to drive Reed into despair. "¡­That happened." "¡­" It was definitely not aughing matter. A shocking truth that couldn''t even bring a hypocritical smile to his face. Reed pondered over her words for a while, biting his lip. "You didn''t ept that request, did you?" "Yes." If she had epted, she wouldn''t havee to talk like this. And Rachel wouldn''t have been standing so far away. "That hero... the audacity of that guy. Trying to send me to the gutter, and asking such a thing from a former colleague? He must have been arrogant enough to think you would ept." "If it had been someone else, they might have thought so." Isel nodded her head slightly. "The reason he said that is that he knows what I''m looking at. So... he was sure I''d think the same way as him." Reed showed a surprised expression at her confession. "The same thoughts as that man?" "I... actually knew." "What are you talking about?" "I''m talking about the path the seven fates are heading towards. I knew where those fates were heading. And... at first, I also thought that fate shouldn''t change." "¡­" Reed''s mouth went dry. What Isel was saying now meant that she had not only been watching, but also harboring thoughts of stopping him. "What''s the reason?" "If even one of them changes... humanity will face a disaster they cannot handle." "Is there a reason why all seven of them must be intact? If all seven are... isn''t that the scariest disaster?" "The seven are amunity on one boat. If one side is missing, they are irreceable to the other side. If the fate of the seven does not change, they will face a never-ending disaster." "A never-ending disaster?" "Even if they are killed, humans will suffer. Magic will boil, crops will dry up, and only despair will remain for those who tread on the earth... that''s the kind of world it will be." Reed knew what she was talking about. It was a description of thendscape at the beginning of the second half of the game he had yed, ¡°Disaster 7¡±, when the seven disasters began to unfold. A gloomy world with no hope. If they hadn''t defeated Larksper, who was destined to be the seventh disaster, they wouldn''t have even gained hope. "The hero must have worried about such a world. He realized that the moment the world he had to protect adapted to the changed fate, it would be a mess. So..." "He dered himself to be a disaster." Reed couldn''t move. He pretended to be calm, so as not to show any trembling in his limbs. ''Did I... meet the hero at that time?'' The descriptions were the same. He was annoyed not knowing what kind of viin he was, but when he found out his identity, his anger rose to the top of his head. ''I have to maintain my sanity.'' If he gets caught up in emotions and bes angry, he could make a mistake. ''The monsters were created using Rosaria. If Rosaria doesn''t change her mind... there won''t be a disaster.'' ...He wanted to think that, but seeing Isel''s staring face, Reed couldn''t think carelessly. Reed recalled the time when there were originally seven disasters. ''Though it seemed unreasonable... the result was ultimately happiness. Right...?'' Reed''s mouth went dry. In the original story, all the disasters were defeated, and not only Reed but also the final boss, Cosmo, was put to rest. And the world returned to its original state. Chapter 135.2: (Part 2) No, it was turned into an even better world. Regardless of what the truth was, the epilogue stated that, so it must have be a better world without a doubt. Like every hero''s story in fairy tales, they lived happily ever after. Then Reed realized why the hero had made such a suggestion. ''In order for everyone to be happy... I have to deny everything I''ve done.'' To do that... Adonis has to be a disgraced swordsman. Larksper has to be a furious berserker. Dolores has to be an existence so shameful that it doesn''t even leave a trace in history. These three things are what the hero fighting for the world want. A little sacrifice creates a happy world. In the world, it''s called a greater good. The greater good is very nice. How usible is it? When someone stabs a spear ming the king for the famine, they be a hero by saying, ''It''s for the greater good.'' It was ridiculous. The small sacrifice that had to be made for that greater good was themselves. ''Rosaria...'' Rosaria came to mind first, and then one by one, the pictures were drawn. ''Larksper... Phoebe... Adonis... Dolores...'' They were all people who wished for happiness. It started to make him angry that they had to be sacrificed as a small part. Suddenly, Reed recalled what Isel and Rachel had wanted. ''What the two of them wanted was the destruction of the demons.'' Their goal was to annihte all demons. If Peon bes the Demon King, all demon races will be destroyed. Although the flower called Seoksan suppressed the demons, it was only a suppression. It was certain that they would reveal themselves again someday. Not suppression but extermination. That must have been what the twins wanted the most. However, they didn''t do that. Instead, they cut off Peon''s neck and prevented the birth of the Demon King. If they had the will to destroy the demons, they would have definitely saved Peon and tried to send Dolores to the abyss. "If you all knew... you would have intervened since Adonis'' fate changed, right?" "Yes. If we had tried to stop it, we would have definitely stepped in at that time." "But you didn''t. You just watched the fate change. Can I ask why?" Why would they just stand by in a situation that could be the worst? The more he thought about it, the less he understood. They say they believe in themselves as much as they believe in God, but words are always easy. Isel answered. "If we make them adapt to their fate, it would undoubtedly be the easiest way. It''s easier to give despair to people than to give them hope. But... we couldn''t do that." "Why not?" "Because it was beautiful." Isel said. "The fate you create slowly changes the fate of others into a very beautiful form. It was making it as beautiful as a spring in." Isel''s final words faltered. Confessing sin was so difficult and challenging. "Then I realized I had the wrong thoughts. If I hadn''t noticed... I would have had the same thoughts as the hero." Isel looked at Reed with clear eyes. It was the same feeling as when she first saw the hero. Thick silver hair and worried golden eyes. Although the only resemnce to the hero in appearance was his hair, his gaze gave the same feeling as when she saw the previous hero. Despite not being the easiest way to save the continent, she chose Reed''s path and tried to help him. Reed could feel Isel''s heart too. However, feeling it and epting it were difficult things. "Allow me some time." "Yes." Isel decided to understand Reed. From the moment she brought it up, she didn''t expect Reed to understand. It wasn''t about bringing up her mistakes to receive forgiveness. "I''ll leave now, Tower Master." "¡­" Reed couldn''t even say goodbye. He was left alone in the reception room, organizing his thoughts. ''I don''t know about the saintess.'' They were people whose intentions were unknown even when ying the game. When he treated them as special people, he thought he could trust them a little, but after learning the behind-the-scenes story intertwined with the disasters, it was difficult to trust them. "In order to remove the demons, what if they turn their backs?" ''Is knowing too much also a disadvantage?'' Doubting someone is an unpleasant feeling. If that person really betrays, it feels terrible, but if you suspect them wrongly, guilt builds up. He thought it would have been better not to know. Whether it was the memories from the original world or the memories now. ''I must move on.'' Avoiding the problem doesn''t help at all. He must create a means to counter the hero. *** Silence Tower, Kaitlyn''sboratory. Kaitlyn breathed as she stared at one spot. "Hmm¡­" Blue mana devices and supply lines were cluttered in one ce. Arge stone was ced where the supply lines and wires were plugged in. It was the head of a golem found inside an ancient temple in the Carlton Mountains. She called it a treasure trove. Sometimes she gritted her teeth and cursed it as a junkyard, but when she woke up, she always called it a treasure trove. Kaitlyn, the chief engineer, carefully extracted the knowledge from the golem''s head, and using some of it, sessfully saved Dolores, the former Tower Master of Wallrin. Since then, Kaitlyn has actively attempted to extract information from the golem''s head. But it wasn''t easy. It was as if she was wandering through a vast maze. A frightening maze where even the way she came was forgotten. ''There must be something here.'' Captivated by the thought that a god who grants everyone''s wishes is asleep here, she fiddled with the solid sphere. The puzzle she''s looking for, and the power Reed wants! That''s why 24 hours was not enough. She saved time on eating by having minimal meals, racked her brain, and reduced her sleep by three hours while researching, but she couldn''t find any clues. It was inevitable that fatigue would settle on Kaitlyn''s face. ''Is it really not working?'' She scratched her thick red hair and looked down at the junkyard. ''No.'' She denies that thought. With a belief that there is more to the end, even at the edge of a cliff, she takes one more step. When she finally couldn''t even support herself with her toes, she realized one fact. It was the fact that she could fly. "Eureka!" It was transcendence. Chapter 136.1: (Part 1) Protecting Something (5) -Tower Master, Tower Master, Tower Master! "¡­What is it?" While working in his office as usual, Reed was momentarily dumbfounded upon receiving Kaitlyn''s telepathy. Her voice, which had been gloomy until recently, was now filled with excitement, causing him to feel confused. -Come right now! I have some great news! "Great news?" -Yes! Right now! That was the end of Kaitlyn''s telepathy. He didn''t care much about herck of manners since he had given up on that when he recruited her to this ce. As she said, he headed to theboratory. Upon seeing Kaitlyn''s haggard appearance, Reed was taken aback. She had dark circles under her eyes fromck of sleep, and her smiling face looked unsettling as if she were ill. "¡­Are you alive?" "Of course, I''m alive. Would I be dead?" Although there was something off about her tone, he felt that she was no different from the usual Kaitlyn. "So, what''s going on?" * * * Dream big tl dot *** "As I said earlier, I have some great news! Remember when I was working alone to solve a problem fromst time?" "That''s right." Three days ago, Kaitlyn had forbidden even the Tower Master from entering theb as she conducted focused research on the golem''s head. Since they couldn''t even hear about her recent activities, the mages left food outside her door and checked if she was alive bying back an hourter. "I''ve been struggling so much because I couldn''t figure anything out, but then suddenly, it''s as if a ghost whispered in my ear, and everything started to fall into ce like magic!" "Really?" "So today, I can bring you some fantastic news, Tower Master!" Reed checked Kaitlyn''s status window, which was filled with excitement. He could see why she was excited by looking at her status window. "Magic Engineering Lv.6" ''She transcended.'' Kaitlyn''s "Magic Engineering" level had reached 6, entering the transcendental stage. Unlike when it was at level 5, her thought process in magic engineering widened, and her analysis and processing speed increased. Not too long ago, her research progress when she imitated the structure and extracted Dolores'' magic seed was at 30%. Thanks to that, the golem research progress had already reached 70%. As she entered the transcendental stage, she must have had a brilliant idea and found a way to handle the situation in no time. Reed was curious about what she had discovered. "So, what did you find out?" "Isn''t there a reason why no one has been able to upy the Kalton Mountains?" Reed nodded. "Yes. They even tried tounch arge-scale magic attack to blow the entire forest away." It was the strategy of the Grancia Kingdom to turn the Kalton Mountains upside down with meteor bombardment and then upy them. However, that meteor bombardment failed. Despite gathering all the mana and manifesting the magic circle, the meteor disappeared. Of course, it wasn''t just the meteor. If they tried to start a fire, clouds and rain would gather to put out the fire, and if they tried to freeze it, mes that counteracted the cold would rise from the surroundings to protect the forest. The mages considered it an area that humans could not conquer and gave up on conquering the Kalton Mountains. "While analyzing this head, I found a clear reason why the Kalton Mountains couldn''t be conquered." "What is it?" "I thought it was just nullifying the magic, but that wasn''t it." "Then? Don''t beat around the bush and tell me." "It wasn''t just nullifying the magic; the entire magic disappeared." Disappearing entirely. Reed couldn''t understand what that meant just by hearing it. "What do you mean by disappearing entirely?" "So, the activation path of magic is almost simr, right? Gathering mana, manifesting the magic circle, and then releasing the contents of the magic circle in a series of processes." Since she didn''t major in magic, she could only roughly exin magic. Still, Reed understood that. "As soon as it is released, the magic circle itself is teleported to an unknown location." Only after hearing that did he understand why Kaitlyn was making a fuss. "Teleport". It is the identity of the Tower of Sky Chamber, and the only magic that only affiliated mages can handle. Although it is said that only affiliated mages can handle it, it was a high-level magic that even they couldn''t perform skillfully, except for the Tower Master, Helios Glin Zelonia. The casting time is very long, and during that time, everything must be transferred intact, but no one could do it skillfully. "You mean the entire magic circle is moved?" "Right after the magic circle is manifested and released, there''s a momentary wave of magical power. It seems that they imnted a magic stone inside their body to detect that wave." "A kind of sensor, then¡­" Detecting magical power wasn''t difficult. Even elite mages would be exposed if they used high-level magic. It was virtually impossible to discreetly use magic capable of blowing up an entire mountain. "They put in a magic stone that detects magical power waves, and when the golem detects that magic, it teleports the magic circle at the moment it''s released." Exmations of admiration came naturally as the magic trick was revealed. Using teleportation was undoubtedly something that someone had thought of, but it wasn''t a widely considered opinion. It was a technique that even Helios, the Tower Master of the Sky Chamber Tower, couldn''t do. Although it was possible if one was proficient in coordinate calctions, it was a difficult magic to use in practice, as it was only documented in literature. "It''s a shame we can''t use teleportation even if we know about it¡­" Reed lost his appetite. Teleportation magic was high-level magic. The magic form itself was exclusively affiliated with the Tower of Sky Chamber, and even Dolores, who was favored, had her ess to teleportation magic blocked because she was an outsider. If one used teleportation magic without the permission of the Tower Master, they would be punished for breaking the rules of the mages. That''s why, to Reed, it was a magic as unattainable as a pie in the sky. Kaitlyn seemed to anticipate Reed''s reaction and grinned. "This teleportation is a little different." "What is it?" "There''s no magic circle." "¡­What do you mean?" Kaitlyn tapped on the head of the guardian giant as she spoke. "So, activating the magic of this guardian giant is not through calctions or interpretations using magic circles." It could be interpreted as runes here, but Reed knew it was something of a different dimension. "So, you''re saying there''s a kind of magic stone that teleports inside this head." If that''s the case, the story changes. Although it''s close to a shortcut, if it''s a magical tool passed down from ancient times, the magic wouldn''t be affiliated with the Tower of Sky Chamber. Finally, Reed understood why Kaitlyn was making a fuss. Chapter 136.2: (Part 2) ''It turns out that what''s inside is not just information but a relic.'' The power that had long prevented the conquest of the Kalton Mountains was now on the verge of falling into his hands. ''I must not let Helios know.'' No matter what, he was the authority on teleportation magic, so he wouldn''t look kindly upon it being revealed in any way. He had no choice but to hide it as much as possible. "Is there anything else to research?" "There might be more if I dig deeper. But I don''t think it''s the right situation for that¡­" Kaitlyn was aware of Reed''s situation as well. Reed knew that she was aware of it and was yielding to him. "If you want, you can finish your research first." "No. It''s an opportunity given by the Tower Master, and taking it back is also up to the Tower Master''s discretion." "I won''t feelfortable if that opportunity turns into a failure¡­" "Don''t worry, not all of the research will turn into a failure. At least I''ve alreadypleted a model that will help you, Tower Master." "A helpful model?" "I''ll tell youter. But we''ll probably need a lot of magnesium." "Isn''t there already an abundance of it?" They even set up a separate magnesium farm in Barchan Union, and there were no major supply issues. Rather, it was too much piled up for just researching a single gauntlet. Reed found it strange that she said they needed more. Then Kaitlyn smiled bitterly. "We''ll need more than that. We need to create something simr to a human." "A human?" "Since it needs to be a simr size to the Tower Master¡­ Yes, we''ll need more." Kaitlyn nodded her head while roughly estimating. Was she nning to create a suit? He asked her, curious about her intentions. "What are you nning to make?" "A kind of doppelganger." "A doppelganger?" "Someone who looks identical to the Tower Master, fighting on behalf of and alongside you¡­ I''m thinking of creating a doll like that." Just by her words, it seemed like some kind of dummy body. "So, if I''m not trying to create a humanoid life form, there''s no need for further research. Instead of something that can move autonomously, it''s better to have a life form that moves ording to Homunculus or the Tower Master''s will." As she talked, Kaitlyn was visibly excited. Since the blocked path had been cleared after transcending, Kaitlyn must have been both surprised and delighted. "Let''s take out that relic then." "Understood." Kaitlyn immediately prepared her chisel and hammer. Reed watched her work. Kaitlyn ced the chisel on the yellow sphere that corresponded to the golem''s brain. And she began to gently tap on it. The delicate treasure jar slowly split along the pointed chisel''s position. *** Escolleia Magic Training Room. In the early dawn, when even the sun hadn''t risen, the training room was filled with vibrations and loud noises. "Phew¡­" After an intense battle, Dolores caught her breath and looked around. Traces of fire, electricity, and earth magic. Wooden arrows and broken wooden swords. And dolls made of white wood were scattered around. Cold ice was stuck to various parts of their bodies. The shapes were diverse. There were sharp, pointed ice shards, as well as blunt, bullet-like ice fragments. And there were also shards that pierced the wooden dolls from within their bodies. Dolores checked the results of her practice. [Mana Doll] Grade: S Number: 20 ss: Random Practice Result: Excellent Practice Time: 00:08:42 An S-grade magician has a basic "Magic" level of 5, and a swordsman has a "Swordsmanship" level maintained at 5. Those who achieve the highest in each field are S-grade. Dolores had annihted all of the S-grade in a bloody battlesting about 9 minutes. ''It''s not enough.'' She recalled her fight in her head and mentally repeated thecking points. Dolores granted mana to the mana dolls. The white body trembled and then returned to its original form, standing up from its ce. And she made the 20 dolls surround her again. From swordsman to magician, these training dolls store various information so that they can simte as desired. When set to random, there are over 2,000 possible attack patterns. Dolores wasn''t fighting to memorize those patterns. It was about honing her instincts so she could fight spontaneously. What should she do if swordsmen rushed her at the same time? How should she react when long-range magic and arrows were fired simultaneously? She trained to respond reflexively rather than being held back by her thoughts. ''That man was stronger.'' She hadn''t fought much, but she could feel his strength. She had to overwhelm him. To prevent that man from seizing an opportunity, Dolores had to be even stronger. ''Even if I don''t get stronger, I can''t let myself be held back.'' Being held back was the worst-case scenario. If, by any chance, she were to be captured by that man and Reed had to give up something... She shook her head. She didn''t even want to imagine it. So, she silently controlled the mana dolls and continued her training. Creak-. The sound of the door opening. Dolores turned her head. It was a man she had never seen before. "Sorry, but I''m still using this ce." Thinking he was a workering to clean in the morning, she said so. However, he didn''t respond or step back. Feeling annoyed but trying to be as polite as possible, she turned her head again to warn him. "I''m using it right now, so can you clean upter¡ª." Dolores couldn''t finish her sentence. The man was pointing his staff at her. He stared intently at Dolores and recited a magic spell. ""Lightning Spear"." A magic circle manifested from the staff, and a purple lightning spear flew towards Dolores. The sh of attack that couldn''t be caught even with her reflex speed struck her chest directly. Chapter 137.1: (Part 1) Ghosts of the Past (1) "Ugh!" Dolores, hit by a lightning spear, was pushed back. Fortunately, she didn''t suffer any severe injuries or get shocked by the lightning attribute. Ice grew from her skin, reducing the secondary damage. ''The power is quite impressive.'' If her defensive magic hadn''t activated, her chest would have been pierced, and her entire body would have been burnt by the electric current. Without a moment of panic, Dolores reflexively counterattacked. Frost spread across the floor and sprung up beneath the man''s feet. As if he had anticipated the attack, the man retreated. While she stood up again, Dolores continued to cast her magic. ""Ice Arrow"." Ice arrows sprouted and flew towards the assant. He could easily dodge a straight-flying ice arrow. However, the ice that Dolores shot was different from simple straight-flying ice. She was the "Incarnation of Cold." She was a magician skilled in cold magic, capable of changing the trajectory of flying ice. The curved ice arrow lodged into the man''s thigh. The man groaned in pain and then recited a spell. The man, who had been groaning in pain, stood up as if nothing had happened. Dolores could tell what kind of magic he had muttered. ''Did he use a pain-relief spell?'' Pain-relief spells only umted pain to be unleashedter, causing significant side effects. It was a dangerous magic that could turn even a mild pain into severe agony. Using the pain of being pierced by ice needles as a weapon was no different from saying he was ready to die. Fighting with the resolve to die? Dolores couldn''t understand the man''s purpose. "Are you a thief?" "..." The man didn''t answer. Instead, he attacked Dolores with another lightning magic spell. She had been caught off guard once, but she didn''t allow any more attacks. ''I feel like I''ve seen that face somewhere before...'' Handling lightning magic and attacking opponents recklessly, even at the cost of his own life, was his style. She didn''t have time to search her memory for his identity. He was a master of lightning magic. Not only shooting in a straight line but also curved and even radial, he hindered Dolores''s movements. However, the biggest problem was the lightning spear held in his right hand. It was as if the god of lightning had descended, shooting a lightning spear at Dolores. It appeared to be an ordinary lightning spear, but it flew slower than usual, aiming for Dolores. Each time, Dolores rolled her body to dodge it. She didn''t even dare to block it with an ice wall. Her umted knowledge reflexively recognized the lightning spear as dangerous. ''I''ve seen it somewhere before, no doubt.'' If he hadn''t been an opponent she had struggled with before, where had she seen him? There was one thing she knew for sure. If it turned into a long battle, she would lose. "I don''t know who you are, but..." Her hair turned white, and her eyes shone blue. "I''ll end this now." She raised her staff to the sky with both hands. All the mana within her swirled and gathered into one ce. Mana condensed into white light at the end of the staff. She mmed the staff to the ground with both hands. ""Domain of Rigea"." For a moment, it seemed as if time had stopped, and everything was silent. The cold spread rapidly, and in an instant, sparkling crystals appeared around her. Moisture in the air clumped together and solidified, shining like ss beads. Whooosh. The beautiful scenery of floating jewels was short-lived as they turned into a storm. The man quickly deployed a protective shield. He tried to push away the ice beads with a shield of electric current. As the unpushed ice beads touched the electric shield, the shape of the current froze instantly. The shield weakened at the same time. The frozen shield turned into thin ice chunks and was shattered by the ice storm. As soon as the ice beads touched his skin, ice spikes grew and pierced the man''s body. The ice spikes grewrger. He ignored the pain and tried to cast magic, but it didn''tst long. The ice spike reached his neck, tearing his vocal cords. "Cough... cough..." The absence of pain created a vulnerability. Due to the exposure of his neck, which is crucial in casting, he could no longer use magic. With that, the fight was over. His body slowed down in the cold, and every snowke that touched him turned into a spike, tearing his muscles apart. "Hoo..." Dolores took a deep breath. Once called the Goddess of Ice, Rigea. However, she became infamous for being corrupted into an evil deity and swallowing the north in an ice curse. That''s why Dolores called this magic ""Domain of Rigea"." It was a magic where everything around her became equal, a magic that indiscriminately massacred without any identification of friend or foe. Although Dolores had developed this wide-range magic, she didn''t want to use it. It was an unpredictable and dangerous skill that could affect even her allies, but the sturdy training ground could withstand her magic. ''It''s also a dangerous magic for myself.'' If her mental focus was even slightly disrupted, she could be swept away by the blizzard and suffer the same fate. Since it was a confined space and a one-on-one situation, Dolores boldly used that magic. Dolores carefully approached the man after confirming that his life waspletely cut off. ''What on earth is this person?'' She thought it might be a simple misstep, but every time she saw his face, something came to her mind. She thoroughly searched her memory library. "Ah." Finally, Dolores retrieved the man''s image from her memory. It was unexpected. She thought it might be a character from a book she had seen somewhere, but it was surprisingly close. ''A graduation album...'' It wasn''t Dolores''s graduation album, but that of her master, Anton Eclipsys. Chapter 137.2: (Part 2) Garcia Empire''s knight training center. Amidst the chick-like knight cadets dueling each other to apply their learned swordsmanship, a fierce duel was taking ce in one spot. They hesitated, cautiously moving away from the area, fearing they would be caught up in it. Sand dust rose like a storm, and the wind pressure pushed the knights'' bodies as they swung their weapons. After a five-minute intense exchange, the duel between the two stopped. The one who fought with an overwhelming presence was the Empire''s vanguard, Gorgan Garcia. And the other was the Wild Dragon living in the Silence Tower, Phoebe Astheria Roton. They stared at each other, breathing heavily. Despite their fierce fight, Phoebe smiled gracefully and spoke as if nothing had happened. "Thank you, Gorgan." "I should be the one thanking you. I never imagined my skills would be this rusty." Then, Phoebe waved her hand and said, "What are you talking about~? You kept digging into areas I didn''t expect, and it was really tough for me." "Hmm..." He tested a few moves he had thought of on Phoebe and sessfully caught her off guard with unexpected attacks. However, even his secret moves were always countered in the next duel. ''As expected of a woman with the blood of the ck Dragon.'' Her intelligence might not be great, but no one could match herbat sense. In a short time, she regained her senses, making it hard to believe she hadn''t fought for years. Through the duel with Phoebe, Gorgan gained a lot as well. After ending their duel, Gorgan and Phoebe approached the training captain, who was standing absentmindedly, and apologized. "Sorry, Captain. We disturbed the other knights'' training." "No, not at all. Just witnessing the skills of the Empire''s vanguard would have been a great inspiration to the knight cadets." Inspiration? The battle between the two half-dragons felt like a realm too far away. If they had to fight like that, they would probably give up on their path early... Phoebe and Gorgan washed off the dirt on their bodies with water and changed into casual clothes. They had a leisurely tea time after the rough fight. "You said you have a week off, right?" "Yes. I have to return tomorrow." "Then this afternoon will be ourst duel." Phoebe nodded her head. "The duels end here. I have somewhere to go now." "Where are you going?" "I''m going to visit the children''s graves." "Is that so?" "I went every year on the anniversary, but today, I could visit with all three of us, so I want to see the children." Phoebe, who was looking up at Gorgan, turned her head with an "Ah." There sat a half-dragon with red hair and sharp horns. "Saul, what will you do?" "Uh, huh? Huh?" Saul, who had been sitting quietly, was startled and flushed. "Ah, I, I should go, go too..." "..." "...Yes, sister." It was a touching moment when his manners, once gone, returned. Saul waspletely obedient to Phoebe. Phoebe decided to train with Gorgan for six days, but the half-dragon with the blood of the Azure Dragon, Saul, joined the training, and they ended up practicing together. The result was always Phoebe''s overwhelming victory. The first day, they fought evenly, but as she regained her lost senses, the gap between her and Saul gradually widened, and eventually, the gap became apparent even without fighting. Gorgan felt relieved and delighted to see Saul''s change. Phoebe pped her hands and smiled at Saul''s words. "It''ll be lovely to go as a family after such a long time. Let''s buy nine chrysanthemums. You''ll buy them, right, Saul?" "Of course." Saul hastily stood up and flew to the empire to buy the flowers Phoebe mentioned. Watching Saul''s transformation into a gentle dog, Gorgan thought once again how remarkable she was. "You handle him just like in the old days." "It was my job back then. You could do it too, Gorgan." "It''s impossible for anyone but you. I don''t get along with that guy''s personality." "What can you do? He''s family, and you have to make a choice to guide him on the right path." Seeing Phoebe as she was in the past, Gorgan couldn''t help but smile briefly. But only for a moment, as he realized he was smiling and quickly hid it. He nced at her, but luckily, it seemed Phoebe didn''t see his smile. A short whileter, Saul returned with the chrysanthemums. "I bought them, sister." "Saul, good job. Let''s get going now. Gorgan doesn''t have much time either." "Right." Phoebe, Saul, and Gorgan stood up. The distance to the grave wasn''t far, but they didn''t rush either. Phoebe led the way, humming a tune. "You seem quite excited." "I am. It''s a family outing. I''m sure our siblings will love it too." "As long as they don''t get too excited ande back to life..." "Saul." "It''s just a joke, sister." Although his face was smiling, he quickly backed off as soon as he felt her killing intent. Seeing Saul unable to use his strength, Gorganughed quietly. However, thatughter was short-lived. Upon arriving at the cemetery, Phoebe gasped. "Ah..." The nine beautiful chrysanthemums in her hand fell to the ground. They were prepared to be ced on each grave. The ninerades who had sacrificed themselves in the nightmare of the Astheria family were all carefully buried. But what they saw now was different. The tombstonesy like stones on the side of the road, and the ce where the peak should be was overturned with the soil inside out. Someone had dug up the graves. A rough word came out of Saul''s mouth. "What kind of bastard dares...!" Just as he was about to lose control of his anger, Saul''s mouth was forcibly shut. Gorgan also couldn''t breathe for a moment, as the air became heavy. The cause was Phoebe standing right next to them. A thick killing intent erupted, trying to wither and kill everything around. Her round, wide eyes were distorted with anger. *** Several unusual events happened simultaneously. Dolores was attacked by a former president, and Phoebe witnessed someone digging up the graves where her family was buried. It was a shocking incident. The former president who attacked Dolores was already deceased, and the nine family members of Phoebe were already deceased as well. ''The corpses havee back to life.'' Soon, everyone will know about this. Reed looked at Phoebe sitting on the sofa. She had just returned from her vacation, but her face was filled with worry. "Are you okay?" "...Yes." Phoebe forced a smile and nodded her head. Of course, she wasn''t okay. There was no way she could calmly ept that someone had desecrated her family''s graves after going berserk due to the death of the tower''s master. "Tower master." She opened her trembling lips. "Speak." "I have a person in mind... who I suspect." "That''s right. It''s enough to make it seem like that person did it." Freesia Vulcan Darksider. A tower master skilled in necromancy, with more ambition for corpses than anyone else. ''But it''s not Freesia.'' He was certain. In fact, she was more interested in her own death than corpses. Reed put his hand on her shoulder as she sat and spoke. "Let''s go." "Where are we going?" "To the ck Sky Tower." Although he knew it in his mind, he had to step forward. Taking this step is what he must do for Phoebe. Chapter 138.1: (Part 1) Ghosts of the Past (2) ck Sky Tower. The gloomy sky that could erase even the remaining hope came into Reed''s eyes. It was the first time since he hade to save Adonis. If there was something different, it was that he entered with Phoebe this time. They entered Freesia''s office, a room that could be called the king''s private chamber. Inside the dim interior, a girl sitting in a huge chair like a giant''s throne could be seen. "Our Reed, I would have been so happy if you hade alone... but you brought that half-penny?" Freesia looked at Phoebe with an unhappy expression. Phoebe politely greeted her. "I am honored to meet the master of the ck Sky Tower." Phoebe''s greeting seemed to be ignored as she looked up at Reed. "What brings you here? If it''s about that incident, I haven''t done anything, so let''s not hurt each other''s feelings." Although he expected it, it seemed that Freesia had already heard the news about Reed''s surroundings. "You are quick to grasp even minor events." "I am very interested in our Reed''s surroundings. And the people around Reed are very interested in me." Even though the water had been changed, it seems that the weed is still left in the tower of silence. They decided to put that issue aside and solve Phoebe''s problem first. As soon as he was about to ask a question, Freesia took the lead. "Let''s not go through unnecessary questions and answers. I didn''t do anything. What would I have to gain from messing with those half-pennies? If I had interfered, I would have taken it when Astheria''s nightmare erupted." Astheria''s nightmare. In their rage over the death of the head of the family, the 13 half-dragons waged war with the knights gathered from all over the continent. As a result, there were nine deaths, three captives, and one missing person. At that time, Freesia had tried to buy the nine half-dragon corpses. The one who stopped her from purchasing the corpses was the master of the Silence Tower, Jude Roton, and the corpses were returned to Phoebe. Based on such memories, he thought that the rtionship between Phoebe and Freesia would be fierce, but Phoebe seemed to be avoiding such friction. "Is there a possibility that the ck Sky Tower magician took it?" "No. How dare you doubt me, Reed?" "I just wanted to get some assurance since someone took the nine corpses." "Wanting assurance means you doubted it. Isn''t it like saying you think I did it and you want me to clear it up?" "That''s not it, but this incident is enough to cause misunderstandings." Reed carefully scratched Freesia''s unhappy expression, trying not to touch her nose. "If it wasn''t the Master of ck Sky Tower, then there''s a high probability that other mages are researching mind control. If that happens, won''t it be stepping over ck Sky''s authority? We''re also worried about the conflicts that such misunderstandings will bring." "Go ahead and use it. It''s because you guys are so despicable that you can''t help but think that way." Phoebe holds the white hem of her dress. She was enduring it. Knowing that she shouldn''t make Reed ufortable, she had to endure and move on even from such careless words. * * * Dream big tl dot *** "I ask for your help. Please listen to the humble request of the humble tower master." "You''re so in love. It''s so cheap that I want to die." At Reed''s sincere request, Freesia snickered. And then, her mood suddenly changed and the atmosphere became tense. Her fierce eyes glowed red. "So, should I just stay still? Do you know that the reason you came to me was to doubt me? And you still think I''ll just watch?" "Do you think we just came here to doubt the tower master?" "If not? What kind of bullshit is it if it''s not that reason?" At her fierce question, Reed swallowed. Making sure not to falter, he looked at her with force in his eyes and handed her his answer. "I trust the ck Sky Tower master. That''s why I came to you first and told you what''s on my mind. This is because I want to trust you." Freesia looked down at the serious Reed with a disgusted expression. "It''s disgusting. You came to find me because you wanted to trust me? Shit, why don''t you just say you came to propose?" "..." "It might be disgusting, but it''s much better than it is now." Though her tone was close to a refusal, Freesia stood up from her seat. Taking out a parasol from the shadows, she opened it and spoke to Reed. "Guide me. If it''s a boring incident, it won''t end with just hitting your face." *** Astheria''s tomb. It was the ce where the nine deceased siblings, subordinates, and half-dragon people were buried. Since it was a rebellion against the whole world, the tombstones couldn''t be as extravagant as those of other nobles. They had to be content with making small mounds and carving each name on an appropriate stone b. Reed remembered what kind of ce this was. That''s why he could understand how angry Phoebe must have been when she saw the dug-up tomb. "It looks like a sweet potato field. It looks like a wild boar dug up and overturned a sweet potato field." A careless remark. It may not be malicious, but it made the listener feel uneasy. There was a tter. The sound of stones hitting hard echoed in Phoebe''s mouth. Startled, Reedforted the girl beside him. "Don''t take it to heart." "Huh?" "Don''t take what the ck Tower master said to heart." "Oh, no, it doesn''t matter what the ck Tower master says. It''s just... seeing this made me angry again." It was a sight Phoebe couldn''t get used to. Reed patted her shoulder in constion, and Phoebe calmed her anger. As the anger disappeared, a feeling of depression settled on her face. Freesia continued her observation with her parasol up. Her eyes were wide open, and she didn''t seem to be doing a sloppy job as she tapped her lower jaw with her index finger. Smiling, it seemed she had finally reached a conclusion after much thought. "This is a really interesting problem." "What''s interesting?" "Reed, I''ll give you a question. Do you know how corpsese up when necromancy is used in amunal cemetery?" Feeling uneasy, but different from the excited Freesia, he joined her quiz. "Probably... starting with the hand." Since they don''t know where they were buried, they would start by digging the grave with their hands. That way, when they reach the surface, the first thing they see is the arm. "What''s the next part?" "I don''t know." "Right, you shouldn''t know. It doesn''t matter what the next part is when the corpsees crawling back up, right?" That''s right. The basic principle of necromancy is the forced movement of twisted organs by external magic. Phoebe nodded her head. "Yes..." "Reed, look at these tombs. They all came out with one side dug up first, right?" As Freesia pointed out one area at a time, Reed finally saw it. The ces she pointed to were all the head parts of the graves. "Everything that sprang up here did so by sticking their faces out first in order to breathe. Once the urgent fire was extinguished, the rest slowly dug through the dirt and got up." "Combining the information you provided..." Reed couldn''t finish his sentence. The answer that came to mind was so absurd that he wondered if it was correct. Chapter 138.2: (Part 2) Freesia smiled and gave the answer. "It''s not corpse necromancy or anything like that. It''s literally the deading back to life and jumping out of here." At that, confusion appeared on Phoebe''s face. "Is that really true? That they''re not dead but alive?" "Do you doubt my ability? I''m sure. I''ve seen a few people buried alive. They always pop up the same way." "A few...?" "I said a few, mostly were my subordinates." Suddenly, Reed became curious about what kind of life Freesia''s secretary led. Freesia, as if it was nothing, moved on and scratched her chin. "It''s interesting in this case. I''m sure those half-pennies were dead when I checked their breath had stopped. Were they resilient creatures?" "That''s only special for Saul. The other children... are no different from people..." "I thought they might have some interesting abilities, but it''s boring. So, someone else interfered from the outside?" Freesia clicked her lips and muttered. "Reviving the dead. Who performed that miracle, which even our omnipotent Althea couldn''t do? What do you think, Reed?" "I''m not sure. It would be nice if there were a resurrection concept likeing back to life, but it''s probably not that, so..." Suddenly, a thought crossed Reed''s mind. As he didn''t speak for a long time, Freesia shouted in frustration. "What''s wrong? Why did you stop talking? It''s annoying." In a seemingly dazed state, Reed''s mind was following clues and arriving at a conclusion. Through the conversation with Freesia, he seemed to know what these strange incidents were. The source of the conclusion was ¡°Disaster 7¡±. One of the seven disasters that would be createdter had a simr ability. "Going against... time." A general boss who arrives at the funeral and the first disaster. His ability was time itself. * * * In the dark space, holding a single sword and using one knee as a pillow, he barely managed to sleep. The pure white porcin mask stirred, and the hero raised his head. The information flowing into his mind. He could understand what it was. "I''ve been had..." The hero muttered. It was a signal that arrived precisely when Dolores cut the former president''s life. Without even a moment to ponder his defeat, a dark voice flowed in front of him. -It''s different from what I expected. Didn''t you say he would be enough by himself? "It seems I underestimated her. It''s my fault." - The former principal of Escolleia, a man who couldn''t even beat an assistant, what a piece of trash. "He wasn''t even a skilled enough man to be buried in a proper ce. His body was buried far away from Escolleia, after all." -Why? "Because he tried to poison the current president, Anton Eclipsys." -Didn''t you say he was a ssmate? "Anton was a genius in terms of ability, so he felt threatened. He couldn''t ovee the pressure and put poison in Anton''s food." -But he failed? "Anton was a much more meticulous person than I imagined. He realized that poison was added, restrained him, and forced him to confess. Anton, hearing the situation, found the man despicable and ultimately dealt with him as he saw fit." -You know quite a lot. "It was a story I was very curious about, why the former president was buried far away from Escoria." The president, or the professors, are always buried in Escoria''s cemetery. Security is, of course, top-notch. Among the corpses, the most expensive corpses are those of magicians. asionally, grave robbers would dig up tombs not only for treasure but also for the corpses of high-ranking magicians. It was likely for the president or professors, who were talented magicians, to be targeted by grave robbers. "I thought I could kill him now that he''s weakened since his heyday, but I was wrong." -It wasn''t empty words; he really was a genius magician. There should have been no problem dealing with the former president. "I can''t send another assassin." -Escoria isn''t stupid either. But how did you manage to persuade that president? "It wasn''t difficult." The hero picked up his sword. A smooth de. It looked like an ordinary sword without any decorations, but that sword was emitting an unusual energy. "Most people who are dying have regrets. Even saints regret what''s left in their lives at the moment of death. The desire to live a little longer, the desire to try things they haven''t done before. That''s how contracts are made." -So, you''re making contracts by exploiting the weak nature of humans? It''s fitting for a hero who defeated the demon king to do something the demon king would do. The dark voiceughed as if it was amusing. The man spoke again in a dry voice. "That alone would have been difficult. So I told him one more thing." -What was it? "What I had seen. I showed him the world of despair that would exist even if he came back to life." -So it went like that? Then, he must have wanted to struggle to live somehow. "It''s not struggling. It''s just reminding them of their duty." -You''re good at dressing it up nicely. However, the man''s words were sincere, not just dressing it up. He didn''t feel guilty either. He had already killed many people. He cut down both those who were evil and those who would be evil with his sword. There was not a single moment of hesitation in what he was doing, and he held his head high with conviction. -What are you going to do now? "I''ll restore fate to its original state. To make sure they can face the end they should face..." -Does that mean you''re going to die too? "Yes." The hero. Like Adonis, Larksper, and Peon, he too bes a disaster that threatens the continent. Isel didn''t know that the man who would be the first disaster was the hero. Even if he hadn''t shown his face in Pieta, he might never have known. He would have fought as a disaster just like them and faced the same end. The hero knew this well. Yet he did not hesitate. -So you were destined to die anyway. How tragic. "I have never rebelled against my fate." He adjusted his white porcin mask. "I''m just doing what I have to do... to save many people." -How cruel, truly cruel. The hero loves the world. Even that dark voice knew this fact. The hero sacrificed his precious things to save everyone. He lost his existence and gained a fate heading towards tragedy. That''s why the hero must do it. Even if it''s a lonely path that no one can understand. To create a more beautiful world, he moves towards his will. Chapter 139.1 Ghosts of the Past (3) The ce where Reed was located was the capital of the Hupper Kingdom, Cohen. He was having a three-way confrontation with Morgan the Second and the leader of the Barchan Alliance, Larksper. The sudden confrontation was due to an unexpected raid. The raid did not just stop at Dolores. Adonis, who was in training, was attacked by a stranger, and Larksper, who went to drive out the mountain boars, was also attacked. There was one thing inmon with the attackers who attacked the two. "Half-dragon... is that what you said?" "Yes, a man with horns on his head attacked." "Yes, my sister also said that the attacker was a half-dragon." It was the fact that they were half-dragons. Reed asked for their impressions, and the two expressed what they had seen in their own way with a montage. Their faces were different, but they were people Phoebe knew. "They are my siblings." Phoebe, standing behind, answered. Reed flipped the picture over, as if it would be painful to watch any longer, and asked them. "So, what did you do?" "I couldn''t kill them. They were strong." "It seems that my sister couldn''t handle it either. She said she was a little pushed back in the power struggle and went into training." That''s why Morgan the Second himself came to speak instead of the subjugation. "It must have been a great shock." "Shock... should I say? It seems like something different." "What do you mean?" "Maybe it''s because it''s the first strong enemy that has appeared since capturing the giant... it seems like she''s excited." "..." Reed made an expression that he didn''t understand, but Larksper nodded with his arms crossed. "Adonis is a warrior. Warriors get excited by strong enemies." "Since you were also attacked, Chief, it seems like you will need training. How about doing it with my sister?" "It''s always good to be with an excellent warrior." He spoke calmly, but Reed knew that he was secretly delighted. For Larksper, the orc chieftain of Barchan, obtaining a pretext for training was a good deal. "You should also focus on national defense now." "You''re right. I wanted to consult with the tower master about that." Larksper got along well with Adonis, and Reed got along well with Morgan the Second. They had always focused on developing tools to stabilize people''s livelihoods, but since Adonis''s raid, military weapons became even more important. Whether Adonis was excited by the stimulus or not, Morgan the Second had only one family, and he didn''t want to watch his family suffer. Reed knew that Morgan the Second would think so, and he had already brought a few blueprints. These were the weapons that Kaitlyn began to create in preparation of the near future when a full-scale disaster would strike. Larksper silently looked down at them. Although he could hear thenguage, he could only guess that it was a good item, but he didn''t know the meaning. Reed took care of those around him like that. Morgan the Second and Larksper ended the meeting with satisfied faces. Among them, the mostplicated one seemed to be Phoebe standing behind Reed. The two returned to the tower without a word. As it waste at night, it was time to take a shower and go to bed. Phoebe politely greeted Reed, who was about to return to his room. "You''ve worked hard." Hearing that voice, Reed couldn''t ignore her. "Phoebe." Reed held onto her. Hearing her name called, Phoebe turned her head again. "Yes?" * * * Dream big tl dot *** "Are you okay?" As Reed asked with concern, Phoebe answered with a smile. "Of course~ I''m fine." Phoebe showed a smile. The bright smile that seemed as if nothing was wrong made her feel even more worried than relieved. "Those half-dragons might not be the siblings you knew. If that happens, a conflict will surely ur between you and them." "That''s right..." Reed knew that Phoebe didn''t want to fight with the people who were her family. Those who hade back to life wererades who had spent their lives together, friends, and family. When they died, Phoebe buried them with her own hands. She wept in front of them as she buried them one by one. It would never be an easy decision to kill them with her own hands again, and if the situation arises where she must kill them. "I''ll find a way to save those kids." At that remark, Phoebe raised her head and looked up at Reed. Then, she felt a soft touch wrapping around Reed''s hand. "Tower master." Phoebe spoke as she approached closely. "Don''t do that." "Why?" "Those kids are definitely the siblings I took care of. Surely... that must be the case." Phoebe herself remembered it clearly. The pain of loss. The resentment of helplessness. "But to force them to be saved... I don''t want to put the tower master in danger." "Why?" "Because now is more important. I can''t lose the present by being trapped in the past." Phoebe smiled. She smiled as if to say that such a thing would not happen, like a motherforting a child. "So don''t worry about me. Protecting the tower master and the youngdy is my job now. So you don''t need to do anything for me." Rather than being grateful for her consideration, Reed felt more pity. Phoebe does so much for him, so why doesn''t she ask for anything in return? Reed thought of her consideration like this. ''It''s because I''m powerless.'' It''s because she doesn''t expect anything more from someone who is powerless. It''s a state of resignation where you can only choose one thing at the crossroads of choice. It''s a choice for family. That''s why Reed treated her like family. "Ah!" Phoebe''s eyes widened. Wasn''t Reed hugging her right now? Her face flushed btedly, and her speech sped up. "Th-th-th-tower master!" Phoebe was flustered. She could tell that he was trying tofort her a little, but she never thought he would hug her. "Don''t you like this?" "No, no! I-I-I like it..." Her shyness and joy loosened her vocal cords, and the pronunciation leaked out. Phoebe leaned quietly against his body. "Is there anything else you want from me? If I can do it, I''ll do it." Chapter 139.2 There were things she wanted. There were so many that it was hard to even say them out loud. At this moment, like Reed embracing her, Phoebe wanted to hold him tightly as well. She wanted to hug him so tightly that he couldn''t move, just like the dolls she always made. "......there''s nothing." Love was always a one-sided feeling, so when trying to express affection to oneself, it was very awkward. Phoebe knows how strong she is and how different she is from others. What if she fails to control her strength and hurts Reed? Such a fearful feeling came first. "Just like this, let me stay a little longer... just a little more." So she wanted Reed to hold her as much as she couldn''t embrace herself. *** The name of the second disaster was Peon. The name of the third disaster was Adonis. And skipping to the seventh is Larksper. The first disaster had no name. As if they made a vow of silence like Rachel, they had no intention of leaking their information through multiple ys. Its existence was almost like a MacGuffin, making it one of the strangest viins after Reed. [T/N: MacGuffin is a plot device that is necessary to the motivation of the characters, but insignificant, unimportant, or irrelevant in itself.] The strange reason was only known aftering to this world. ''Hero.'' The existence of the disaster that darkened the world, a figure who defeated the Demon King and went into hiding. It was because that person became a disaster. ''If he dered himself to be a disaster... it means he knows what originally happened.'' The tragedy that should have urred did not happen, and the experiment using Rosaria did not ur. So, he tried to forcibly cause something that would not happen. ''...Is he hopeless?'' To be honest, that thought came first. The absence of judgment. Having lived for over 300 years, it wouldn''t be strange if he had dementia at any time. ''Even if he''s a senile old man, his swordsmanship is at the Swordmaster level.'' His body is strong enough to withstand explosions, and his swordsmanship is sharp. If he hadn''t been lucky enough to dodge the first blow, Reed would have already been destroyed. ''He''s an excellent swordsman, but his ability is a problem.'' The first disaster deals with somethingpletely different from the other six. It''s not about his own power or empowering someone else, it''s about time. He has a sword that can turn back time within a certain space, or his own time. People called it a sword that could even turn the sky upside down, the Heaven-Reversing Sword. ''He was an absolutely impossible character to fight alone.'' In a one-on-one fight, the first disaster is invincible. So, at least two people, and the safest way to fight was to have four people attack together. Would a party be necessary to face the first disaster? He ran a simtion in his head based on his current power. One thing was certain: he was not among those four. ''It''s too overwhelming.'' In game terms, there were 1st tier characters, so there was no reason to put a 2nd tier in. Since Reed had limitations, he tried to cheat his way into a 1st tier spot. ''If I have that... won''t I rise to the 1st tier level?'' He thought of the item he was currently creating. At that moment, Kaitlyn''s voice came through themunication. -I''ve finished it. "That thing?" -Yes, that thing. Reed jumped up from his seat and moved to Kaitlyn''sb. Untidy magnesium te fragments were scattered everywhere, and the ce was messy but didn¡¯t catch his eye. In Reed''s eyes, a thin and beautiful gauntlet was floating in the zero-gravity field. Rune letters engraved in a nice spot. And in the center, a yellow and beautiful magic crystal. It was an item that had been inside the head of the guardian giant protecting the temple. To be precise, it was a crystal engraved with a teleportation spell that could nullifyrge-scale magic. "Can I try wearing it?" "Go ahead." Reed inserted his hand into the gauntlet floating in the zero-gravity field. Click! Click! The gauntlet gently wrapped around Reed''s hand with a clicking sound. The feeling of wearing it was just asfortable as before. What are the conditions for using the teleportation spell? As he thought about it while wearing the gauntlet, Reed''s body disappeared frighteningly fast. Kaitlyn, who turned her head for a moment, continued to speak calmly without realizing she waste. "Oh, be careful. If you mess up with it, you might not know where you''ll end up, so be a little¡ª." Only when she turned her head did she realize what Reed had done. *** Escolleia, Assistant Office of Anton''s Principal. Dolores was having a hard time. She had sessfully defended against the assant''s attack and defeated him, but when the truth came out that the opponent was a former principal, her worries began to grow. The opponent turns back time and controls the person during their prime. ''Although other Escolleia principals and professors won''t appear and attack...''. There were also many wizards who lived for the positions and honors they could receive through their achievements. Dolores was doubtful whether she could beat those wizards. Preparing for the next lecture was already stressful enough, but the fact that an unknown enemy had appeared only added to the stress. ''I miss oppa.'' She didn''t want much. She just wanted to have a cup of coffee and look at him, to put down her worries for a while and findfort. That''s when it happened. Something touched Dolores'' sharp senses. ''Distortion of space?'' A very brief warning signal that can be felt when using teleportation magic. Having been trained in what to watch out for in teleportation magic as much as she was favored by the Tower Master of the Sky Chamber, Helios, she immediately noticed it. The incident urred right in front of her assistant''s office. Dolores got up from her seat and picked up her ice staff. She had been on edge ever since her encounter with the former principal who attacked her. She prepared to insert hundreds of ice spikes into the ce where the teleportation would ur. Finally, the assant''s figure appeared, and just as Dolores'' magical chant was about to continue, she hurriedly covered her mouth. Dolores doubted her own eyes. There, Reed was crouching down. She thought she might have seen it wrong, so she called him. "...... Oppa?" "Uh, yeah?" Not knowing what had happened, Reed replied stupidly. "Is it really you? How did you get here? How did you use the teleportation magic...?" "Uh, well..." How do you use teleportation magic? When Reed thought about that question, he instinctively thought of the person who was closest yet furthest away. Naturally, the opposite sex came to mind, and among them, he thought of the most distant woman. The result was Dolores. However, Reed never expressed his intention to go there. At most, he was familiar with the scenery of Dolores'' assistant''s office and thought it would be nice to visit. In other words, it was magic that happened due to poor control and a mistake. But he couldn''t simply answer the truth. Since the fierce ice spikes contrasted with her twinkling blue eyes were aimed at him. In a situation where his body would be a beehive as soon as hermand was given, Reed decided to throw an answer as close to the truth as possible. "I missed you... so?" Upon hearing that answer, Dolores'' rational questions about how Reed used magic and through what route vanished from her mind. What more questions are needed when a lover rushes to see you while you''re struggling? Chapter 140.1 Ghosts of the Past (4) Reed had returned to his original ce. Kaitlyn, who had been anxiously pacing around the area, was relieved to see Reed return. "Ta, Tower Master, I thought you were dead! I was so worried that you might have been blown away into a gap in space or something...!" "I''m sorry." "Where have you been?" "I was in Escolleia, at the assistant''s office where Dolores is, for a while." "¡­For an hour?" "Yes." "A man and a woman in one room?" As Kaitlyn began to snicker like a shady old man, Reed made an incredulous face. "I don''t know what you''re imagining, but I just had a cup of coffee and a chat." Dolores needed some healing time, and Reed appeared at the right moment. After an hour of drinking coffee and sharing various stories, Reed returned to his original state. She couldn''t even ask about teleportation. No doubt, when he returned, she would have realized her mistake. Reed was utterly innocent, but Kaitlyn''s gaze remained unwavering. Worried that she might start gossiping, Reed quickly changed the subject. "The performance of this crystal teleport is definitely good. It''s enough to prate Escolleia''s magic circle." The secrety in the extremely short casting time. Most local defensive magic prioritizes detecting mana rather than blocking it primarily. When magic enters from the outside, a magic circle is deployed to detect and then block it. In Reed''s case, he could move so quickly that as soon as it was detected, it was cast immediately. In other words, if it''s an area where mana doesn''t fully pass through, it would be difficult to break through and escape on one''s own. Reed created his strategy after checking various conditions. First, he practiced moving his body. The practice was simple. The principles of activation were simr to runes. As soon as he thinks he wants to go somewhere, the ¡°Teleport¡± magic is activated. Still, it wasn''t as simple as runes. The ce to teleport to had to be seen by Reed at least once, and he had to know the exact location. Reed began to devise a strategy based on the acquired information. The center of the strategy was two items: runes and teleportation crystal. He wondered if he could do something with magic, but only the casting speed of beginner magic was fast. For more powerful or wide-range magic, at least 3 seconds were needed. Three seconds were more than enough time for a Swordmaster to approach Reed and cut him into 17 pieces. ''Only when it''s really safe... No, not even then.'' As a seasoned swordsman, he was skilled in fake patterns. Reed continued to think about what to do. He thought, found weaknesses, and continued his training through repetition. Finally, he was able to fully acquire the teleportation ability. *** Sunday. Dolores began her education at the Silence Tower. Although she could make it possible for children to ess Escolleia on weekends, Dolores did not ept the convenience. That''s because Dolores'' enjoyment of the weekend started with going to the Silence Tower. "Why are your lips pouting like this today?" Dolores asked as she pressed Rosaria''s small lips with her index finger. "I don''t like it because Dad''s been very busytely." "Really?" "When I sneak into where Dad works, I can never see him. He always goes downstairs." "Downstairs... that must be the research building. Didn''t you used to go there often?" "Now Rosaria can''t go in there. Dad said he''s angry because I keep going on adventures!" "Oh, I see." Though she seemed sympathetic, Dolores secretly thought that Reed had made the right decision. Curiosity can lead to knowledge from unexplored areas but always involves risks. She had the potential trait of "Sense of Curiosity," which allowed her to do anything, and it wouldn''t have been surprising if anything happened if she was left to her own devices. Besides, scolding was not Dolores'' role. "Miss Rosaria, Tower Masters are always very busy. They have to deal with many people''s tasks every day, so they have no time to rest!" When Yuria spoke loudly, Rosaria turned her head and asked. "Is the assistants busy too?" "Of course. Captains are the busiest." "It seems like Phoebe is the one doing the most work..." "Because Miss Rosaria always goes to y when she''s there, it looks that way! In reality, she must be incredibly busy!" "That''s right." She seemed genuinely shocked and convinced. "In the end, work is the worst thing." Rosaria frowned and then nodded as if she had made up her mind. "I want to be Dad''s hero. I''ll be a hero and blow Dad''s work far, far away!" "But then the Tower Master would have to work even harder to clean up those tasks. It would be difficult for him." * * * Dream big tl dot *** "Then I''ll take down everyone who gives Dad work! Because they''re bad people!" "That... sounds like murder?" "I won''t do that because murder is bad. I''ll just make an X on their eyes." "What do you mean by that?" "Like this!" When Rosaria showed Yuria the drawing of ''X _ X'' she had made with her hands, Yuria tilted her head, wondering if there was something else. "That means they''re dead." "No, it means they''re knocked out! It''s different from dying." "What''s the difference?" "Heroes don''t kill people!" Rosaria turned her head and looked up at Dolores. Dolores, who had received the baton, smiled and stroked Rosaria''s head. "Isn''t that so?" "See, I''m right." Rosaria proudly puffed out her chest, as if she had won. Not wanting to lose, Yuria pouted and began to solve the problem again. ''A hero...'' Dolores also liked the story of heroes. It''s rare for someone not to like the story of heroes who perform good deeds and judge evil. However, if it''s reality, it''s never a simple story. ''And it''s still the same now.'' The man who attacked Reed was the hero. At first, Dolores didn''t believe him, thinking he was just teasing her, but when she realized he was serious, she knew she had to take it seriously. ''Otherwise, the long-dead former president wouldn''t have attacked me.'' Realizing that she was lost in her own thoughts, Dolores poked at Rosaria''s notebook, which was idly doodling. "Don''t scribble in your book, solve the problem quickly." "Okay." Rosaria began to solve the problem as she quickly erased her drawing with an eraser. As Rosaria flipped through her notebook, Dolores inadvertently caught sight of a drawing on one side of her notes. Unable to ignore it, she pointed to the page and asked. "What''s this?" "When Dad was sick, I tried to make a spell for him." "A spell?" "Yes!" "You made a spell?" At the word "spell," Yuria also turned her head to look at Rosaria''s notebook. Rosaria proudly showed her drawing. Shapes and lines filled in a crooked circle. Seeing that, Yuria snorted and acted superior. "You can''t draw magic circles like that. It''s not something you can just scribble." "How do you do it?" "Hehe, you have to be able to draw like me!" Yuria showed her a magic circle she had drawn once before. A neatly drawn circle and shapes, and even the incantation activation characters were meticulously copied. "How about that, Master?" "..." "Master?" Dolores, who had been looking at Rosaria''s drawing, finally came to her senses and turned her head. "Huh? Oh, sorry. I was lost in thought for a moment. It''s a barrier magic used in the Empire, right?" "Yes!" As the Master showed interest as she wished, Yuria began presenting the important elements of the barrier incantation with a bright expression. Dolores already knew the story, and Rosaria didn''t know anything about it, but they both reacted as much as possible to satisfy Yuria. Chapter 140.2 After the ss was over, Dolores raided the Tower Master''s office. That was her reward for teaching the two tiny mages. "I''m here." "Good job." He greeted her while lying on the sofa, not sitting at his office desk. "You''re not working today?" "I''m resting after finishing everything. That''s better for you, isn''t it?" "Hmm, it''s more fun to bother you when you''re working..." "Was that your intention?" Dolores jokingly sighed as if she was disappointed. She lifted Reed''s head and ced it on herp like a pillow. "I''ll visit you when I want to bother you next time." "If youe with that strange teleportation magic, I''ll freak out again." "Did you freak out?" "Of course, I did. If a high-level intruder breaks in, there won''t even be a chance to block the magic, even the Tower Master of the Timekeeper Tower would be flipped." Reed opened his eyes and cautiously asked. "You didn¡¯t tell anyone I did it, right??" "I didn¡¯t say anything, but it¡¯s going to be hard to keep it to myself.." "ckmailing me?" "No. My lips were itching so much that I was going to report to the president." "That''s mean." "Well, I don''t like doing business that I lose money on...." "I need to give you some hush money. I¡¯ll give you a generous amount, so let¡¯s just forget about it.." "Give it to me now, quickly." With that hush money, Dolores kissed her. Normally, she would giggle and smile, but she looked dissatisfied as she looked down at Reed. "It''s a bit weak. I feel like I might be floating around weakly around you." "You gave quite a lotpared to a lifetime of alimony payments." "Give me two more months'' worth." "You''re greedy. You might end up falling for that plump cheek." "Oh, people of the world~ Look over here~. What this parasitic man did~." After paying for those two extra months, she started to smile lovingly. Dolores toyed with Reed''s hair like a toy and said, "By the way, has Rosaria ever made a spell for when you were sick?" "Huh? Oh, she did." It was when she first used a rune. It was such a chaotic time, and it was such a foolish situation that he couldn''t help but remember it. "Then have you seen this at that time?" "What is it?" Dolores showed him something that looked like a magic circle that he had seen once before. Reed nodded his head. "Oh, yeah. I thought... that it was drawn quite hard." "Any other impressions?" "It hurts like hell, but it''s healing to know that my daughter is thinking of me." "Is there anything else?" "No, why?" Dolores looked at him with suspicion. What does she want to say? "The magic circle that Rosaria drew. It was crooked, so I thought it was just that, but when I tried to systematize it, it came out like this." Dolores showed her drawing next to Rosaria''s. It was a systematized version of what Rosaria had drawn. "This is a working magic circle." "It works?" "You didn''t know? If you don''t have apass or something, the circle won''t be drawn perfectly, so this is a simplified version of a restoration spell that Rosaria drew." "So the magic circle was simplified??" Reed sprang up from his seat. Living as a magician, he had learned a few things. Sometimes hastily drawn magic circles could also be activated. However, the effect was usually very weak, or it turned into a bizarre, neither-here-nor-there kind of magic. The fact that it was simplified while maintaining theplete magic was not just a surprising matter. "That''s why I''m so surprised right now." At Dolores''s words, Reed channeled mana into the magic circle she had prepared. The magic circle, receiving the mana, emitted a faint green light and rose up. Indeed, what Rosaria had drawn was a simplified healing magic circle. "Your disciple did something great." "She did. That''s why I''m worried." "Worried?" Dolores nodded at the question. "Rosaria has talent. But I''m worried because that talentes out unconsciously." "Because ites from the realm of sensation?" When Rosaria wants to do something, she does it. When she first debuted, she touched the pir of the tower, and she also broke a sword that someone swung at him because she couldn''t stand injustice. They called it the realm of sensation. "While I don''t know about jobs like swordsmen or archers, it''s a fundamental principle that a magician should be cooler-headed than anyone else. Rosaria is more emotional than other magicians." "Isn''t Yuria also like that, always making you grumble?" "Yuria is rational. She''s justpetitive. She learns fast, and Rosaria has a lot of potential, but Yuria will be just as strong as Rosaria." In fact, the only character with the skills to suppress Rosaria was Yuria. There was no way Dolores could have known such future information. It showed how much Dolores cared for her disciples. "So what do you want to say?" "I''m just worried about Rosaria. She''s talented enough to unconsciously simplify magic circles. I wonder if I''m blocking her talent too much. If I let her use magic through the realm of sensation, there''s no doubt she''ll be no less than a great magician within a year, but I wonder if it''ll turn into something neither here nor there..." Dolores sighed. It was a difficult decision to make, as much as Dolores was worried. If she let Rosaria''s talent be tainted by walking the path of moderation, it would be Dolores'' fault as a teacher. And if she let Rosaria''s talent flourish by walking the path of excess, but that overflowing talent turned into poison, that would also be Dolores'' fault. She was doing her best, but the word "best" could not forgive everything. Reed, who had heard Dolores''s concern, stroked her head and said. "Rosaria is truly blessed." "Why?" "Because she has such a beautiful and talented teacher who will soon be her mother." At those words, Dolores chuckled and threw a teasing remark. "What are you saying? You''re really bing an old man. You only say old man-like things." "Ugh, it hurts when you say that." Reed turned his head away, smacking his lips. As he made a sulky face, Dolores clung to him. "I didn''t say I didn''t like it. I like that kind of old man." "I don''t like you anymore. Live with Rosaria, just the two of you." "Why is our old man so narrow-minded? I really can''t live without you." Dolores yfully touched Reed''s lips and acted affectionately. Chapter 143 Ghosts of the Past (7) ¡®That¡¯s how you protect your own home¡­¡­ .¡¯ Despite narrowing down the areas they could take responsibility for and sticking close together, the forces of all kingdoms and military factions were gathered in one ce. The standing gs looked like a fence. Phoebe, who had been looking down with him, reacted while looking somewhere. "Oh, Saul is there too~." "Saul?" "He''s my younger brother in the Empire." Reed moved his telescope below the Empire''s g. A red-haired man in te armor looked up at their location, and when he met Phoebe''s eyes, he turned his eyes away with an ufortable face. Then he awkwardly raised his finger and responded to the greeting. Reed put away the telescope and doubted his own eyes. ''Is that man really Saul?'' The appearance matched perfectly. As a characteristic of the half-dragon who doesn''t age well, it feels simr to when Reed saw him. Saul was an NPC who always invaded during training quests in the Empire Quests. While training, he would pop out like a special event and shout, "Show me your skills," and invade. Of course, there''s no way to win. Training events happen early on, and the initial specs are always at the level of a worm, so how can one beat the half-dragons with their final specs? Saul was a bully character who liked to suppress others. The Empire''s bully became a gentlemb in front of Phoebe, creating a huge sense of dissonance. "Shall we go meet him?" "Oh, do you want to see Saul?" Phoebe''s face brightened as if she was pleased. "Well, it''s not just because of Saul." Reed said so and turned around. When he came out, Phoebe apanied him. It was to escort the Tower Master Reed. As they came out, all the watchmen''s eyes were focused on Reed. "We greet the Master of the Silence Tower." All the watchmen who met Reed''s eyes bowed respectfully to him. It must be a greeting under the orders of the superiors to treat him like a king, but it wasn''t bad. Reed entered the monitoring area of the Garcia Empire. The watchman must have informed them that the Tower Master had arrived, as the owner came out from the splendid tent. It was the Crown Prince of the Garcia Empire. He appeared to be in his mid-20s with blond hair and a refreshing impression that could be felt from his face. Lookingpletely different from the little rascal William, the Crown Prince greeted Reed with a dignified appearance. "The Crown Prince of the Garcia Empire greets the Master of the Silence Tower." From his smile, one could understand a little why he was praised as the treasure of the Empire. It was a refreshing smile that loosened the tension. "Is it okay for the Crown Prince toe here in person?" "You''ve been quite the topic among the magicians, so I wanted to see you at least once." "You have a great sense of humor in these confusing times." "I came with the pirs of the Empire as my escort, so why should I be afraid?" He patted Saul''s shoulder and smiled proudly. Saul stood with decorum, simr to the other knights. Unlike Gorgan, who was born a soldier, there were some awkward aspects, but it wasn''t bothersome. The Crown Prince nced at the woman standing modestly beside Reed. "Nice to meet you, you must be the Tower''s Deputy?" "Nice to meet you too, Your Highness." Phoebe, perhaps nervous, sweated a little and offered a polite greeting. There was great pressure to be cautious with her words and actions, as her position was more associated with Reed''s image than that of the Emperor. "Your reputation precedes you. Of course, only within the pce." The meaning of ''only within the pce'' referred to the content of ckmailing the Third Prince. Of course, the ckmail was done by Morgan II, but after hearing all the circumstances, the Crown Prince realized that Phoebe had recorded the ckmail. "I don''t know what you''re talking about." Despite being nervous, she was quite good at acting nonchnt. The Crown Prince continued with a smile. "Thanks to you, I was able to correct my brother''s habits, so it''s a relief for me. I thought he would cause a big ident someday, but you stopped it before it happened, so I should be grateful." "You don''t need to thank me for something I didn''t do." The conversation continued in a tit-for-tat manner. The Crown Prince persistently tried to dig deeper, but Phoebe maintained her irond defense, letting the questions slip away. The Crown Prince turned his head to look at Reed again. "The reason I came here is none other than to discuss the items being produced in the Silence Tower." It was a clich¨¦ story. No doubt he would say the same thing as other nobles who wanted to monopolize. However, Reed''s position was always firm. "Even if Your Highnesses here in person, I cannot give you the items carelessly." "Is it because it goes against fairness?" "Yes. Don''t you already have enough magicians in the empire?" There were defensive magic circles and an army prepared to intercept anyone who invaded. It was thest fortress that would not fall easily, even if the hero who defeated the Demon King, precisely the hero who became the first disaster, took action personally. "We want to monopolize the weapons to be made in the future as well. If you join hands with our empire, we can provide more support than the Hupper Kingdom." The copyright of knowledge is always important. Of course, they could create something simr to a bolt gun in a different way, but by then, the Silence Tower would already be far ahead. And the Empire''s magicians wouldn''te to learn magic engineering now. It would be more profitable to join hands with the Silence Tower. Of course, Reed had no intention of being swayed by that. Giving them good weapons would be like giving wings to the power-hungry Garcia Empire. "Resources and support are not the problem." "Then?" "It''s a matter of trust. I am currently in a partnership with the Hupper Kingdom. If I throw away trust for immediate gains, I won''t be able to receive or give trust to anyone in the future." "I see. That''s a valid point as well." He took Reed''s words seriously and showed his reaction. Despite having enough reasons to resent the Hupper Kingdom for dering its separation and independence, he showed no signs of displeasure. Whether he was truly listening or just trying to win favor, it was clear he had the qualities for politics. "I expected it, but it''s a little disappointing to be rejected so quickly. In that case, would you at least ept the humble gift we prepared?" "In that case......" He couldn''t refuse the gift he brought after turning down the Crown Prince, so he epted it as it was. The Crown Prince looked up at Reed with a satisfied expression, and only after receiving it did Reed realize that it was a method to give a gift. ''He''s cunning.'' Knowing that he would obviously refuse, he made him refuse once so that he couldn''t refuse twice, making him ept the favor. It wasn''t a skill he had tried just once or twice. "Oh, speaking of which, didn''t Saul say he brought something too?" Although the Crown Prince casually called him, Saul bowed his head politely and answered. "Yes, Your Highness." "Give it to her now. There won''t be many opportunities." Saul took out his item from the tent and handed it to Phoebe. Phoebe shuddered as she looked at the box nervously. "What is this......" "It''s the thing you enjoyed eating in the Empire. You told me to buy more and bring it sometime." Then Phoebe tilted her head and replied. "When did I ever say I liked something like this?" "What are you talking about? You said you wanted more and even hit me to bring¡ª." "Saul~." Phoebe cut him off. Even though Saul was much taller, Phoebe somehow looked even bigger. "It''s not true~." Phoebe''s smiling face sent an ufortable aura and a silent message. A strong message to be more tactful. Saul realized he had touched a sensitive topic and broke out in a cold sweat. Saul stood still, forgetting what he was going to say, and Reed took the snack box from him instead. "Thank you for your gift on behalf of the Tower." "......Ahem, thank you." Saul politely greeted and returned to his seat. "I apologize for causing you any difort. We will make sure not to disturb you." "Alright." The Crown Prince and Reed greeted each other and turned back. Upon entering the tower, Reed turned his head towards Phoebe and spoke. "Phoebe." "Yes?" Reed handed the snacks he received from Saul to Phoebe. "Enjoy them. Don''t eat alone, share some with Rosaria too." "Y-yes? Oh, I really didn''t ask for these! Saul gave them to me on his own!" She tried to exin as if she had been wronged, but he didn''t believe her at all since he already knew her appetite. That day, Rosaria came to Reed to brag about receiving arge snack as a gift. *** Kaitlyn muttered as she looked at the on-site reviews of the items they received from various ces. "It''s a bit scary that these hastily made items are selling so well......" Reed had the same thought, but he didn''t express it. Kaitlyn''s three creations were all of low quality. Stability was increased at the expense of efficiency and power. The reason for distributing the deliberately downgraded weapons was because Kaitlyn was too talented. It was impossible for her alone to mass-produce three types of weapons and armor. "The most praised was, of course, the bolt gun." A long-range weapon made simr to a single-handed musket. It allowed ordinary soldiers to use low-level magic by charging the magic crystal ball. There was no need for the strength to withstand the tension of a bow like an archer, and training was easy since all they had to do was aim. Most people adapted quickly if they had some experience shooting a slingshot when they were young. ''By thinking of them as units without magicians, it''s possible to exploit their vulnerabilities... They must not have predicted that.'' What would be of them in this new world where new weapons have emerged? Would they be obsolete, or would they adapt to the new weapons? Reed hoped for the former, but they would stubbornly head towards thetter. ''I must stop them.'' The Aura Sword, which received the worst reviews as its performance depended on the user''s skill, was put on hold, and they decided to prioritize producing the bolt gun first. Reed began to produce magic engineering products ording to the standard specifications for mass-produced goods. As it was an emergency, all the magicians were extremely busy. It turned into a factory that produced hundreds of items a day. Although they said they had enough stockpiled raw materials, they would eventually run out. To prepare for that, they needed to receive additional support, but the ghosts of the past wouldn''t let that happen easily. That''s why Reed decided to transport the raw materials from the Kalton Mountains himself. Using the magnesium gauntlet with a teleportation magic stone embedded. The method was simple. Teleport to the Barchan Alliance, grab the goods, and teleport back. As it was an area Reed had traveled to before, it was not difficult to head to the Barchan Alliance in the Kalton Mountains. When Reed traveled alone, it consumed 500 mana, but with the added weight, it took an additional 1,500 mana. He transported 100kg each time, making a total of four round trips and moving 400kg of iron ore in one day. Since the amount transported was too smallpared to the daily production, Reed came up with a n. *** * * * Dream big tl dot *** Reed had a dream. It was a memory from his childhood. Unable to sleep, he went to his father''s study. His n was to visit his father, who was always immersed in researchte into the night. He cracked open the door, and Reed''s hand stopped. It wasn''t just his father that he saw through the slightly opened gap. There was a person standing with their back turned within Reed''s small field of vision. He couldn''t see their face, but their hair was simr to Reed''s and his father''s gray hair. Young Reed didn''t know, but the dreaming Reed could tell who it was in an instant. ''The Hero.'' His father and the Hero were having an argument. "Please reconsider one more time. If this ispleted, there will be no need nor reason to sacrifice anyone." Chapter 144 Ghosts of the Past (8) The hero pondered upon his father''s words. And then he lowered his head. - That research will probably fail. - It will definitely seed. - Do you think you canplete it while you''re alive? - I don''t know. Predictions are possible for established theories, but this is not such a problem. Based on the current situation... it can bepleted in 30 years. - Judgment Day will be around that time. On that day, your son has to take up the destiny of creating the Seven Disasters. Only then can the Disasters of the past be prevented. Is it worth risking the failure of the task when there''s a sure way out? - I have my son, don''t I? - Your son''s bloodline is weak. Don''t you know that he will be weaker than you? - That child is smart. He understood words faster than me and learned the characters as well. He will undoubtedly understand magic quickly, so I can assert that there is still hope. A moment of silence. The hero asked his father. - Why are you so stubborn? It was a voice that he couldn''tprehend. With a desperate face, the father said. - How can I stay still when my son is destined to face tragedy? I want my son to be happy. - It''s an unavoidable fate. You should have been told this too. What is the reason for trying to avoid that fate? - Because that''s what family is. More than research achievements, more than people''s respect for me, the smile of my wife, and theughter of my son make me a happier father. - It is important that everyone is happy. Sacrifice is not desirable for me either. - Then please watch over me. I will definitely seed and show you a result that will not disgrace you for the sake of this family. His father wiped away his tears, and the hero quietly looked at him. Reed, who had gone to y a prank, carefully retreated. Five-year-old Reed was shocked. He faced the other side of his always smiling father for the first time. That was the weight of being the head of the family. It was the figure of a man who tried to protect his family. But in the end, he couldn''t protect his family. Because he died at the hands of someone. *** As the Bolt Gun and Magic Shield were distributed, the besieged kingdom''s army began to regain hope one by one. Reed wasn''t resented by the military factions and kings who were not chosen by him. Because Reed had the potential to create attractive items for them, even if it didn''t work now, they could aim for the next or the one after that. Of course, the problem was not the idea itself. Kaitlyn had many ideas, and Reed''s storage was full of them. What theycked were manpower and resources. It was a situation where resources were not abundant enough to spread their imagination or beingcent. The cruel old heroes gradually learned what the new items were and began to adapt. The situation was like a rubber band. The more you resist, the more it bounces back. It was a war that would not end until one side disappeared. "How are things theretely?" - It''s a mess. Students are lining up to apply for a leave of absence to protect their hometown. The president had to give a speech to stop them. "What about you?" - I decided to go catch bugs with the professors. There was no need to ask what the bugs were. Just looking at the fact that she defeated the former president, she would have the upper hand against most Archmages. "Don''t push yourself too hard for nothing." - It''s not pushing myself, it''s about protecting my family. "I''m telling you to do that in moderation." - Oppa always worries too much. She threw a jab, but he didn''t seem to dislike it. As soon as Dolores¡¯s call ended, Phoebe called him. - The Tower Master of Sky Chamber has contacted you. The Tower Master of Sky Chamber, Helios. As soon as Reed heard that, he felt the blood drain from his body. He couldn''t help it since he had been caught recently, like a thief with a numb foot. "Connect me." A momentter, a heavy middle-aged voice echoed in his ear. Reed tried his best to act as if nothing was wrong. "What can I help you with?" - Is the Master of the ck Sky Tower there? "She''s not here." - Do you know where she went? "I don''t know. I''m sorry, but why are you looking for the Master of the ck Sky Tower?" Reed was a bit puzzled by the fact that he was looking for Freesia as if she were his daughter. He wondered if it was because she was simr to Rosaria, but fortunately, that was not the problem. - I''m asking because you''re the closest to the little girl. Upon hearing that, Reed''s eyes narrowed. Being the closest to her... She always came and went as she pleased, acting on her own ord, so how could they be close? Though it was unpleasant, he didn''t show it. - So you''re saying you don''t know where she went? "Yes. You don''t know where he went either, do you? That''s why you suddenly contacted me? - Her secretary said she didn''t know where she went either, and when I tried to connect directly, she stubbornly refused. "Isn''t it because she is out of reach?" - I tried 35 times, so it must be intentional. At that point, it was definitely intentional. Reed silently admired Helios'' persistence in trying to contact her 35 times. Freesia suddenly disappeared. Although she was a hard-to-predict character, where could she have gone if she suddenly left her position? "Ah." Reed muttered as if he had an epiphany. "Maybe she went to face off against..." - What? "No, it''s just my guess, but isn''t there a Lich that swept through the south?" The dark mage called the Ruler of the Undead, Baal. His heyday was when he became a Lich, with a withered body. Baal gathered an army, swallowed castles one after another, and turned everyone, civilians and soldiers alike, into undead. "She might have gone to fight that Lich." - She went to fight the Lich? Are you saying she went for a pride battle? "Wouldn''t that be the case?" - Hmm... Of course, Freesia had a different intention. It was close to suicide if he had to express it. There was no doubt that she went with the intention of dying if the power of the insane Lich, which had devastated half of the continent in the past, could kill her. Since it was an emotion that ordinary people couldn''t understand, Helios couldn''t even guess that. If it were a childish fight that even an elementary school student would do, it would be credible for Freesia, so he just let it pass. And soon after, whether he found out Freesia''s location or not, Helios answered. - As you said, the Master of the ck Sky Tower is observed near Baal. "I''m d I could help." - Indeed, asking you was the right answer. The other tower masters wouldn''t even pretend to know. There was no need to ask why they wouldn''t even pretend to know. It wouldn''t be an exaggeration to say that their lives would go downhill the moment they got involved with him, who couldn''t hit the brakes. - Anyway, I''ve figured out her location. Thank you. "You''re wee." Reed said so and sighed with relief. ''Fortunately, it wasn''t a conversation about teleportation.'' As if reading his mind, the connection, which seemed to be cut off, reconnected. - I think we need to talk about teleportation usage as well... but it doesn''t seem like an immediate issue, so let''s discuss itter. "¡­Yes." It was as he expected. Since the situation was urgent, he had set aside minor issues like how he used teleportation. Still, knowing that, his body felt much lighter. Since that day, Reed began to use teleportation magic without any need for discretion. *** In a chaotic era when one couldn''t even go out freely. A man walked across the open ins of the southern region. He was known as the ''Ma-gun'', Freesia''s secretary from the ck Sky Tower. The ce he was heading to was where the Ruler of the Undead, Baal, was located, and at the same time, where Freesia had moved. Since the Tower Master had been away for a long time, he hade out of the tower to bring her back forcibly. He looked out at the ins under the distant ck sky. "You''ve had quite a fight..." Skeletons, ghouls, zombies... Common undead monsters and high-ranking undead monsters were all scattered about. The green gue gas, which instantly turned humans without resistance into undead,y heavily like a fog over the quietke. Despite the deadly gas, he entered, making a slight grimace as if smelling rotting garbage. Unable to find any traces of Freesia in the midst of it all, Ma-gun finally began to shout in the center. "Tower Master, where are you?" Momentster, some of the piled-up corpses stirred. The Ma-gun rushed to the spot and cleared away the corpses. Inside was Freesia, wearing torn gothic lolita clothes. "Ah, you''re noisy. I was having a great sleep, why did you wake me up?" "It''s noon right now." "What are you talking about? It''s dark." "That''s because you haven''t withdrawn your magic." Freesia scratched her disheveled hair and stretched her right index finger towards the sky. Following her fingertip, the dark clouds scattered. "Really." Seeing the sun in the middle of the sky, she frowned. "Where did your clothes go?" "I don''t wear clothes when I sleep." "If you were going to sleep, why note to the tower and sleep there?" "Ma-gun, if you keep being tactless, I''ll cut off your head." He closed his mouth at the quiet warning. Freesia scratched her head like a girl who just woke up and flicked her finger. Shadows at her feet wrapped around Freesia and restored her torn clothes. She looked at the object in her hand and threw it to the Ma-gun. "Ma-gun, catch." The Ma-gun caught the object thrown by Freesia without knowing what it was. It was the head of a dried-up mummy. "What is this?" "The head of the bastard who created these trash." "Wow, is this the famous Baal?" The Ma-gun looked at the treasure from all angles as if observing it. With the head of a Lich, which could be called the final form of a dark mage, in his hand, curiosity came before fear. He was both intrigued and curious about the reason for having that head. "What are you going to do with this head?" "I''m going to give it as a gift. Ma-gun, blue? Red?" She showed the colors of the strings in her hands. "I''ll go with red." He thought she was going to decorate it with flowers, but the use of the string shocked the Ma-gun. She began to tie the string to Baal''s head. She tied it tightly with a ribbon, like a precious gift box. It couldn''t be to decorate the old Lich''s head. "Ah, and Ma-gun, I''ll be back in a bit." "You''re leaving without saying anything and now you''re saying you''re going somewhere again?" "I''ll be back soon, so don''t worry about your sister and take care of your siblings at home." He tried to stop Freesia, but it was an absurd act with his physical strength or magic. He looked up at her flying on a staff. ''Why is she so excited...'' It''s been about 20 years since he started working at the ck Sky Tower. She was more excited than ever. *** * * * Dream big tl dot *** Freesia''s destination was the Silence Tower. There was a reception room for external guests, but Freesia didn''t obediently go to the reception room. She went straight to the office and kicked the door open. "Reed, I brought a gift~." Sensing unease instinctively at the sight of Freesia''s beaming smile, Reed frowned. "There''s a better-decorated reception room, why are youing into this sweaty ce?" "You look sexy when you work, Reed." "Do women see it that way?" "I wish you hadn''t listened to my nonsense." The one who said that looked disgusted, and Reed was at a loss for words. "What''s the matter, in this chaotic situation?" "I brought a gift. For our Reed." "A gift?" Freesia proudly showed off Baal''s head. As soon as Reed saw Baal''s head on the desk, he backed away. If there hadn''t been a chair, he would have undoubtedly shown an even more pathetic sight. Not knowing whether she knew Reed''s startled heart, Freesia continued proudly. "I, for Reed, brought this kind of¡ª." "Are you crazy!" Reed shouted before Freesia could finish her sentence. "...What?" The atmosphere turned cold. Chapter 145 Ghost of the Past (9) Freesia''s excited voice suddenly went silent, but Reed had no time to think about that as he questioned her. "What do you think will happen if you bring the head of a Lich to the Tower? Even if it''s not dangerous, isn''t it the head of Baal, who was once called the immortal ruler?" "But why would that be crazy?" "What if that suddenly wakes up and destroys this Tower? Don''t we only have the weakest magicians in terms of magical power!" His reason for getting angry was clear. However, such a reason was not a problem for Freesia at all. The fact that Reed was shocked by her gift and yelled at her made her unhappy. "Aren''t you ashamed to admit that you''re weak?" "I''m weak. But I''m not ashamed. That''s why we''re researching magic engineering, right? That''s why I''m getting angry like this, isn''t it? To protect my weak people." "They''re not babies, and you think I''ll handle it poorly that it''s dangerous?" It was the ultimate insult for Freesia. "It''s a different issue. If I ordered a bomb, then it''s natural for a bomb toe. But if you bring a bomb that I didn''t order, wouldn''t it be surprising? What if Rosaria saw this and got shocked?" At that, Freesia yelled out, choking back tears. "Is that kid more precious than me?" As Reed looked at her as if asking what''s the big deal, Freesia got angry again. After a while, Freesia stood up from her seat. "Fine, shit! I''ll just leave!" Freesia picked up the nicely wrapped head of Baal and went outside. Bang! A sound close to an explosion shook the entire Tower. "What happened?" -The door... "¡­Get it repaired." Freesia''s anger had passed rtively cheaply. Reed sighed and reconsidered his actions. ''There''s a limit to jokes. This is crossing the line.'' He thought about it several times, but he believed his actions were justified. *** * * * Dream big tl dot *** "My gift was rejected? How dare Reed?" Reed might not know, but Freesia had shown sincerity in her own way. If she showed him the head of a Lich that plunged the continent into chaos, he would undoubtedly be grateful as his worries would be reduced. That''s what she thought, but the reality was different. Instead, he screamed that she was crazy. Even covering up for his own daughter. Freesia looked down at Baal''s head resting on her bracelet. A beautiful and perfectly wrapped butterfly knot caught her eye. What''s the point of admiring it when the other person cursed at her, now it just seemed pathetic. "What do you think, Ma-Gun?" Ma-Gun, standing in front of her, answered with a troubled face. Instead of pleasing her, he took Reed''s side. "Isn''t it natural for him to react that way? We, the ck Sky Magicians, might not be surprised, but ordinary people would be." "You guys would be grateful even if I threw a rock." "That''s why it''s only us." It was unbelievable. It was even more annoying that Reed was just like the other boring people. "What should I do with this? I feel so humiliated, should I kill him? Kill? Just kill him?" "Why are you asking that?" Freesia red at Ma-Gun in response to his question. Her red eyes were shining with anger. "Why? Can''t I ask? Ma-Gun, do you want to die too?" "No. What I''m saying is, it''s usually something you would have killed him for, so why haven''t you killed him yet?" "What do you know about me?" She sulked andined, but Freesia knew it too. With her twisted personality, Reed should have already been a corpse. The position of the Tower Master? That doesn''t matter. The shadow lord and immortal empress, she was nothing short of a walking disaster. The death of the insignificant Tower Masterpared to her existence was not a problem. She knew that everyone bowed to her because they knew her personality in the first ce. But Reed was different. He became bold after getting what he wanted. He didn''t even faithfully fulfill his promises, let alone wordy. There was enough reason to kill him. "Why can''t I kill him?" Why can''t Freesia kill Reed? As she tapped her lips and pondered, Ma-Gun hesitantly opened his mouth. "I don''t know everything about the Tower Master''s intentions, but I can confidently say that I know you well because I''ve observed you for a long time while serving you." "Alright, our perverted stalker Ma-Gun. Tell me what you know about me." "Well..." "Well?" As Ma-Gun hesitated for a while, Freesia snapped her fingers. With a little more movement, his neck would have been cut off. Fortunately, he answered before that. "I think you have ack of affection." "I heard you, and I''ll listen to yourst words." "¡­I love you." "Ugh, shit. You''re not even worth killing. Get out of here right now." She made a gesture with her foot for him to back off, pretending to get goosebumps all over her body. Ma-Gun calmly saluted and withdrew from his seat. Freesia, left alone in the office, recalled what Ma-Gun had said. ''Lack of affection? Me?'' It was unbelievable. She tried to forget it as nonsense, but the words kept ringing in her ears. Freesia picked up Baal''s head, which was resting on her bracelet. ''Why did I even want to give this to Reed in the first ce?'' Freesia knew how awkward she was at bestowing kindness. Giving gifts to someone was always someone else''s job. Her role was always to snatch things away. That was the mostfortable thing for her in her distorted human rtionships. That''s why she created the elegant character, Brosa, who was like a new personality, and pretended to be a fairy who granted wishes. Though she said she was giving gifts, it was no good deed. Most of it was about revealing other¡¯s vile desires, and Freesia tested them to see if they could withstand her desires. Everyone was broken by Freesia''s magic. It wasn''t pleasant. It was because Freesia, who tried to gain hope in life through it, saw hope being shattered. "Ugh, shit." She cursed softly once more and kicked Baal''s head with her foot. *** Isel stood up straight and raised her head. Rachel, who had been ahead of her, turned her head when she heard Ishel''s footsteps stop. Isel, who had been standing still for a while, smiled. "Did you just feel it?" "¡­?" "Ah, sorry. Only I could feel it. I didn''t mean to tease you." Ishel smiled and spoke to Rachel, who frowned. "That''s right, a single fate is faintly moving." "¡­" "I didn''t expect the ck Sky Tower Master to move before the hero. Isn''t that right, Rachel?" "¡­" "I''m too excited. Now is not the time for that." Isel started walking again, and Rachel took the lead. They were dressed as an ordinary nun and adventurer. This was an unofficial matter unrted to the order. Hearing that a pdin bearing the name of a god was plunging the world into chaos, they were moving around while concealing the identity of the saintess. The scent of grass and the energy of life were felt. As they entered the forest, the light gradually intensified. In an open space, a young man was sitting on a tree stump. A huge circr light floated behind his back. It was a halo that only high-ranking knights among the holy knights could see. The holy knight, called a monster of divine power as famous as his name, was sitting there. "Hmm, I feel the energy of my old friend." "It''s been a while, sir. No, the noble pdin, Arthur." "Right. It was Aries, wasn''t it?" Arthur and Isel smiled at each other. "I heard from the hero that your soul was split and became you two people. I didn''t expect to meet you like this." "You''ve also gotten much younger, Pdin. It seems even younger than when we left." "I''ve gotten about 10 years younger. You must have heard it too, but I was called a hero born at the wrong time. If only that damned Demon King hade out a little earlier, I might have taken the hero''s ce now. By the way, why are you keeping your distance instead of calling me more intimately? I was happy to see you after a long time." "You know." The atmosphere that was once filled with shared memories and yful banter was only temporary. The mood sank. Arthur stood up from his seat. His heavy armor nked. "The reason you came here is simple. You won''t want to join me, so are you nning to fight?" "You know that when a soldier belonging to the order is corrupted, they be the enemy of the order." "Execute an immediate judgment on the spot." With Isel''s words, Rachel drew her sword. "Is not revealing your name yourst conscience?" "One cannot harm brothers and sisters, even if they defy the will of God." It was a contradictory statement. Talking about harming brothers and sisters while causing chaos in the world... "Just remember this one thing. The hero is still sane. I saw what he saw." "I saw it too. It waster than the hero, though." "Yet you still won''t change your mind?" There was no need to think, so she answered immediately. "If you believe, you must be prepared to jump into a thorny path." "Hmm, you''re truly faithful like a saint." "Aren''t you faithful too?" "I''m faithful. Althea''s light is still with me in my heart." The pdin tapped hisrge armor, and a thumping sound echoed. Isel held the holy staff, and Rachel manifested her sword. "I''ll pretend I didn''t hear that nonsense." That was thest mercy for arade who had been together in the despair of life. The pdin no longer tried to persuade them. He held a huge sword in one hand and tilted a shieldrge enough topletely cover his body. The ce where the merciful Althea Order''s mark had been had worn away to a watermark, but its prestige couldn''t be concealed. "Let''s get started." *** - They''re all being pushed back. A dark voice threw words at the hero, showing displeasure, but he calmly nodded his head. "That''s right." - I entrusted everything to you. Aren''t you ashamed of messing up the job? "Aren''t there still those half-dragon beings you proudly consider left?" -Those are just mediocre beings who can''t be dragons. What I want is a real dragon. "You''re after that ck dragon." -That''s the real one... But that talentless guy intercepted it? The dark voice sighed with hatred and regret. "Since she''s destined to die anyway, why do you hold onto such attachment?" -Attachment? Yes, this is attachment. But seeing you fail, I can''t help but think that it might be better to intercept that half-dragon! The dark voice replied with an agitated tone. "Don''t worry. I will live my life inplete submission to my fate." - That''s right. I entrusted everything to you for that reason. Feeling the dark voice disappear, the hero leaned against the backrest. He spoke to the Garncia King, who was guarding his side. "Soon, we will enter a full-scale war. Garncia will fall." "Yes." "Do you resent me?" "Didn''t you already tell me everything? I have no regrets." His only wish was to take revenge on his son, who was blinded by the throne. The affection for his family had long disappeared, and only the vengeful soul remained with him. "Bring all the heroes to Garncia. The siege will begin." "I understand." The king bowed his head respectfully and withdrew. ''Baal is dead, and Arthur is dead too.'' The two most significant forces were gone. Baal''s death didn''t have much impact, but the death of hisrade Arthur was significant. ''I''m sorry, Arthur. And Aries.'' However, he didn''t fall into self-loathing and guilt beyond that. She made a choice, and the hero made a choice as well. He was tired. He hadn''t slept for days and watched, so his eyelids were heavy. He couldn''t fall asleep. Knowing that, he couldn''t resist this drowsiness. His blurred mind cleared up in an instant. The hero knew that he had already entered the dream. - I will give you two restrictions. Despite the long time that had passed, he remembered that voice clearly. ''Goddess...'' It was the voice of the god he believed in. He unconsciously brought his hand to his chest. There was nothing where the ne should have been. ''I threw it away.'' It had been a long time since he threw it away. Even though he had caused it himself, he couldn''t help but resent her. His faith was crumbling, and he was inevitably bing thest believer. ''Is it a memory of the past?'' The power of the holy sword is to draw out the power of God. To do that, one must go through trials. Those who don''t believe in themselves can''t see ahead, and if they can''t ovee their inner fear, a powerful obstacle blocks their way. At first nce, one might think that anyone with strong self-love could break through, but it wasn''t easy. The hero, who had not trembled in fear even before the Demon King, barely reached the end. His body was battered when he arrived at the central hall and met the goddess, and he almost burst into tears. Her light was so considerate and warm that it made him forget even the fact that he was fighting the Demon King. ''If only I could see her face again...'' Would she show the way to his powerless self? With a weak thought, he covered his face with his right hand. That''s when it happened. Someone stood in front of him. The hero quickly raised his head. He thought it might be the goddess, but it wasn''t her face. It was smaller, even more innocent, and looked down at him with beautiful eyes. The ruby eyes blinked and then asked in a naive voice. "Who are you, mister?" Chapter 146 > Ghosts of the Past (10) The girl did not know the hero, but the hero knew who the girl was. Reed Adeleheights Roton''s daughter, Rosaria. The hero thought it was just a dream, but after pondering several times, he was sure. ''So this child entered my head.'' He was puzzled by the sudden drowsiness, but then he began to understand. It was because the child wanted it, she summoned the hero here. "I am..." The hero swallowed his words and answered again. "I''m the one who makes you unhappy." He really was that kind of person, so he said that as a warning for her to be cautious. However, Rosaria merely tilted her head. "Why do you make me unhappy? It''s good to be happy." "Happiness... Not everyone can enjoy it. If someone is happy, someone else suffers. That''s the way it is." Then, Rosaria frowned and shouted. "Nothing will happen if you think it can''t! If you don''t think positively, you can''t achieve anything!" The hero stared at Rosaria, who was boldly shouting. "Is that so?" The hero tried to ignore her by hanging his head, but Rosaria sat down next to him. Even though he had warned her that he was the person who made her unhappy, there was no hesitation in her actions. "But where is this ce?" "It''s my dream." "Your dream? Then I''m in your dream?" "That''s right." "How?" "Because you have the power to do so." "Come to think of it, I''ve been wanting to scold someone who''s been bothering my dadtely... Are you the one who''s been bothering my dad?" "Yes." Then, Rosaria''s innocent eyes blinked a couple of times. "It''s different from what I thought." "What do you mean?" "I thought the person who was bothering my dad was the Demon King, so I thought he would have horns on his head!" Rosaria growled, making horn gestures with her index fingers. Caught up in her naive innocence, the hero even said something unnecessary. "The Demon King looks surprisingly simr to humans. There are no horns, and if you close your eyes, you look like a human." "Really? How do you know? Are you a hero?" He hesitated for a moment at the rapid-fire questions, and then answered. "Yes." Then, Rosaria''s eyes sparkled. "I want to be a hero. That... what was it called..." She wrinkled her face and thought for about a minute, finally finding the word. "A hero''s spire!" "It''s called a hero aspirant." "Yes, I am a hero aspirant!" Rosaria quickly epted and corrected herself. Hernguage and demeanor showed a pure innocence that seemed far from being a hero. "Why do you want to be a hero?" "Because I want to be strong. So I can scold the people who bother my dad and make him happy." The hero looked at her with pity. It was because he himself was the one making her father unhappy. "There is a way for you to be strong." "How?" "Follow your intuition. Use that intuition to wield magic. Then, you will be even stronger and have the power to protect your father. Without a doubt, you could even defeat a hero. That''s the kind of being you are." There''s no doubt that if she learned magic through intuition, that would be the case. However, those who learn magic before the maturation of their souls always head toward destruction. The hero didn''t know that. He only knew that she had to learn magic that way in order to strive for the future he thought was right. Then, Rosaria, holding her teddy bear tightly, tilted her head and replied. "Thinking is more fun." "Why?" "When I use magic without knowing anything, someone gets hurt. No matter how much good intention I have when using magic, someone will undoubtedly think of me as a bad person." Rosaria knew that her way of using magic was special. If she wished for something, she could use that magic. Being able to do whatever she wanted was a very attractive thing. But Rosaria was more afraid than attracted. She had now learned that such magic could hurt Reed or cause trouble for him. She chose the difficult path, not the easy one. With her not-so-brilliant mind, she tried to understand the magic she was using somehow. "So, I won''t use it recklessly. I want everyone to be happy!" Rosaria showed pure and firm conviction. Suddenly, the hero recalled his past. It was a time when pure conviction was his driving force. To eliminate evil and do good, and thus save the continent. After the Demon King disappeared, the hero entrusted the holy sword to the saint and led a wandering life. Then, he identally fell in love with a magician. He thought he could live quietly and die, but there was an unexpected tragedy. It was the fact that he did not age even after decades. As the charming smile on his wife''s face turned into deep wrinkles, and the child who once cried in his mother''s arms became a father, his appearance remained the same as it was when he was a hero. In the end, he could only helplessly watch the death of his loved ones. His children would continue to die as time went by, which he could not resist. He knew that it was the constraint of his existence and the constraint of tragedy. After his wife''s funeral, the hero wandered the continent with his face covered. During his aimless journey, the hero saw everything he would experience in the future through a dark voice. He moved again to save the continent. Not as the light of everyone, but as darkness. It was his firm conviction, but now it was shaken. Through his conversation with Rosaria, he realized how desated he had be. ''Aries, you might be right.'' Purity stagnates, and as it stagnates, it rots. The hero forced a smile. "I wish everyone could be happy, as you said." The hero lied. Someone had to die, and someone had to bear the tragedy. The hero got up from his seat and began to walk slowly. "Where are you going, sir? Sir?" Rosaria got upte and tried to follow him, but the hero''s body was already buried in the mist of darkness. The hero woke up from his sleep. Rosaria, too, felt lonely in the space left alone for a moment before she woke up from her dream. It was a dream so vivid that it seemed strange. *** * * * Dream big tl dot *** Reed received numerous thank-you letters from lords and kings in the tower. The contents of the letters were simr. They were written over three pages, summarizing their gratitude to Reed, who worked hard for the peace of the continent, using splendid vocabry that went round and round. Before he knew it, Reed grew tired of replying and began to copy and paste his responses. ''Their power has weakened considerably.'' At first, it was definitely a disaster. With over a million casualties, including civilians, in just a month, it was enough to go down in history as a disaster. However, the main force, Lich Baal, was killed by Freesia, and the holy knight Arthur found peace again at the hands of his formerrades, Isel and Rachel. Thanks to their arbitrary interpretation that the demon deceived and manipted the gods, the betrayal of formerrades did not shake the Althea Church. But what really began to give them hope was the Bolt gun. After the introduction of that weapon, the increase in casualties took a sharp downturn. Heroes were human too, and they had a fear of the unknown. They became more cautious, continued analyzing new weapons, and revised their ns, but it was difficult to revive their momentum. ''Anyway, I felt that the original n began to change after Kaitlyn''s weapon appeared.'' The atmosphere was vastly different depending on what ordinary people could do. The disaster that started as a small spark turned into a me, and then a wildfire, gradually subsiding. All the forces on the continent headed to the Demon King''s Castle, leaving not even the slightest ember behind. The final, ultimate battle had begun. *** Grancia Castle. The current king had assassinated his father and taken the throne, but his actions hade back to haunt him, and he was executed. Now transformed into the Demon King''s Castle, ity beneath swirling dark clouds. The magical barriers, which should have emitted a faint light, wereyered so densely that they appeared as a thick, dome-shaped cover. The thicklyyered barriers were estimated to withstand dozens of high-level magic attacks without breaking. Unable to break it, themon psychology of magicians was to want to try to break it. Before the frontal battle, the tower owners and their elite wizards also participated. The tower owners, who usually wore uniforms, wore robes like other wizards due to the wartime situation. It was a very rare situation for soldiers and even for wizards from the same tower. When the tower wizards and the workshop wizards faced each other, they began to mock each other as if they had an ancient tradition. "Seeing all those colorful robes reminds me of my daughter''s clothes." "You guys are still wearing uniforms. Are you still pretending to be students at that age?" The battle of pride between the tower and the workshop continued without either side backing down. It was a childish situation, but themander Helios and the workshop leader didn''t bother to intervene. "They''re fighting so much." "How can dogs and cats get along? We have to understand that." "Ha ha! If we''re the dogs and you guys are the cats, it''s a perfect match!" The serious Helios and the yful workshop leader continued their conversation, checking their strategy. Freesia, standing next to Helios, looked bored like a daughter who had been dragged to a fishing spot with her father. "Why do you guys get to have all the fun?" "Because if you step in, it''ll turn into a dogfight." If she, thest resort and wild card, stepped in carelessly, the battlefield would turn into chaos in no time. Freesia was a figure who shone inrge-scale battles, so she was nned to be used only as ast resort. "I can join the fight if you want, but there will be restrictions." "Why fight with restrictions like a girl? In a battlefield where people kill and are killed, you have to smash whateveres your way. I''ll just watch. The most fun fight is the one between weaklings anyway." Freesia began to create a pic atmosphere by pulling out her chair from the shadows and even setting up a tea set. It would have been an irritating action if someone else had done it, but no one was displeased because it meant that Freesia was behaving quietly. Lounging and munching on snacks, Freesiazily scanned the people around her. Her mechanically moving eyes caught sight of a figure. Silver hair and golden eyes. A man wearing a uniform alone among the robed wizards. It was Reed Adeleheights Roton. ''Despicable guy.'' Crunch, crunch. Freesia chewed her snack with emotion. After ring at him for a while, Reed became aware of her gaze and turned his head to meet her eyes. Freesia didn''t want to give him any attention. However, as if determined to step into her line of sight, Reed approached her. Just as she was about to warn him that she''d kill him if he caught her eye, "I apologize for shouting suddenly back then." "You mean when you said you''d kill me if I got in your way?" Freesia interrupted and looked up at Reed. "Upon reflection, I should have politely declined the gift from the tower master, but I was short-sighted. I am sorry for being too emotional." "......" Freesia looked up at him without a word, her mouth slightly open. Realizing btedly that she had been making a stupid expression for a while, Freesia cleared her throat. "Ahem, did you really apologize?" "Yes? Oh, yes¡­¡­." "Don''t do it again." Freesia climbed onto the chair and patted Reed''s shoulder. Her grudge against Reed, whom she had angrily threatened to kill, ended there. ''Why did it end so easily?'' Although he was the one who apologized, Reed was also surprised by the oue. At least he thought he would have to endure her bad mood for a few months, but in the end, she just told him not to do it again. He decided to apologize first, fearing that his pride might create a grudge, and that was the right answer. ''It''s a little scary how easily it was resolved, though¡­¡­.'' It was so easy that he wondered if there was another intention behind it. As Reed tried to go to the tower masters, Freesia stopped him. "Where are you going?" "I''m going to where the tower masters are¡­¡­." "You''re not here as a full-fledged member anyway. Just stay here." As if she had used up her patience, Freesia pulled out a chair from the shadows and ced it next to her. Realizing he would lose more by refusing, Reed obediently sat in the seat she prepared. Themand meeting was over. The tower master of the Sky Chamber stretched his finger to the ground, and a white light point was engraved on the floor. As his finger moved, a magic circle began to be drawn. A magic circle that would take five people and a total of three hours to draw waspleted in just five minutes by following the trajectory of his finger. All the gathered wizards poured their mana into the magic circle. After holding the mana of 300 wizards for an hour, the magic circle finally began to work. Woo-woo. The magic circle drawn on the ground vibrated, and something like white steam began to rise. Helios raised his right hand and gathered the steam on his palm. The steam grew increasingly intense, and Helios focused his gaze on theyered magic circle. "Everything will return to its ce." The light gathered in his hand became a pir of pure white light, stretching towards Grancia Castle. Chapter 147 One World, One Family (1) Grancia Castle, Magic Tower. The revived magicians gathered and looked at the state of the magic circle on the top floor. The power of the white beam of light shot by Helios, the Tower Master of Sky Chamber, gradually weakened. Even if they repaired it, it was only a temporary solution. It seemed impossible topletely block the light. "Isn''t this bad?" Someone opened their mouth, and everyone silently agreed. They just didn''t want to say it out loud. "I thought it would give them some trouble, but it couldn''t even do that. Have they already figured out the destruction method?" "Well, your magic has been around for 30 years, so it''s quite possible." "Magicians feel the passage of time. Is this a generational difference?" "It''s probably because there''s a monster-like person there." In fact, the other tower lords were not very significant figures. The problem was the old man who looked middle-aged, the Tower Master of Sky Chamber. Hemanded everything and shot the beam of light. The magicians gathered in Grancia Castle red at the magicians trying to prate their barrier. "Wow, Helios. That guy''s still alive." "Do you know him?" "Escolleia Academy ssmate and roommate." "What kind of person was he?" "Due to his mysophobia, he threw away a few of my things, probably." "No, I''m asking about his skills, you idiot." "What''s there to say about his skills? That beam of light magic must have been created by him." "He must be very talented." The magicians clicked their tongues. 70% of the barrier had disappeared. In 30 minutes, it would bepletely prated, and the thick curtain would bepletely lifted. Once that happened, the siege would begin in earnest. Their barrier was being prated, but they remained calm. They had all been revived and had their own goals. A sense of mission to protect the continent, the desire to extend their lives by returning to their heyday, and the curiosity to explore more of this changed world. They had one thing inmon: they had no thoughts. Not the fact that they had failed to defend, nor the fact that they would soon have to fight with the readiness to die. "There''s not much excitement." "That''s right. Why is that?" "Isn''t it because we''ve experienced death once?" "Is this the feeling ofing back to life and dying again? I should record it and pass it on." "It''s fitting that you have the nickname Record Maniac. Let it go. The ck Sky Tower is good at such things. She''ll do better than usgging behind." The magiciansughed and put on their robes. "Let''s do our best to fight." "Yeah, we have to. That Helios guy, I''ll definitely make him eat dirt." "How are you going to make him eat dirt?" "I''m going to burn his beard. That alone willplete my great achievement." "The implementer of the teleportation theory will change to the one who made the Tower Master of Sky Chamber eat dirt, indeed." They went down from the tower. It was to protect the ground forces on the city walls. Finally, the barrier waspletely prated. The soldiers standing in the field began to move. The siege of Grancia Castle continued. Although they were all famous heroes, the war went on like a numbers game, pushing through like a flood. The siege of Grancia Castle ended very easily. *** The white signal re, a sign ofplete upation, went up in the sky. The cheers of the soldiers who were about to wage a siege echoed like waves. Freesia drank her tea with a sour expression. "I thought the fight with those losers would be the most fun, but it''s over before it even started, isn''t it?" "That''s right." Reed also felt that the oue of this battle was somehow unreasonable. ''Thest fortress. They gathered all the heroes and fought like a demon king for thest time, but there were hardly any casualties.'' He thought that even if they couldn''t make it through half, there should be at least four times more casualties among the knights than now. Reed told one of the wizards who entered the castle about the hero''s appearance throughmunication magic. -I''ll look into it. A momentter, a voice came into Reed''s ear as he was waiting for the report. -I report. There is no one who matches the description you provided. There''s no hero? Does that mean the castle was empty? While harboring such doubts, Reed received additional news. -Among the revived forces, the nine half-dragons are also missing. The hero, who should have been defending the castle, and the nine half-dragons had disappeared. Freesia, who had overheard the report, nced at Reed and said, "It seems like they ran away to live?" "If it were any other human, they would, but he doesn''t seem like the type to do that......" Reed didn''t know about the half-dragons, but the hero was certainly not the type to do that. The more he doubted, the more Reed couldn''t hide his anxiety. Freesia, who had no way of knowing Reed''s thoughts, threw out another guess. "Hmm, then could it be a deception tactic? Like leaving the entire castle as bait and going for our main base, that kind of bold move." "Our main base¡­" Going for their main base? epting Freesia''s spection, Reed could now understand the cause of his vague anxiety. "Rosaria." *** Phoebe rushed into Rosaria''s room, holding her in her arms. She pushed aside the clothes hanging in the built-in wardrobe and pushed the wall inside, revealing a hidden space. It was a shelter with one chair and one light. A ce where mana couldn''t flow from the outside and where no one could detect it. It was a ce to hide her in case someone targeted Rosaria. "Miss, you must nevere out. You have to wait here." "What''s going on?" Phoebe didn''t answer Rosaria''s question. She smiled and hugged Rosaria. "Do you want to touch my horns?" Phoebe lowered her head and showed her horns on both sides. Rosaria reached out with both hands and touched her horns. The rough and rugged texture strangelyforted her. "Don''t worry. There''s just a little disturbance, and I''ll stop it right away. You''re just ying hide-and-seek for a while. Understand?" "Yes." "Now, hide." Rosaria went inside and closed the door. As she heard the door closing, Phoebe''s smile disappeared. She stepped out of Rosaria''s room. Her destination was the first-floor lobby. She didn''t need to take the elevator, she just threw her body straight to the first floor. Kuong! Phoebended on both legs. She stood up straight without showing any sign of pain from the impact. The magicians guarding the entrance were all groaning, injured. The one who left those injuries was undoubtedly the man she was staring at, the man wearing a white mask. Anger boiled up. Not only did he enter the tower recklessly, but he alsoid hands on her subordinates. Her golden eyes shone sharply. "Ah." As Phoebe''s field of vision widened, she was momentarily flustered. The figures standing behind the man wearing a white mask. They were people she knew well. ''My siblings......'' The nine half-dragons who had died in the Astheria family tragedy. Seeing their faces, memories of watching their deaths vividly tried to torment her. She closed her eyes again. To fulfill her role, she strained her eyes. "This is not your living room. It''s not enough to break in recklessly, but you alsoid hands on the tower''s magicians?" She warned him politely and heavily. The man in the white mask said this. "They won''t die." "I can''t end it with just not dying." "Unfortunately, I don''t have time to fight you." The white mask didn''t adjust his grip on the sword and moved with it on his shoulder. "Enjoy your reunion with your siblings." "Where...!" Phoebe charged at the intruder, reaching out to rip out his heart. With her speed and power, she should have aimed urately. She should have. However, the hero''s sword had a special ability. The power to rewind time. That power rewound the time around where Phoebe had been standing. Her leaping body returned to its original position. Unaware of anything, Phoebe realized that the hero had disappeared from his spot. In a situation where the film seemed to be cut, Phoebe was flustered. ''How?'' The elevator moved. Reflexively, she noticed that she had already boarded the elevator and tried to jump towards it. As she was about to leap towards the fifth floor, she was startled. Once again, the film seemed to be cut, and the elevator was already on the 40th floor. ''What''s going on?'' Phoebe looked down at her feet and realized that she had already tried to jump once. The broken tiles on the floor proved it. ''That hero has a power that makes him untouchable.'' But she couldn''t just let him go. Just as she was about to go up again. "You won''t be able to reach that man, Captain." The voice of a missed man stopped her. They were not just half-dragons. They were once a family that had grown together under her. Phoebe didn''t try to climb up recklessly. Because they would undoubtedly have the ability to shoot her down as she leaped up. "It''s been a long time, Captain." "Odiman......" She quietly called his name. The half-dragon showed a smile to Phoebe, who called his name. "You still remember, even though we''ve been dead for a long time......" "How can I forget the names of my family?" "You still haven''t let go of the Astheria name. I know because I heard it from Saul." Saul. Yes, Saul also guarded this tower. "What happened to Saul?" "He''s alive. He only injured the other guards, didn''t kill anyone. He just made it take a long time to recover. We can''t kill our family, can we?" At his words, Phoebe felt relieved inside. Her concern for him was momentary, and now her safety was an issue. "Do you n to make me powerless like Saul?" "Captain, we don''t intend to fight you. Saul used such a rough method because he couldn''tmunicate. Besides......" "Besides?" "He abandoned our father." "Yes, that''s a despicable thing." Phoebe agreed with that. "I feel the same way. There''s nothing to gain from fighting you all. But I have something to protect." "You''re talking about that little girl? We know. We all heard." Odiman nodded as if he understood. He smiled bitterly, as if apologizing, and said to Phoebe. "But you must let the hero go to that child." "Do you mean just to watch?" "If you love this world and you love that Tower Master, you must." "What kind of nonsense are you talking about?" Phoebe frowned and stopped using honorifics. The fact that he mentioned Reed was unpleasant to her. "As long as that girl exists, this world cannot be saved." "What do you know about her to bber so recklessly?" "She is the source of the disaster. It is the hero''s job to remove that source now." Remove her? Does that mean to kill her? Then she must go and stop him right away. But it''s impossible to go through these siblings here. Nine of them. There are too many. Moreover, the space is narrow, and someone could get hurt or killed if she acted rashly. What should she do? How can she resolve this situation? Phoebe''s body swayed. "Give up on that girl. Then, you can be happy with the one you love, Master." "Happy...?" "It''s simple. Sacrifice the small for the greater good. If left alone, that girl will only make this world darker and more painful. In such a world, you and the Tower Master cannot be happy." "......" Phoebe looked confused, and Odiman reached out to her. "Let''s join forces again, Captain. For this world and for our family." Family. Once again, the tragedy of that time echoed in Phoebe''s head. The healed wounds opened, and the pain poured out. Phoebe cried on the spot, tears streaming down her face. "I understand. I''ll follow you, for the sake of family......" Two half-dragons approached andforted her. "Let''s go, there''s no need to stay here any longer." At Phoebe''s words, Odiman and the other half-dragons went outside. They thought their mission was aplished. As they went outside and faced the sunlight. Kwajik! In the quiet ins, the sound of flesh tearing echoed. The half-dragons looked surprised and turned their heads. Two of them, who had been supporting Phoebe from behind, had their chests pierced. The one who dealt the fatal blow that pushed them to the brink of death was none other than the crying Phoebe. "Captain... why...?" Their bodies slumped with a short death rattle before dying. "You are truly kind siblings. So... you must haveforted me like this and brought me outside." The girl who had been crying like a baby closed her eyes. A cold warrior opened her eyes. She swung her hands downward and cruelly knocked down the two with pierced chests. The two half-dragons with pierced chests undoubtedly fell dead with their breath cut off. Seven left. The confusion was brief, and they were able to draw a conclusion. "From the beginning... this was your n." Saying she would go for the sake of her family was a deception to make her opponents let their guard down. Chapter 148 One World, One Family (2) "How is that?" Phoebe gave a short and clear answer. "You are all my enemies. Those who have stepped into this tower without permission have all been my enemies." "So you''re saying it''s okay to kill your family...?" At that, Phoebe smiled. "You are still my family. But in my heart, when you died, you were already dead." Making the dead dead again. That''s why it wasn''t killing the family. At least Phoebe thought so. And she had to think that way for what was to happen in the future. "...It seems you are the former captain." There was no more doubt in her cold and strategic appearance. She revealed her true nature, which she had been hiding and wrapping up. Rough cross-sections rise on her smooth skin. "Dragonization" Scales sprouted from her smooth skin. Wings sprouted explosively from the wingtips, and a long ck tail stretched out. Phoebe, who had golden hair and golden pupils. She used to be a ck dragon before she got the nickname of the mad dragon, but no one thought of her as the infamous ck dragon. She had never had a rough fight sinceing to the tower, and most importantly, Phoebe didn''t take pride in her past. Phoebe hid her true form and became a perfect woman fitting for the tower master''s deputy. "Haah..." The nature of the ck dragon is fierce. She loves to sweep everything away and continues to fight until she stands alone at the end, a berserker. As soon as she dragonized, pleasure ran through her entire body. The itching urging her to move her body quickly and the hot blood boiling in her rapidly beating heart enveloped her entire body. -Kroaaaah! Phoebe''s roar echoed loudly. The half-dragons felt a creepy sensation pricking and digging into their skin. Fear. It is said that fear experienced on the battlefield with training long ago has intensified, but the fear they feel from Phoebe nowes from within. The pressure from the hierarchy. They saw the figure of the tyrant who had been their captain when they were young,pletely intact. Seeing Phoebe''s appearance, they hurriedly began their own dragonization. Phoebe''s figure disappears from where she was standing. The storm that arose btedly and the ground that settled down. The dragonization of thest one was the slowest, and as she pierced his chest and took another life. Only six remain. ''Damn it!'' The ck dragon grows stronger the longer the battle goes on. Phoebe will be stronger and stronger. If they try to refine their formation and devise strategies, the only thing left for them is defeat. One half-dragon, noticing this, approached Phoebe recklessly. He attacked her with his sharpened hands after dragonization, but he couldn''t beat Phoebe in one-on-onebat. It was too overwhelming. She dodged his fist and immediately counterattacked by targeting his vital points. He desperately twisted his body to defend with the scaled parts, but the force of her punch alone was enough to break his ribs. All his attacks were low-return, high-risk. She overwhelmed him in every aspect, being a step above. He sensed that he shouldn''t care about his body. Just one hit. At least one hit to gain a chance of winning! He made up his mind. If everythinges with risk, then aim for a high return. So he lunged at Phoebe''s neck once again. His target was her slender neck. If his long fingernail on his index finger could touch her, even if he couldn''t cut her neck, he could sever her artery. At least it would be a severe injury andbat incapacity. Phoebe instantly noticed his intention. As bold as it was, his unprotected belly was fully exposed. Phoebe sharply targeted the weak point. As he dug into her solid flesh, it tore weakly. He vomited blood. "Guh!" He gritted his teeth and aimed for Phoebe''s neck. If that strike could only reach Phoebe, he would gain a chance of winning in this fight. However, Phoebe''s response was ahead of his expectations. Unable to dodge the movement aiming for her neck, she kicked her right foot with her left foot, ruining her own stance. The fingernail that had been targeting her neck ended up grazing her shoulder. Even though her posture was ruined, Phoebe tore out his heart with her prating hand, killing him. "Gahh..." He copsed like a marite with its strings cut, along with a short gasp. She regained her bnce in midair andnded lightly. Now there are only five enemies left. They all had the same thought. ''There''s no more chance of winning.'' They needed all nine of them alive just to barely suppress her, but too many forces died at once. In the end, they rushed at Phoebe, prepared to get hurt themselves. Spears aimed to pierce her body, swords tried to sh her, and fists attempted to crumble her. ''Everyone is the same as back then.'' Phoebe saw their unchanged appearances. Once the Captain of the Astheria n, Phoebe already knew. Their weaknesses and shorings, even their habits, were all known to her, making theirst struggles meaningless. Phoebe grabbed the spear aiming for her heart and stabbed it into the chest of a half-dragon attacking her from behind. She dodged attacks, counterattacked, and evaded. The series of movements turned into a whirlwind, scattering the withering straws on the field. Phoebe danced. With every dance, an enemy fell, and red jewels sparkled in the sky, scattering like cherry blossoms inte spring. When there were no more enemies to fall, her feet finally stopped. "Haah... Haah..." Breathing in theteing breath, she scanned her surroundings. Her venomous eyes confirmed all nine fallen enemies. Her instincts, pounding in her chest, told her. There was nothing left to kill on the battlefield. Then the battlefield must be moved. Find things to kill. "No. Phoebe, no." Her reason suppresses and restrains that instinct. She bit her lips tightly, wrapped her arms around her shoulders, and hesitated to sit down. "Haah... sob... h-hic." She calmed her breath and quelled the excitement running through her body. Her instinct to increasebat ability and turn all senses into excitement was like a drug. The need to control that drug was more painful than ever. Phoebe calmed herself down. She endured the pleasure running through her body and released the "Dragonization." "Phew..." As the aftereffects of the battle and emotions surfaced, Phoebe copsed on the spot. The ce where they had attacked began to fester. The pain of the strong blow to her side, the grazing of her Achilles tendon, and the fact that her family had targeted and attacked her. Phoebe looked down at her hands. ''I killed them all again with my hands.'' The human heart is truly deceitful. She thought there would be no regrets, but now that the battle is over, she changes her mind. However, there was no time to be immersed in self-loathing. ''I have to go.'' Rosaria is still in the tower. Although she was ced in a secret hideout, a hero would have noticed by now. ''But can I... fight and win in this state?'' Her mental and physical condition were both terrible after facing the nine half-dragons. She was ready to give up her life, but everything couldn''t be resolved just by will, so it wasn''t easy. As Phoebe thought so, she felt the surrounding space twist. She thought it was a new enemy and got up, but upon seeing the figure that appeared, she slumped down again. It was Reed. "Chief..." "What did you say?" "Ah, I''m sorry. Tower Master." She confused the title due to the aftereffects of the fight. Reed didn''t care much about it. Reed looked around quickly. The guard posts were all destroyed, and the nine who were presumed to have destroyed them were scattered around Phoebe. ''Nine half-dragons. As expected.'' The hero came here with the half-dragons, targeting Rosaria. Phoebe, who couldn''t keep watching the gruesome scene, hurriedly spoke up. "Tower Master, the youngdy is..." "Is she inside?" "Yes." Phoebe nodded and stood up. "I''m sorry. I''ll go save her right away." She tried to stand up, hiding her wounds, but Reed, who had already noticed her limits, sat her back down. "You''ve done your part, Phoebe. Rest here." "But I..." "This is an order." She wanted to defy that order, but Phoebe couldn''t move. Reed took off his coat and draped it over her shoulders. Her clothes, worn from the rough battle, were already non-functional. Phoebe held the coat tightly and hid her body. "You''ve worked hard." Knowing that he would definitely be held back by her, she didn''t indulge in unnecessary greed. Reed entered the tower. It was then that she was pondering her helpless situation. One of the half-dragons, who was thought to be dead, began to moan. *** * * * Dream big tl dot *** Reed entered the tower and immediately teleported to Rosaria''s room. He opened the closet Phoebe had instructed him to. There was nothing more to see. That space was wide open, exposed to Reed''s sight. ''Damn it.'' Rosaria must have fallen into the hands of the hero. Then where did the hero go? ''If they had left the tower, Phoebe wouldn''t have said so.'' Then they were somewhere inside the tower. Where could they be? Where would the hero go? "The hero has entered the Holy Sword." The one who gave him the answer was the Water Spirit King, Orneptos. Since moving wouldn''t help anyway, she was waiting in the tower. She must have watched Rosaria''s situation closely. "What do you mean they entered the Holy Sword?" "There is a passage leading to another ce within the Holy Sword you brought. The hero knows that passage and went there with your daughter." Reed was more furious than grateful to Orneptos, who gave him that information. Because it meant he had been watching all along. "Did you just stand by until Rosaria was kidnapped?" "I don''t have the power to stop that man right now. And there is a power within that sword that I cannot stop with my own power." Reed felt blood rushing to his head momentarily. However, he quickly returned to reason. It meant that even if she tried to help with her ability, she would only be a burden. When a spirit makes a contract with a magician, they always consider mana. It''s not only for the spirit itself but also for the magician who uses the spirit. It''s amon urrence that the contractor dies from pulling out mana for unnecessary firepower. Reed''s mana was pathetic. Even if he made a contract with Orneptos with that pathetic mana, Orneptos wouldn''t be able to use her inherent abilities. If she tried to force her power to manifest, Reed would likely die from not being able to withstand it. Orneptos was weakened, and since her contractor Reed wasn''t providing mana, she had no chance of winning in battle, so she had no choice but to stand by. "A passage... the sword is a passage..." The Holy Sword had abilities, but he had never thought of the ability to enter another space. Reed quickly moved to his storage room. The door had been blown away along with the wall. The items inside were visible. A brilliant light burst from one of the decorations on the wall. The Holy Sword, which had no power when Reed touched it and appraised it, was shining brightly. "Just touching the sword will allow you to enter it." Hearing that, Reed reached for the handle. As he was about to grab the sword, Orneptos stopped him by holding his hand. "You don''t hesitate at all. Think a little more rationally." "Do you know what that person would do to my daughter? Time is of the essence." "I understand. However, you can''t win just by recklessly entering. And this sword is not a ce where you can easily enter." That''s right, he almost made a foolish move. Reed needed to be rational, as she said. "Once you enter, you will face difficulties beyond your imagination." "......" Orneptos informed him that the passage inside the Holy Sword was not simply a maze, but a ce where the difficulty varied depending on the condition of the person entering. "I''ve already entered that space once. So, I remember its entire structure." It was good news that Orneptos knew, but it wasn''t all good. If she refused to help, she could refuse at any time. "So you n to stand by." "Admit this one thing." "What is it?" "That all of this is an effort to get closer to your daughter. Remember this... unconditionally." Reed''s second contract proposed to Orneptos. Yes, if it''s for Rosaria, it wouldn''t be helping Reed. Reed nodded. "I understand. Everything is for Rosaria." "Hmm, good." Orneptos nodded. "Now let''s think about a way to beat that man." "I''ve already thought of that." "You seem confident. What''s your n?" "There''s no specific n. Just a heavy andrge object." "An object?" "Yes." Reed nodded. "With that object, we''ll be able to strike the hero once and still have some left." Chapter 149 One World, One Family (3) Before facing the hero who kidnapped Rosaria, Reed prepared himself. When she saw therge and heavy object Reed mentioned, Orneptos showed a puzzled expression. She thought about it several times, but couldn''t figure it out and felt the need to ask Reed again. "What does that thing do? Are you not going to tell me?" "I''ll let you know after everything is over. It''s not the right time now." You might die before it''s over. Orneptos was about to blurt out those words but held back. Reed didn''t seem afraid, even though he was heading into danger. People who are never afraid tend to die. Orneptos looked at Reed with pity rather than thinking of him as a foolish human. "Don''t take your life lightly. You are my contractor in name, but I don''t wish for your death." "It''s for Rosaria. I know." "¡­Right." Orneptos nodded. epting it like that wasn''t too bad. Reed went back to the storage room and looked down at the holy sword that emitted bright light. "If you''re ready, grab it." At Orneptos'' words, Reed grabbed the holy sword. The consciousness pulled Reed in strongly and he was sucked in. When he opened his eyes again, there was a thick fog of darkness in front of him. Reed recalled Orneptos'' words and steeled his resolve. ''Rosaria.'' He had to find Rosaria. As soon as he thought that, the surroundings brightened significantly. Orneptos was shocked at the sight. ''It seems even brighter than that little girl.'' Rosaria was simple and young, so she believed she could do anything. But Reed was an adult with a stubborn mind. Adults who have picked up embarrassing knowledge are weaker than ignorant children when ites to fear of the unknown. Yet, his sense of duty was stronger than his vague fear of the unknown. Orneptos marveled at the intensity of the light but didn''t show it. She had her own theory that praising him unnecessarily would make him arrogant, so she told him what to do next. "Now, think of the greatest thing you can possibly do." "Yes." Rosaria''s teddy bear turned into a knight, and the dog became a dragon. Reed also tried to imagine what he could, but it didn''t work out as he intended. "What did you think of?" "I imagined a form that could find your true power, the Sprit King." "Hmm¡­" Orneptos wanted to scold him for imagining something useless, but she couldn''t open her mouth easily. And no power came into Orneptos'' body. "It''s strange. It worked for that little girl." "It seems I can''t do it." Reed thought it was rather fortunate. Having more things to use could mess up his n. "Can you guide me?" "Wait and see." Orneptos began to search the surroundings by extending a stream of water. After about three minutes, she nodded her head. "Well, fortunately, thebyrinth structure hasn''t changed. I can guide you." Orneptos began to guide Reed by tracing the path she had taken in the past. Everything was the same, but there was one peculiar thing. Unlike Rosaria, there was nothing blocking Reed''s path. ''Does it mean there''s no need for a test?'' Is his clear goal of saving Rosaria proving that there''s no need to challenge him? Orneptos, who had underestimated Reed, began to see him differently. They finally reached the center. Reed stopped walking. In the center, a man was sitting, leaning on his sword as if waiting. ''Where''s Rosaria?'' She couldn''t be seen. Orneptos nced at him, but she only shook her head, unable to know. "You don''t need to follow me anymore." She had done her best. Orneptos, who couldn''t help Reed, had no choice but to watch from behind. "I can''t help you directly, but I''ll try to find your daughter." "Thank you." "Good luck." Reed walked towards the center, leaving Orneptos behind. He tried to hide his trembling as he faced the enemy and checked the gauntlet on his hand. Everything was perfect. If luck was on his side, he might be able to win. The hero, who had been sitting with his head bowed, raised his head. The white porcin mask showed a brazen smile. Contrary to his smile, his voice was filled with sorrow. "Your father had a vain dream." "¡­My father?" "He said the same thing as your daughter. That there''s a way to stop the impending disaster without any sacrifices." Reed understood what he was saying. The old memories that suddenly surfaced. Almost all of his memories settled in Reed''s mind, allowing him to know what kind of family he had lived in. Maybe that''s why? When this man mentioned his father, Reed''s emotions turned into anger. "It''s difficult for humans to reverse their fate. It''s hard enough to change one''s own fate, let alone the fate of another person. Changing the fate of all seven people is even more difficult. That''s why I couldn''t understand your father." "So?" "Do I need to say more? I killed your parents." His parents, and all the servants and workers, were massacred at the end of the first semester of the fourth year. The sudden misfortune that he couldn''t understand overwhelmed Reed. "I couldn''t destroy the continent that the gods loved, harboring a vain dream to save you." All his actions were meant to make Reed unhappy. The starting point of Reed''s corruption, after parting with Dolores, was created by this man. Reed took a deep breath calmly. When touching something too cold, it feels hot; when he should have been furious, he became rational instead. Reed asked him. "Where is my daughter?" "She must be somewhere, safe." "Tell me where Rosaria is!" As Reed shouted, the hero disappeared. At the same time, something blunt and hard struck Reed''s waist. He struck first before Reed even realized he was being attacked. "Ugh!" Unlike other swordsmen who trained their bodies through physical exercise, magicians have weak bodies. Even though he wasn''t hit in a vital spot, the vibration from his waist made it difficult to breathe. Reed clenched his teeth and stood up, leaning on his hand. "You have a strong will, even though the damage must have made it hard to breathe for three minutes." Reed struggled to control his breathing and slowly healed the shock. A gust of wind wrapped around Reed''s body. It showed his determination not to take any more attacks like the one just now. The hero didn''t intend to do that either. The first time was a warning, and the second time would be for real. The hero drew his sword and aimed at Reed. "Reed Adeleheights Roton. Do you think you can beat me?" Can he win? He was the hero who had been the strongest of humanity, able to confront the Demon King. And he became the first disaster, tormenting Reed as the final boss in the game. On the other hand, Reed was a character who barely became a tower master. He was even mocked as a tower befitting the silence that flowed. ''I can''t win with my abilities.'' Reed thought of the story of the little hero that Rosaria liked. No one would have thought that he could be a great hero capable of confronting the Demon King. So, can Reed be a little hero? It''s impossible. Everything won''t easily end with a happy ending like in a fairy tale. He knew that in his head. Despite making all those rational judgments, Reed took a step forward. He knew he would lose, but he didn''t back down. As a father, not a little hero or just a hero. He struggles to save his family. "I will win." Reed took out an object hidden in subspace. A weapon made for the battle against the hero. It was a secret strategy known only to Kaitlyn and Reed who created it. Seeing the object, the hero was slightly taken aback. ''Dark magic?'' What he took out was the body of a sturdy adult male. A knight''s armor made of protruding metal. It looked like a homunculus, but it reminded him of a headless knight, a Duhan, as there was nothing above the neck. However, it wasn''t a Duhan, as it didn''t have the ominous energy unique to undead monsters. It was just strange. Reed took out four headless metal dolls. A total of five people, including Reed, stood there. The headless bodies lined up began to move. The hero started observing the unfamiliar objects. ''They''re all mages.'' They were equipped with the same Magnesium gauntlets as Reed and used simr magic. "¡­"Great me"." From inside the neck, an unnatural voice could be heard very faintly. Reed''s clones also learned to use runes and utilized them. When one focused on casting a spell, the others used cards or short spells to distract the hero. ''They move as if they are one body.'' Trying to forcibly interrupt the casting would leave them defenseless, so they were the most difficult opponents for the hero. However, he was a hero. In any situation and at any moment, he would adapt and see through the enemy''s pattern. "I see." The hero raised his head and looked at Reed. "Are all of these you?" "Do you still have time to talk?" The clones attacked the hero once again. ''He noticed quickly.'' Reed called them dummy bodies. They were objects made with a simr structure to a human using the body of a golem researched by Kaitlyn. They were neither Duhans, who subdue souls and obey unconditionally, nor machines like homunculi that move ording to a program. All of them were bodies bound to Reed''s mind. The way to control them was simple. Just thinking about sending them to a specific area, they would move there as naturally as breathing. Using magic and runes was all the same. As they had no heads, their vision was limited to Reed, but it was better to control the bodies as a control tower. ''Controlling all four isn''t easy, though...'' But it was a powerful force worth taking the risk. It was as if there were four more powerful magicians with Reed''s mind. Since they used the same magnesium gauntlets and runes, their power was virtually beyond Reed. Reed, acting as their head, thought and executed strategies. Noticing that fact, the hero didn''t attack the dummy bodies that were busily harassing him. He aimed more boldly at Reed''s main body. He dodged the me sphere by flying, and the hero neutralized the explosion of the rune card with his sword. He took some damage, but it was minimal. If he could cut off Reed''s lifeline with that, it was ridiculously cheap. "It''s over." The well-honed blue de pierced Reed''s chest. He clearly felt the sensation of it digging in, but what appeared in his sight was not the dying Reed. ''A headless magician?'' The one who was pierced in the chest was a headless magician. It was Reed''s dummy. ''How?'' There was no time to think about anything. As soon as the sword pierced the dummy''s body, it grabbed the hero. The explosive rune card embedded in its body was activated, and its body turned red-hot. Kaboom! Even the toughest knight could not survive such power unscathed. However, Reed didn''t think the hero was dead. ''He won''t even have a scratch.'' It was because he had the ability to manipte time. As the body fragments scattered and the red and yellow lights that were spewing out stopped like a paused video. The exploding fragments that had approached Reed were returned to where they came from. The explosion went back into the body, and the red-hot body quickly cooled down. Finally, the sword that had pierced the body was pulled out. The hero caught the sword that was about to fall to the ground and held it again. As Reed expected, the hero didn''t have any injuries. ''"Return" was activated.'' * * * Dream big tl dot *** The hero''s ability was time, and among them, the skill to reverse time and nullify an attack when receiving a fatal blow. The total time reversed was 10 seconds. As the effect of Return, the dummy returned to its state before the explosion, and the hero himself became intact. "It seems you''re not sturdy enough to withstand that explosion." It made sense. Its body was wrapped with as many as 500 explosive runes. When Reed sends a signal with a self-destruct system, the explosive runes hidden behind the armor are exposed. At least 100 runes explode. The sharply made armor bes a de, causing secondary damage. ''I thought even a hero couldn''t withstand that much.'' There''s no business before the number. That was one of the tricks Reed had thought of. ''I thought my body would return to its original ce, but I guess not.'' He wondered if it was returning to the state before the teleport, but it seemed to treat him like Reed, who was standing there. ''I can try a few more strategies.'' He put that strategy on hold for a moment. The hero was staring at Reed. "¡­Annoying." The white mask was expressionless, but the face behind it could be roughly guessed. Chapter 150 One World, One Family (4) The hero moved, sweeping his sword through the air. His movements became faster, and his actions bolder. Knowing that his own weakness was Reed, he didn''t hesitate. But still, he couldn''t reach Reed. The dummies were protecting Reed with magic, blocking all his paths. If he moved hastily, Reed would switch ces with the dummies, and he would be caught in a deadly explosion of magic. Since the ability to turn back time was not infinite, the hero had no choice but to hesitate. Reed began to move frantically. ''I must not stop.'' Fighting the hero was like riding on the back of a tiger. It was not only to stay out of the attack range, but also to be on guard against stopping time. If he stood still, the hero would use a skill called "Pose". It turns back time by 5 seconds, and if one stays still in that area, they be a target. It was virtually the same as standing still, making it no different from giving the hero an effective hit. He used time, and Reed used space. But he shouldn''t think it''s safe. The moment he let his guard down, even space would belong to the hero. ''As long as I''m careful about that...'' How great would it be if he only had such abilities? The hero was a boss-level swordsman with a Swordmaster-level skill, and an experienced adventurer who had been through numerous trials and was quick-witted. The hero was already ahead in physical abilities and experience. As he gathered information to some extent, the hero''s movements became bolder. Bang! Bang! He deflected all the flying cards and explosions of magic, and quickly tried to pierce through one of the dummy bodies. Reed used teleportation to evacuate that dummy body. As if the hero had been waiting for that, he targeted another dummy body close to the evacuated one. When one uses magic continuously, there''s bound to be a small gap. He took advantage of that gap to target and attack another dummy body. Reed hurriedly tried to expose the body and reveal the explosion, but the hero didn''t allow it. He crushed the armor with his sword, preventing it from opening. The dummy body copsed on the spot, spewing a blue liquid. "Indeed, that annoying teleportation magic is a gift from the goddess. I thought it was destroyed when the guardian died." The hero shook off the blue liquid from his sword de. His eyes quickly scanned the dummy bodies, including Reed. "So there are only three left now?" Reed hadn''t even considered his full power. epting this was the most humiliating moment for Reed. The remaining dummy bodies began to move. There were only three left. The strategy was still intact. Even though it was not as good as having four, moving more boldly would involve risks, but it wouldn''t be a problem. ''Induce "Return".'' When time rewinds, not only his own injuries but also the injuries of the dummy bodies disappear. Though the mana used for teleportation remains used, it can be reced with potions. And Return cannot be used infinitely. At some point, there will be a moment when it cannot be used. The hero continued to gather information and adapt. His movements became smoother, and he seamlessly responded, finding gaps to exploit. In the end, it was difficult to fully protect Reed with three dummy bodies, and the hero thrust his sword at Reed like piercing a piece of food with a fork. "Ugh!" The hero''s sword pierced through Reed''s shoulder. Before the pain could reach Reed''s mind, his yellow crystal emitted light. A dummy body that was far away flew in front of Reed and the hero. It restrained the hero''s body and exploded as it was. Time rewound. Reed noticed the fact by looking at the dummy body in front of him and the hero far away. "Did you prepare to die for real, or did you gamble, knowing that you would turn back if I tried to die?" Instead of answering, he smiled. Reed felt that the momentum had slightly tilted in his favor because the hero had asked him a question. ''The goddess of victory is still far away.'' With the determination to touch the tip of his toes and grab his hair, Reed threw the cards. Bang! Crash! The explosive sound from the cards rang out chaotically. That''s when it happened. "Ugh!" The sturdy floor began to tremble. It seemed as if a new skill was being used, but the hero also seemed to have not anticipated this situation, showing a surprised expression. The explosion and the injuries were rewound, but the shock that the vast space had received could not bepletely undone. "Ugh!" Feeling the ground beneath him crumbling, he quickly evacuated. He almost flew, his posture copsing as he inadvertently looked down at the broken floor below. Something darker than darkness itself was spinning below. ''Where is that, and where does it lead to?'' He couldn''t know. He didn''t want to know, and there was no time to think about it. If he thought any further, he would lose his life to the sword flying from behind. Reed used teleportation to disappear from that spot. ng! The hero''s sword pierced the empty space where Reed had been, and Reed regained his posture in the meantime. ''The remaining dummy bodies are not 3... but 2.'' In the midst of confusion, the hero had eliminated one of the dummy bodies. Although it was annoying, it was an excellent judgment. No matter how hard he tried tond a hit, the hero remained a hero. His body remained intact while two dummy bodies disappeared. ''No, did he take some damage after all?'' Upon closer inspection, there were parts torn apart by the debris. Of course, it wasn''t enough damage to cause any problems with his movements. Reed didn''t care about that fact. It was just one blow anyway. If he couldnd one proper direct hit, one of them, either the hero or Reed, would die. With that belief, Reed began to operate the remaining two dummy bodies. With less stability than when there were three, he boldly approached the hero. The hero kept using "Return" to avoid the explosions, and Reed gradually became more precarious. One dummy body copsed without even exerting any strength. Before dying, the dummy body hurled the hidden explosive at the hero''s face as ast-ditch effort. Bang! The explosion was not rewound. The white porcin mask covering the face crumbled away. His face was torn apart by the debris, and blood flowed from his forehead. Golden eyes tinged with a strange hue stared at Reed. ''Does that mean such a wound is nothing? Or is it that he can''t use "Return" anymore?'' Did he gain the upper hand? If there were two left in this situation, it would have been more hopeful, but now there was only one left. Emotionally, he shouted that he could do it, but his reason was murmuring that it was impossible. And as always, reality favored reason. Even thatst resistance seemed to be meaningless as it came to an end. "Is that the end of your tricks?" "......" Unfortunately, it was the end. He had used up all the mana potions he had brought, and there was not much mana left. He had no means to fight alone. However, Reed acted as if he still had a hidden card up his sleeve. But as if it was a ridiculous act, the hero stood in front of Reed. "You call yourself a hero? Kidnapping a daughter despicably and making a weak mage suffer?" "Do you expect the heroes in fairy tales to look at the world innocently? The world is not easy. One cannot shine without getting dirty once. If one does not fall into a real crisis, they will die in thefort. That was the conclusion I came to about what I could do for the continent during my long journey." A clear voice filled with conviction. That''s why it made him even angrier. "What I''m trying to save is just one thing." The sharp pain piercing through Reed''s chest. The hero''s sword prated Reed. "That''s why I won." Blood flowed back, and the scent of death increasingly stung his nose. He tried to save his daughter with all his might, but in the end, he could not rescue her from the hero''s hands. I did my best. No. What''s the use of dying? What''s the meaning if I couldn''t save her even though I did my best? Failure cannot be sugarcoated in any way. I failed. I failed as a tower master and as a father. I am already a despicable person. So, can I be even more despicable? "Aaaaaaah!!!" He pushed his body into the sword that pierced his chest. Tightly tying it to his internal organs so that he couldn''t pull the sword out, he approached the hero. With a great effort, Reed grabbed the hero''s head with his gauntlet-covered hand. He didn''t have the strength to crush the hero''s head with one hand. But he had the ability to do so. The seal on the gauntlet on his right hand opened, and all the explosives he had tucked inside were visible to Reed''s eyes. The rune cards all turned red. Looking at his face that came close to his nose, he spoke. Instead of saying that he only wants to save himself, he answered shortly and thickly. "Die." Igniting 52 explosive runes. Bang! * * * Dream big tl dot *** *** Reed''s body rolled like a vine swept away by the wind of the wastnd due to the massive explosion. His body didn''t stop until it reached the copsed spot. Feeling that he would fall like this, he tightly held onto his sanity and barely managed to grab the edge. "Ugh...!" With the strength of his left hand, it was difficult to even hold on, let alone climb. He tried to hold on with his right hand, but there was no feeling in it. ''It''s been cut off.'' There was no need to check. Reed tried to think of everything he could do with his left hand. However, there was nothing that came to mind. Down below. He could only see a future of falling into a ce even darker than darkness. ''But the hero must be dead, right?'' He remembered his arm being cut off and the vivid scene of the explosion. Since the hero didn''t use "Return", he must have taken all that damage without a doubt. "Damn." His hand was gradually losing strength. He was bound to fall down like this. That''s when it happened. Someone''s hand grabbed Reed and lifted him up. Had Dolores or Phoebee in? Lifting his head with that thought, he saw an unexpected figure. The one who extended the lifeline to him was none other than the hero. His face and chest were in a state that could hardly be called human. That''s why his golden eyes on the white snow seemed unnecessarily shining. He opened his mouth. "In the end, you couldn''t save anyone." "......" "That''s your fate. Yours... and the fate I have to bear... a fate that can only lead to tragedy." He fell silent as if waiting for Reed to speak, then opened his mouth again. "Will you beg for mercy onest time?" The hero wanted Reed to beg for mercy. At this moment, when his life depended on the hero''s hand, fear flickered across his face. Save me. He waited for those words toe out. Reed spoke cautiously with trembling lips. "me... please..." Instead of begging, Reed recited a magic spell. His mana had been exhausted long ago, and there was no other way since his right arm had been cut off. Yet, his mouth shamelessly chanted the magic. "You''re persistent... really persistent." The hero threw Reed with a disgusted face. It was not below the cliff, but behind the hero, in a wide-open space. As the hero threw him, Reedy on the ground and looked up at him. The confusion was momentary, and he started to replenish his exhausted mana while catching his breath. "Why did you... save me?" He asked a question to buy time, but instead of a fitting answer, a question came back. "Do you know who I am?" "I know. You''re a piece of trash." The hero sat down on the opposite side of Reed. Despite undoubtedly being seriously injured, he was moreposed than Reed. "I loved this continent." Reed didn''t want to hear such a story. He wished he could shove magic into his face, but he didn''t have the strength or ability to do so. In the end, he had no choice but to listen to the hero''s words helplessly. "I saw the sun rise at the eastern end and set at the western end. I fought giant scorpions in the southern desert where my skin burned, and I fought Leviathan on the frozen sea in the north. And finally... the Demon King invaded this continent." A story that should be proud somehow sounded sad. It was as if all those things were meaningless. "All those journeys were undoubtedly just. I loved the continent and everything on it. So... I thought I was right until I killed your parents." The hero picked up his sword and stood up again. The dirty de, covered with ash and dust, caught Reed''s eye. He had gathered mana through meditation, but it was still ridiculously insufficient to fight. The hero asked. "Do you want to protect your family?" "......" "It was a rhetorical question. That''s why you came here. The little girl must have left here and returned." "......When?" Seeing his tightly closed lips twitch, the hero chuckled. Chapter 151 One World, One Family (5) "It must be about time for you to take out that headless thing." "From the beginning... did you not even n to kidnap and use her as a hostage?" "She''s the only one who can lead me to this space. That''s why I got her help. She created this ce and trapped herself in it." "That child?" "That child was too considerate. She even gave up her own future... to show us her affection." "What the hell are you talking about? She''s just a 9-year-old kid!" As Reed shouted in disbelief, the hero nced at him. And then he turned his head away. "I had a god to serve. I was thest of a religion that had lost its followers." Reed had heard about that once before. It was a story which Rosaria was told when she showed the religious symbol to Isel. "That child was the god I worshiped." "A god?" "The little child who suddenly came to you, came in the form you most desired, and tried to help your unfortunate fate at the end." Reed made an iprehensible expression. "Why would you try to make me unhappy?" "Because that was the tragedy of the Adeleheights family and herst will. The remaining disasters, the debts of the future, all had to be carried and extinguished as her final love for this continent. Out of respect for her will... I had to be a disaster for her." He got up and adjusted his sword. "But in the end, I was just a person who only looked at the past." The sword pointed downward, spinning around, and the tip of the sword pointed towards himself. The hero was pointing it at himself. "With this, I will seal myself for thest time. This is thest thing I can do for the continent as a hero." The sword pointing at him went deep. Very slowly, painfully, but the hero had afortable expression. He spoke to Reed for thest time. "Don''t look at the past. Raising your head and looking at the future is the hope given to you." At the same time, the space crumbled, and Reed was enveloped in a bright light. When he opened his eyes again, he realized he had returned to reality. He wondered if it was just a long dream, but the vivid memories and pain still remained. ''Damn...'' His arm hurt so much he felt like he was going to die, but Reed couldn''t move. His whole body ached, and he had lost too much blood. He would die like this. He didn''t want anyone to see him in this state. Reed hurriedly gathered his mana and tried to clumsily stop the bleeding. That''s when it happened. Someone stood in front of Reed. The small figure was about the size of Rosaria. But if it had been Rosaria, she would have undoubtedly called out to her father in her childish voice. Her voice was different. "What are you doing, Reed?" *** * * * Dream big tl dot *** The ce the hero headed to after passing Phoebe, the watchdog of Silence Tower, was Rosaria''s room. It wasn''t difficult to find. There was undoubtedly a 9-year-old child''s room, and the hero went inside. The hero stood in the middle of the room and looked around. It wasn''t a search, but rather just looking around. He already knew where Rosaria was hiding. Inside the wall of the built-in closet. He could feel Rosaria in there. "Are you in there?" There was no answer. The hero spoke again. "I''m not here to hurt you. Can you give me some time?" There was still no answer. The hero looked resigned and then opened his mouth with difficulty. "I am a hero. I am the one who defeated the Demon King you know. In return, I bear the curse of being trapped in the flow of time. And all my descendants who inherit my blood will suffer from tragedy. That is the fate of your father, of the Edelweiss, no, the Adeleheights family." The hero continued. "But I want to end that tragedy now. And for that, I need your help." Still, there was no answer. Did he waste his efforts? Just as he was thinking that, a voice came from beyond the closet. -I know your voice, sir. It''s the same as the man I saw in my dream! Right? "...Yes." -Did youe to hurt my dad? "It was only for the sake of the world." -It''s good for the world. But my dad is also someone who works for the world. So why do you hurt him? Rosaria questioned the hero with a cautious voice. The hero took off his mask. "I''m trying to do something for the world. For that, I need your power." -What kind of work is it? "It''s sealing the power. The power I received is the power to turn back time. If I have that power, he will go back to the past many times and repeat this process. I want to seal that power." -How? "Just open the path that only the Holy Sword could reach. It''s a space that no one can enter if they don''t possess the qualifications." -Holy Sword? Oh, that maze! The hero raised his head at the sound of the squeaky wall opening. Rosaria, who had been hiding inside, peeked out and looked up at the hero. Silver hair and red eyes. He, who had been calm in the face of anyone, trembled when he saw Rosaria''s face. "Is going there helping my dad?" "Yes." "Really?" "Yes." Seeing her nod repeatedly, Rosaria opened the door wide and came out. -Meow! The elemental spirit, Meowmeow, growled and guarded against the hero. "Meowmeowf, don''t do that. He''s a hero." -Meow. At Rosaria''s words, Meowmeow immediately changed to innocent eyes. Rosaria looked up at the hero and said, "Let''s go!" Rosaria led the hero to the ce where the sword was. When they arrived in front of the storage room, they realized they had forgotten the most important fact. "Now that I think about it, I didn''t ask my dad for permission, so I can''t go in..." "It''s okay. That much..." The hero cut through the door and destroyed the obstacle blocking their way. "Hero, you''re so strong." Rosaria admired him, and the hero followed her, seemingly indifferent to thepliment. The two approached the Holy Sword. The Holy Sword wasn''t shining and was waiting in its ce, covered in dust. "But how do I open this?" "Leave it to your instincts. Then, the path to this ce will open." "Instinct..." Rosaria didn''t like to use magic ording to her instincts. However, since it was for the sake of the continent, she decided to trust her instincts for once. She waited for the ability within the Holy Sword to manifest, not knowing any form or equation. Pah-! The entire Holy Sword began to emit light. The hidden power of the Holy Sword was fully unleashed. "Is this it?" "Yes, thank you." The hero reached out to pick up the sword. But then, he hesitated with a sudden doubt in his mind and turned to look at Rosaria. "I have a question." "What is it?" "Why did youe out of there?" She must have been warned to note out when she was hiding. But he couldn''t understand why she came out just because the hero called her. "You''re a hero." "So?" "Heroes don''t do cowardly things." At Rosaria''s words, the hero silently looked down at her. The undeniable purity. He wanted to say that there is no one to trust in this sinister world but swallowed the words, feeling like it would be a useless remark. It was time to part ways ording to the original n, but the hero couldn''t bring himself to do so. "Would you like toe in with me?" "Yes!" Though the question was blunt, Rosaria answered with a bright smile. He wanted to talk a little more. He wanted to take in the pure days of the goddess he had loved a little more. Monsters appeared in the maze and attacked them, but the hero already remembered all their patterns. Oveing fear was no longer a problem, and they reached the center of the maze with unstoppable momentum. Worried that Rosaria might be scared, he nced at her, but she didn''t seem frightened at all. Rather, she seemed to be savoring the joy of being the hero''spanion, even if only for a short time. "Hero." Rosaria asked. "Were you special from the moment you were born?" "Is that what my records say?" "Yes!" It''s hard to read one''s own records. He used to enjoy his ever-changing story up until 200 years ago, but now he couldn''t tell how it had changed. Wondering how to tell her, the hero decided to share the truth. "I wasn''t special. I was just a human who would be stronger if I trained, that''s all." "But you defeated the Demon King! You were chosen by the Holy Sword!" "I didn''tpletely eliminate him. I just sent him to the future, with your ability." Rosaria blinked a few times as if she had misheard, then raised both her hands and spoke. "Did I do that? Rosaria doesn''t know anything." "That''s right. It might not exist now. He can use the past. And you have the ability to go to the future." "An ability to go to the future?" "Postponing tasks." "Gasp! Dolores unni always tells me that." She asked with wide eyes, wondering how he knew. Seeing her like that, the hero unconsciously stroked her head lightly. "Those who see the past have regrets, and those who see the future have hope. That''s why they were called the gods of hope." You didn''t like that. The hero swallowed those words. Talking more would only create lingering feelings. "I... I regret what I''ve done." Not creating something based on regret, butpletely eradicating regret. That''s why regret umtes in ces that cannot be seen. It consumes oneself, and faith hardens. What had consumed the hero was the sin of using and abandoning his family and descendants. Rosaria didn''t know the hero''splicated situation. All she knew were the heroic tales of the hero. "I want to be a hero like you. I want to defeat evil and nt hope in people!" What could he say to this girl who took him as a role model? He wanted to tell her not to be like him, but he couldn''t say that. "You must always remember that. The fact that anyone can be a hero." "Why? Why can anyone be a hero?" "It''s not because you''re special that you be a hero... Remembering that anyone can be special is the key to bing a true hero." "I don''t understand the difference." "It''s to nt hope in everyone. Saving the continent isn''t done alone. If I think I''m special, it will lead to arrogant results. In order to save the continent, hope is needed for everyone. Not simply relying on someone, but the courage to break through the darkness. Praise that courage and lead people." Hearing that, Rosaria nodded her head with a touched expression. It was too difficult a conversation, but still, she felt what he intended to say in her heart. "Yes!" The hero smiled. It was a very faint smile, but it was a face that had gained a little hope. There would be no more things for him to regret. "You must save everyone." The sin of following a foolish belief. Repayment is not through penance with a humble prayer. Only death. The hero waited. For someone to go through this long maze ande in to save a daughter, not a goddess. *** "Reed, what are you doing?" She wouldn''t dare to call her father''s name rudely. Reed raised his head. A gothic girl with arge parasol on her shoulder was looking down at him. The Tower Master of ck Sky, Freesia. She was looking down at him with her eyes filled with a red glow. He wanted to think that she wouldn''t know it because the room was dark, but the situation was too crude to deceive her eyes. Freesia didn''t speak for a while after saying that. She wasn''t waiting for an answer. For her, the answer was not the problem. She just couldn''t ept this scene and stood there. "Reed, what did I say I hated the most?" "......" "That''s right. Your body recklessly rolling around, thinking it''s yours. That''s what I hated the most." She didn''t answer, but Freesia nodded and murmured. Her shadowy hand reached out and lifted Reed''s body. "Gasp!" Reed gasped for breath as if vomiting. The consciousness he barely held onto blurred. Freesia looked up at him, engulfed in cold madness. "You think you can diefortably after bewitching me with all sorts of sweet words? There''s no way." Freesia stretched out her arm. She shoved her hand into the ce where Reed''s right arm had been. It wasn''t even a random rummaging. Like a ck magician who studied pain, she knew which parts hurt the most and saw through them all. "Argh!! Aaaah!!" Reed''s scream echoed in the storage room. Her voice, filled with ecstasy, cried out as if mingling with his. "That''s right! Reed! Scream like that! Wail like a newborn baby! Wail because it''s painful!! Feel that you''re still alive!" After tormenting his nerves for a while, Freesia withdrew her hand. It was impossible to tell whether it was pure joy or twisted madness. Cold sweat ran down his entire body, and he couldn''t breathe. Freesia grabbed Reed''s neck with her small hand. "You... can''t die. As long as I''m alive. Because I''ll watch you suffer." Squeeze! The sound of flesh copsing resonated inside Freesia''s mouth. Her mouth, which didn''t bleed a single drop even when she stabbed the Holy Sword into her chest, started to turn bright red and began to overflow. Chapter 152 One World, One Family (6) Reed could roughly guess what she was trying to do. He wanted to resist, but he had no strength to do so. The blood pooled in her mouth, riding on her bright red tongue, entered Reed''s mouth. As her blood entered his mouth, a chemical reaction urred throughout his body. His heart burst like an active volcano, and hot blood burned his entire body. "Gulp. Gulp..." Not even a scream came out. He was in pain, unable to breathe as he choked himself. The burden of pain was so overwhelming that it felt like living in hell. Especially on Reed''s right arm, the pain was the most severe. The burning life force was regenerating Reed''s right arm. The bones, muscles, and flesh were all returning to their original state. However, perhaps because she had trampled on him and inflicted pain, it wasn''t as painful as a shock. Did she tear off his arm with that intention? He didn''t know. The only thing he knew was that this abnormal life force flowing through his body made Reed feel dizzy. Reed''s consciousness blurred and sank deep. *** * * * Dream big tl dot *** Hey... ...me. Hey, ...me. "Hey, wake up." Reed, who thought it was an auditory hallucination, raised his head at the sound of the voice. He was startled as he looked up at the man who called him. The man with gray hair and golden eyes stood in front of him, undoubtedly Reed''s appearance. "You are... me?" "Not ''me''. The original me. You weren''t it, were you?" As he said that, Reed, or rather Jinhyuk, looked down at his body. He saw a body dressed in a ck office suit. Although almost three years had passed, he could tell it was his body at once. "It seems we''ve returned to our original selves. At this moment, at least." Reed said, looking at his own body. "Why did this suddenly happen?" Reed shook his head as if he didn''t know in response to Jinhyuk''s question. "I''m not sure, but didn''t something happen in the world you were in? It''s strange if something happened in my world." "Didn''t anything happen to you?" "I was working. It had nothing to do with magic." Indeed, even if something had happened in the real world, it wouldn''t have been supernatural. Jinhyuk tried to recall his memories in response to Reed''s question. "It might be rted to Freesia." "Freesia, the tower master of the ck Sky?" "That woman shared her blood with me. So... my severed right arm regenerated, and I passed out." "Your arm was severed? No, more importantly, she shared her blood? That woman?" He was surprised twice, but the most important thing was about Freesia. "She''s a strange woman. She hated her own life force and never made such an extreme choice when reviving someone, not even once." "Am I the first?" "When I was alive, she was. She was a selfish and willful queen." "I see." "Well, there''s that, but they say it''s incredibly painful to receive her blood. It felt like dipping your hand in volcanic magma." "That''s urate." That''s exactly what Jinhyuk felt. The sensation of not being able to withstand the boiling life force. It was understandable why she would habitually say that living was painful. "I think maybe because I''m dying, our swapped souls are trying to return to their original ces, and that''s why we gathered like this." "I have a simr thought." Reed nodded, agreeing with that opinion. And there was no more talk. They didn''t know how to react to the fact that they could return to their original worlds after adapting to and living in worlds unknown to each other. Neither Jinhyuk nor Reed would find the situation appealing. "It doesn''t seem like anything will be resolved by just standing here like this..." Reed stood up from his seat and reached out to Jinhyuk. "Shall we take a walk for a moment?" "Let''s do that." Jinhyuk nodded at Reed''s suggestion. There was no proper walking path, but it was a perfect ce for aimless walking. The two walked down that path. "Do you smoke?" Reed asked. Jinhyuk shook his head. "I used to smoke in the past, but I don''t anymore." "Then give me a cigarette. It should be in your left pocket." "Left pocket?" As he said, when he put his hand in his left pocket, a pack of cigarettes came out. It was clear that Reed, who was living in the real world, was smoking. Reed skillfully took out a cigarette with his thumb, put it in his mouth, and lit it with a lighter. Swoosh- Hoo¡ª. He took a big puff and exhaled. Jinhyuk could tell that Reed had adapted quite well to the modern world, seeing the skillful appearance of a modern person spitting saliva on the ground. "You seem to have adapted well to that world?" "It was difficult at first, but now it''s bearable. How about you?" "Same for me." "How is the tower going without me?" "Do you mean now?" Jinhyuk answered his question. Since he didn''t know how long this darkness wouldst, he briefly exined the key points. "Magic engineering... Yeah, I once tried to use magic engineering as ast resort when the "Flower Garden" failed." "I abandoned the "Flower Garden". Because..." "I know. You don''t have to tell me." Jinhyuk blinked his eyes, looking at Reed cutting off his words. "How?" ""Disaster 7"." Reed mentioned the name of the game. He knew he had adapted, but he never thought he would y a game. It was practically a story about his future, and he was curious about the evaluation. "After switching with your body and adapting, I yed a game on a device called aputer. I saw the continent and tower I knew, the ce names, and myself there. I saw myself full of anger and madness as a viin." A viin. He seemed to know he was a viin. He was curious. How did that viin feel about seeing his own future? "How did it feel to watch yourself?" "...It wasn''t pleasant. Watching everyone I knew disappear and face death made me wonder what made me like this. In the end, not everything was exined, and it was frustrating. Above all, I wondered if that was really me." "It''s exactly what I felt, yeah." Jinhyukughed, and Reed showed a bitter smile. "And... I felt like I knew a little." "What?" "My father once told me that for everyone to be truly happy, no one should be sacrificed. In the end, my Flower Garden required someone to be sacrificed, and I suffered the consequences for it." "You didn''t feel it was strange at that time?" "I was desperate." He took a deep breath and exhaled. Everything was desperate. So he tried to gain recognition even at the cost of sacrifice. Jinhyuk decided to understand that. "And I had one question." "What question?" "Is that the end of my world? The ending credits. It didn''t show anything beyond that." "That''s typical for a game. Most games don''t show what happens after, right?" Reed''s question seemed to be about thest part of Jinhyuk''s game. The world became peaceful, and they lived happily ever after. That was the end. If you were simply ying the game, that phrase indicated the end, and there was no need for doubt. "As a person who lived in that world, I know everything I heard. I had various thoughts while watching that ending. Why can''t I y beyond this? Is the world really ending happily?" "Then hurry up and talk about it. It''s my world now." "I''m thinking that if that girl dies, everything might be reversed." "Reversed?" Reed nodded. "At first, I thought it was simply a game production, but if it''s about my world, the ending is like stopping time." Since they yed the same game, he could understand how it would happen. Yes, if it wasn''t just a production but really the end. "When the future time is destroyed, only the present and past remain. So, you repeat that event." The hero with the power to turn back time had sealed himself. Now, only Rosaria, who has the power to move forward in time, remains, meaning there will be no time regression. ''Living trapped in time...'' Even if it''s a happy ending, living trapped in time is a bad ending. Moving forward and living like a human would be the true happy ending. ''The best happy ending among them...'' That''s what Reed wanted. "To get everything back on track, you need to twist all seven fates. Then the source of the disaster will disappear." "Disappear..." What does that mean? Does it mean that Rosaria''s special ability will disappear, or does it mean that her existence itself will vanish? Jinhyuk was confident that he could love her even without her powers. However, if her existence disappearing was the condition... ''Could I ept it then?'' Reed added, looking at Jinhyuk staring into the void. "Of course, you have to go to the end to know everything. This is still an unestablished story." Awkward silence returned. This time, Jinhyuk broke it first. "You yed "Disaster 7", so you know the final boss, right?" "I know. I struggled a bit. It was so hard to clear that guy." "She''s my daughter now." "What, what?" Reed turned his head. Jinhyuk shrugged his shoulders and answered. "I don''t find your reaction surprising, but she''s not that monstrous now, so she''s cute." "Hmm... I don''t really want to see her." Reed exhaled cigarette smoke and looked away. He couldn''t dare imagine, having watched himself being torn apart by her. He started to wonder about his rtionships when he learned that the final boss became his daughter. "What happened to the tower master of the Wall?" "Dolly?" "Who''s Dolly?" "A nickname for Dolores. Anton called her that. So I''m calling her that too." "Is that so? Anyway, how is she?" Reed told Jinhyuk his story. Although there seemed to be some awkward feelings, Jinhyuk listened to the story calmly and nodded. "You removed the magic seed from her body, and even got engaged again... Well, you did all kinds of things with my body." "....Yeah." Jinhyuk admitted it without protest. Reed puffed out his cigarette with a displeased expression. He smoked more than 10 cigarettes, but the cigarette he held in his hand didn''t seem to shrink. "She would have been better off finding a different man than someone like me..." "She had no one but you. Can you ept pushing her away and hurting her when there''s no one else?" "Well, that''s true. Dolores... she was a cute girl. She was always like a baby. She tried to get my attention by smearing things on her mouth, drew cute pictures, and even sent me handwritten letters several times. Pushing away such a baby without saying anything was me being too clumsy..." Reed regretted his actions. Reed didn''t like that Jinhyuk had taken Dolores, but he was grateful that he had made amends. "How is Phoebe?" "Phoebe is... always the same. She still loves you wholeheartedly." "I know she loved me, but seeing her still love you after you changed... it seems like she likes you too." Reed smiled contentedly. It was different from his reaction to Dolores. It was afortable expression, as if a beloved younger sister had found a good person to be with. "Why is your reaction different from Dolores?" "Well, she was pretty depressed in the past. I was worried that she might get depressed again after I changed, but since she became brighter, I can''t help but be happy." "You are very devoted to Phoebe too." "Well, those who need a lot of care are like that. She makes many mistakes. She''s skilled, but her mind doesn''t catch up. I have to keep making her memorize manuals. Always check on her, okay?" "I don''t need to interfere; she''ll do well on her own, old man." As he called him an old man, Reed frowned. "Then, as an old man, I need to nag about your current life, game addict." "Ugh..." "As apany employee, do you just y games when you''re at home?" "How did you know... Anyway, I didn''t just y games... I still worked." "It''s said that getting a job in a bigpany is verypetitive. In such apetitive society, you''ll be left behind quickly. You should aim for a higher position, what will you be just ying games?" "¡­Your nagging is¡­" "You should take good care of your parents. Can you afford to skip calls because you''re busy? There''s a great tool called a smartphone, and it''s easy to contact them. You should at least let them hear your voice often. You start regretting it when you neglect your parents." "Are they my parents or yours?" "What can I do now that they''ve be my parents? And I''ve already lost my parents." That''s right, true. Jinhyuk couldn''t speak thoughtlessly. Chapter 153 One World, One Family (7) It was not a natural death but a murder. He must have regretted and despaired so much for not being able to tell her that he loved them onest time. "Was it easy for our parents to ept?" "At first, I just pretended. But then, I gradually felt your memories mixing with mine. So it became easier to ept." "I felt the same way. We''re simr." Jinhyuk was worried that his original personality might suddenly emerge and reim Reed''s body. But now, he seemed to understand. It was the process of Jinhyuk''s soul being fused into that world. Complete fusion. That meant, without a doubt, that he would never see his original reality again. Both Jinhyuk and Reed were aware of this fact. Thinking of each other''s reality made them feel ufortable. "Are our parents doing well?" Jinhyuk casually asked the question. "I''m doing my best to be filial. Recently, I bought them a massage chair." "Massage chairs are expensive, aren''t they? Do you have that much money?" "Chest pocket." Reed tapped his chest as if there was no need for a long exnation. When Jinhyuk put his hand in his breast pocket, an elegant business card came out. Shimsung Electronics Director Jung Jinhyuk "An executive?" Jinhyuk''s eyes widened, and Reed shrugged his shoulders. "It was like eating rice cake while lying down. It was much easier than when I became the Tower Master. It''s not a world where you need mana congenitally, so it''s much morefortable." Considering that he became an executive in just a few years, he didn''t seem like an old-fashioned nag. ''A genius who tried to go beyond the scope of the criminal.'' It wasn''t strange for him to achieve anything in a world without congenital mana. "So, are you in a rtionship too?" "¡­There was a girl named Hyemin. She helped me a lot." "Hyemin is good at interfering, after all." Ju Hyemin. She was a girl he had known since middle school. Their rtionship was that of close friends, and they got along very well. "She''s a patient girl. She thought I had gone crazy, and she often came to teach me how to adapt." "Knowing her, she probably hit you like a dog at first." "¡­I did get hit a lot." Reed smiled bitterly, recalling the not-so-pleasant memories. From his perspective, it must have been embarrassing to be beaten by a girl who was still wet behind the ears. "I see." Jinhyuk nodded without thinking and then paused. "But I asked if you were in a rtionship, why did you bring up Hyemin?" "¡­" "Don''t tell me?" "¡­We''re getting married next year." It felt strange that the body he had be the target of his childhood friend''s marriage. ''Does he have the same taste as when he looks at Dolores?'' When he thought about Hyemin, he could understand how it felt. "Why did you bring that up to me?" "Usually, you have to vent your anger first. When you have the upper hand in information¡­" "But now that advantage is gone, right? So, shouldn''t you do something?" "¡­I''m sorry about that." A moment of silence fell between them, as they were both dumbfounded. "Did the girl who used to curse all the time have that side to her?" "Good words usually taste bitter in the mouth. And she seemed to like you a lot." "That''s impossible. Isn''t it just because she thinks it''s an opportunity now that I''m sessful?" "What girl would take care of you so devotedly when she thinks you''ve gone crazy?" Although he spoke harshly, Jinhyuk knew that Hyemin was not an opportunist. She must have really liked Jinhyuk. "I guess I''m more clueless than I thought." "Rtionships between men and women are like that. Aren''t they subtle andplicated?" Jinhyuk mulled over the life that Reed had created for him. He was a director of arge corporation, consistently being filial, and next year, he was getting married to a girl he had known. It felt like a happy life. That''s why he felt at ease. "Do you want to go back to the world you used to live in?" "What about you?" Although it was just a hypothesis, they both remained silent. The two could understand each other as if they had telepathy. "This is the moment when it bes our lives." "I guess so." Reed and Jinhyuk agreed. They would not go back to each other''s worlds, but live as they were. Then, their consciousness seemed to be sucked somewhere, and when they regained their senses, Jinhyuk''s consciousness was staring at Jinhyuk''s face. Reed and Jinhyuk''s souls had returned to their original bodies. They stared at each other. And they realized. Jinhyuk could not return to the real world, and Reed could not return to the game world. However, they were relieved to know that they were both doing well in their respective worlds. They would do well enough not to have any regrets in the future. "Take good care of our parents, Jinhyuk." "Be good to the kids, Reed." They said goodbye to each other with their names, and the names that would no longer be theirs. And they walked towards the worlds where they belonged. *** A momentter, Reed, who had said goodbye to Jinhyuk''s body, gradually felt the light get brighter. He was slowly opening his eyes as hey in bed. He could hear the disarray of voices in his blurred mind. Phoebe, crying. Dolores, trying hard to swallow her tears. And Rosaria, holding a teddy bear and smiling brightly as she weed him. "Daddy, you''re awake!" *** * * * Dream big tl dot *** -Did the hero die? There was anger mixed in the dark voice. There were several things he couldn''t understand about his actions, but now it became clear. -He betrayed us. The dark voice didn''t ept this situation easily. From the beginning, he had manipted others by excluding all possibilities of betrayal. It was the same with Ludis Grancia Jade. He made Ludis Grancia Jade the Tower Master of the Wallin, and even tried to solve the problem of qualification by allowing him to inherit the power of demons. Ludis, who longed for power, naturally fell for the scheme. He even seemed to wee it, crawling and submitting everything. His goal was not only to be the Tower Master but also to go beyond that. - A man who couldn''t control his desires, aiming for his brother''s neck and even usurping the throne... That''s why it wasn''t difficult to manipte him until the time of disaster by stimting his desires. After all, the important thing was the object embedded in the body of Dolores Jade. The most crucial person was, of course, the hero. A man who had the mental strength to stand before the worst Demon King of his time, alone. Having acquired an ageless body, he had the conditions to live as the strongest human among both knights and humans, umting endless experience as long as he was alive. He began making the hero his own subordinate 200 years ago. It was easier than he thought to manipte him. When the hero''s mind and body were exhausted and his doubts about his journey grew, he approached him and seeded in coaxing him. And the hero worked as his faithful servant, receiving abilities that matched his loyalty. He had no doubts. If he didn''t even know that his beliefs were twisted, he wouldn''t betray him. Was he arrogant? If you ask that, it wasn''t that either. He was undoubtedly destined for that. For 300 years, all that remained for him, whose soul had been worn away, were love for the goddess, sentimental memories, and a twisted sense of duty. So the conclusion was one. - Destiny has changed. He changed three destinies and even changed the hero''s mind, which was unwavering in his sense of duty. If he knew all three of the remaining destinies, it wouldn''t be difficult to change their minds as well. The seven disasters will be eradicated, and the goddess who hope will rise again. - Is this the difference between you and me...? He was so different from her, who didn''t even have a physical form. A clear form. Purity without any selfishness. The easily stained pure white was still pure white. Unlike him, who saw a clear past, her eyes were still fixed on a blurry future. - If it''s something that changed on its own, it doesn''t matter if it''s destiny... Her will was strong, but she could only maintain it because of Reed''s existence. The man who was originally supposed to defile and turn purity into hatred was now teaching her how beautiful the world was. - You''re getting in the way. The man who should have yed the biggest role in corrupting the goddess, who had returned to her pure state, was now bing an obstacle. * * * "Are you okay now?" "I''m okay." "Are you really okay?" "I said I''m okay." Although Dolores and Phoebe were looking up at him with worried faces, Reed was really okay, not just empty words. He was trembling so much that he didn''t want to lie in bed. After hearing that he needed to rest for about a week, Dolores and Phoebe made sure that Reed restedfortably, as if they were going to eat him up. ¡®I appreciate their concern, but...¡¯ It felt like being an overprotected child. What''s more, he wasn''t a child, so it felt even more embarrassing. "Phoebe." "Yes?" "When you found me, was there really no one around?" At Reed''s question, Phoebe nodded her head. "You were unconscious all by yourself." "I see." That meant Freesia had slipped away secretly. Reed looked at his right shoulder. The memory of it being cut off was vivid, but it looked perfectly fine, making him wonder if it had all been a dream. ¡®If I hadn''t seen the scar.¡¯ The clear boundary between the cut-off part and the regrown part confirmed that it had all happened in reality. ¡®It''s not just my arm that''s strange...¡¯ His whole body was bursting with energy. It was different from the energy felt after resting. Ever since he received that blood, he felt an excessive surge of vitality. ¡®Is this Freesia''s blood...¡¯ Reedter found out how special that blood was. The power of the ¡¸Broken Link that Defies Providence¡¹. With that power, one literally bes immortal. Like the hero, one is not bound by the flow of time, but the downside is that one cannot die when they wish to. Using a portion of her blood provides a vitality that is on a different level than a potion. Even though there were magic spells to reattach severed limbs, there was no technique to regenerate them, so the value of her blood was immeasurable. He still couldn''t believe that he had received the blood she wouldn''t easily offer to anyone. ¡®I don''t think Freesia trusts me...¡¯ Reed had never properly kept his promises with Freesia so far. He always joked around and threatened her, but he always stumbled upon it. It was impossible for her trust to increase, and it wouldn''t be strange if she was getting tired of him. He couldn''t think of any reason why Freesia would save Reed by giving him her blood, other than it being a simple whim. ¡®I should at least be grateful for now.¡¯ Even though he didn''t know what had happened to his life, the fact that she had restored his severed arm remained unchanged, so he intended to express his gratitude to her. Even if it was just a get-well visit, he waited for news about her but didn''t hear anything. He had no choice but to write a letter to the ck Sky Tower, but there was no reply. He was undoubtedly being ignored. *** A weekter, Reed had fully recovered. He secretly called Isel and Rachel, thinking that he needed to deal with the matter of the hero first. "What''s the matter?" "I called you to give this back." He handed them the Holy Sword. Isel looked confused and asked Reed. "Why are you giving this to us?" "The hero is sleeping inside it." "The hero?" Reed exined everything in detail, from the fight with the hero to hisst moment when he saved Reed and sacrificed himself. Isel and Rachel held hands tightly, supporting each other as they listened to the whole story. "I see. The hero... chose to change fate in the end." Reed didn''t know when he had started to feel that way. Isel didn''t bother to ask. "But can we take this?" Isel was worried. He didn''t go there just to seal it; he intended to harm Reed, which led him to the brink of death. She only felt sorry for him as the hero''s formerrade. "Since you''re closer to the hero, it seems right to give it to you." They had an ufortable look on their faces, but they epted the sword. "Poor guy..." Isel and Rachel gathered their hands and prayed for him. Rachel, the Holy Maiden of Silence, held the sword. They didn''t store it back at the Althea Church. Since they found out that the sect was obsessed with the sword that the hero had entrusted them with, they couldn''t let them assign their own meaning to it and use it as a symbol. The hero had suffered enough during his life, and now they, his formerrades were willing to carry him even to death. Most of the ghosts of the past that the hero had summoned had been eliminated. However, some of the lost heroes did not appear to have escaped when the castle was captured. There were more than 30 of them. At first, there were many voices that expressed concerns about how they would deal with them if they harbored resentment and attacked them. However, as always, the ongoing peace made peoplecent, and gradually those worried voices faded away. The sudden disaster that had struck was slowly disappearing, and the Silence Tower was reaching its peak of prosperity. Chapter 154 Side Story. Rosaria Quest (1) After hearing the hero''s words, Rosaria thought deeply about her future path. She was now only 10 years old. As a magician from a noble family, it was the age to study hard and learn to control mana. In order to awaken their mana, they would have to study theories for 8 hours straight, and their parents, who were obsessed with the family''s honor, would even starve or punish them like Dolores. However, Rosaria grew up in an environment that waspletely opposite to that atmosphere. Although she was from a noble family of magicians, she was not taught only the path of magician. She was taught whatever she was interested in, and if she found something intriguing, she could let her delve deeper into it, focusing on her interests. Rosaria, who was inherently curious, learned a lot of magic. Although they were just side skills, thebination of those skills made her a talented girl who was not inferior to her peers and even to the students of prestigious academies. There were those who were unhappy with her talent, and one of them was Yuria Frenda. Yuria, who was receiving a lot of expectations as a workshop magician of the empire, was praised as a genius of the century before Rosaria appeared. Even after Rosaria''s appearance, people still called her a genius, but Yuria was displeased. And since she became Dolores'' disciple, she could feel the huge wall between herself and Rosaria. Feeling the wall sometimes led to great frustration, but Yuria''s pride was far from frustration. She had the mental strength to be recognized even if she had to ovee the wall. ''To do that, I have to be perfect from the outside.'' Two maids were helping her prepare to go out. Yuria carefully examined her reflection in the mirror. "Maid, it seems like the ribbon here is a bit crooked." "Oh, I''ll fix it for you, Miss." She was usually picky, but she was even more so on the days she met Rosaria. Yuria, who considered everything from one to ten as herpetition, thought that she had to be perfect when meeting Rosaria. ''I guess it''s nice to go meet friends.'' ''I didn''t know she had such a cute side.'' However, the maids just smiled warmly, thinking that she had made a close friend, and tied the ribbon again. Having confirmed that everything was perfect, Yuria boarded the sky carriage. Her destination was the Silence Tower. When they were not attending sses, they studied together or did their homework at the Silence Tower. At the entrance, Reed and Rosaria greeted her. "Hello, Miss Rosaria." "Yuria, hi!" She smiled at the friendly waving gesture. "How have you been, Tower Master?" "You''vee a long way, Miss Yuria." His dignified smile seemed dazzling. Yuria, who had a proper crush, avoided his gaze by casually flipping her hair behind her ear. ''How can he be so cool?'' She knew that he had re-engaged with her master, Dolores, but she couldn''t help her innocent crush. ''Can I make the Tower Master like me if I be a better magician than my master?'' She brushed off the thought of an absurd imagination that could appear in a soap opera. Rosaria took Yuria to her room. *** "Miss Rosaria, do you know that?" "What is it?" Rosaria, who was struggling with a math problem, looked up at Yuria''s question. With a smug smile, thinking that Rosaria wouldn''t know, Yuria told her. "Magic apprentices take on requests from the Adventurer''s Guild to show their magical abilities to their masters." "Taking on?" "It means to ept. They ept requests and show their abilities with them." "What kind of abilities?" "If it''s destructive magic, they sweep away monsters¡ª." "Monsters!" "If it''s healing magic, they heal patients¡ª." "Healing!" "In ces with drought, they provide water¡ª." "Drought!!" "Are you going to react like that and interrupt me every time?" "Uh, sorry." Excited Rosaria lowered her head. Yuria coughed and finished her sentence. "Anyway, that''s how we show our abilities. To prove that we can serve as a magician." "I see. It feels like an adventure somehow." "It''s pretty much an adventure. Since we''re getting requests from the Adventurer''s Guild." "Adventurer...!" At the mention of adventure, Rosaria''s eyes sparkled. As if waiting for such a reaction, Yuria chuckled and replied. "Miss Rosaria, shall we try an adventure ourselves?" "Adventure! I want to!" Knowing that she liked adventure stories, Yuria expected her to agree easily. ''Hehe, I''ll show you how amazing I am.'' Yuria made this suggestion to show off her seniority. She thought that by doing so, she could kill Rosaria''s spirit and take control at the same time. ''Adventure!'' To the innocent Rosaria, she thought Yuria just wanted to y together and was genuinely happy. "So, are we going to the Adventurer''s Guild?" "No. I happened to bring a request form!" Although she picked it up on the street. Swallowing that fact, Yuria unfolded the rolled-up scroll. Type: Search Request location: Dun Luster Vige. Content: An unidentified creature is wandering around, attacking the chickens of the farm. It only appears in the dark of night, and it''s a headache as it catches one chicken every two days. Please catch or drive away the chicken thief. Grade: F "What''s the letter next to the grade?" "It''s F. It means the lowest grade." "I see. So this is the easiest request?" "That''s right. It means the least dangerous among adventures. It means it''s safe enough for us to go." The F grade was something anyone could do in a safe area, such as gathering and simple errands. Rosaria, who had imagined a grand adventure, was a little disappointed. "I want to try a dangerous adventure." "What kind of adventure?" "Going into abyrinth and defeating slimes and stuff!" "Do you think we have the ability to do that?" "We can''t, but our Meowmeow can. He''ll defeat them all." Rosaria grabbed the Meowmeow wagging its tail next to her. "That smander? Slimes don''t have just one attribute." "Our dog can shoot breath, change into light, and transform into water. So, no matter what slimees, he''ll defeat them all! He did thatst time too." "Hmm..." She already knew it was not a smander but an elemental lizard. A heterogeneous creature created by her curiosity. "Do you want to try an adventure with me, Miss Rosaria?" "Adventure! I want to!" Yuria knew how amazing that was. ''But can this stupid-looking lizard protect us?'' The dog, who had been dozing off, opened his eyes and got up. Yawning after waking up from sleep, the dog said. -Meoow... Hardly reliable. Yuria preferred it looking ipetent, as it meant more responsibility for her. "So when should we try the request?" "Can we do it right away tomorrow?" "A magician should be prepared. Even so, we need at least two days." "Two days... So, in two days? Okay." "Surely, if Miss Rosaria or I say we''re going on an adventure, the adults will frown. Then they will undoubtedly want to apany us on this adventure." "It seems more fun to go together." "Adults are all overprotective. We wouldn''t have a chance to go on an adventure." Hearing that, Rosaria nodded her head, agreeing. What about when she went out with Phoebe? If it seemed a little dangerous, she would interfere with Rosaria''s path and divert her attention elsewhere. Rosaria had a desire to y a little more dangerously. "Say this." "What?" Yuria told Rosaria what she should say. *** "I want to carry out a request like magic apprentices with Yuria." "You''re going to carry out a request ande back?" Reed wasn''t surprised by the idea of an adventure since Rosaria always liked it, but he was shocked by who she was going with. ''Is Yuria going together?'' Yuria, whoins about being bitten by insects? No matter how much Reed thought, he couldn''t easily allow it, imagining Rosaria with a worse personality after the adventure. "What''s the request grade?" "It''s F grade." "F grade... Then it should be easy." He was relieved that it wasn''t anything dangerous. ''Should I apany them?'' He thought about whether he should monitor Rosaria from behind and watch what she was doing, but then shook his head. ''It''s a bit much to interfere when my daughter is ying with her friend.'' To grow up like her peers, she should learn to blend in with them. ''Besides, since Zekeheil Frenda is a doting father, he will provide an escort, so there''s no need to worry.'' Reed came to a conclusion and nodded his head. "Alright, go together. But you must carry the location tracking magic and signal magic stone." "Dad, you seem to treat me like a child." Rosaria, with her hands on her hips and her chest puffed out. A small, baby-like figure that seemed to be pushed away with one palm, and augh burst out. "Ask Phoebe to prepare it, and be careful." "Okay!" The parental heart was still uneasy even with sufficient measures. Instead, Reed decided to set up an invisible surveince. "Water Spirit King." "Why do you call?" The figure of a little girl appeared in front of him through a cup of water. "I assume you''ve heard everything, can you watch over Rosaria?" "Are you asking me to look after that little girl?" "You''ll be following Rosaria anyway, so please let me know if there''s an emergency. So I can step in." "Annoying. But alright." Orneptos thought observing the person trying to make a contract was also a means of getting to know them. Yuria also spoke simrly and obtained Zekeheil''s consent. *** Meanwhile, at the Adventurer''s Guild. "Where did I put that adventure request form I receivedst time?" The receptionist responded to the branch manager''s words, rummaging through the documents. "The request form? Just wait a moment... Huh?" The man''s hand rummaging through the documents became busy. The team leader, who seemed to roughly understand the situation, frowned, and the man bowed his head, scratching his head. "I''m sorry. It seems I''ve lost it." "Do we have to rewrite it?" "Yes." "Ah, you. What on earth are you doing while eating?" The branch manager started scolding him. After a long 30-minute lecture, the team leader sighed deeply. "It doesn''t matter, just rewrite it. What''s the grade for that?" "I made it an F grade." "F grade? Are you crazy? That''s a search request." "Is it?" "Don''t you know that search is always C grade or higher? F grade is for errands." "The requester said it was okay to be an F grade..." "That''s because if you raise it to C grade, only a limited number of people can do it, so no one wants to do it. You took that at face value? You, you need someone to die toe to your senses?" "I''m sorry." The receptionist scratched his head again with an apologetic expression. The branch manager clicked his tongue and prepared to rewrite the request form. "Well, it''s not an official order, and there''s no seal on it, so no one in the Adventurer''s Guild would believe it as it is. If you make such a mistake next time, I''ll deduct your sry, got it?" "Yes, yes!" He vowed never to make such a mistake again, but the request form had already fallen into the hands of the two girls. Side Story. Rosaria Quest (1) After hearing the hero''s words, Rosaria thought deeply about her future path. She was now only 10 years old. As a magician from a noble family, it was the age to study hard and learn to control mana. In order to awaken their mana, they would have to study theories for 8 hours straight, and their parents, who were obsessed with the family''s honor, would even starve or punish them like Dolores. However, Rosaria grew up in an environment that waspletely opposite to that atmosphere. Although she was from a noble family of magicians, she was not taught only the path of magician. She was taught whatever she was interested in, and if she found something intriguing, she could let her delve deeper into it, focusing on her interests. Rosaria, who was inherently curious, learned a lot of magic. Although they were just side skills, thebination of those skills made her a talented girl who was not inferior to her peers and even to the students of prestigious academies. There were those who were unhappy with her talent, and one of them was Yuria Frenda. Yuria, who was receiving a lot of expectations as a workshop magician of the empire, was praised as a genius of the century before Rosaria appeared. Even after Rosaria''s appearance, people still called her a genius, but Yuria was displeased. And since she became Dolores'' disciple, she could feel the huge wall between herself and Rosaria. Feeling the wall sometimes led to great frustration, but Yuria''s pride was far from frustration. She had the mental strength to be recognized even if she had to ovee the wall. ''To do that, I have to be perfect from the outside.'' Two maids were helping her prepare to go out. Yuria carefully examined her reflection in the mirror. "Maid, it seems like the ribbon here is a bit crooked." "Oh, I''ll fix it for you, Miss." She was usually picky, but she was even more so on the days she met Rosaria. Yuria, who considered everything from one to ten as herpetition, thought that she had to be perfect when meeting Rosaria. ''I guess it''s nice to go meet friends.'' ''I didn''t know she had such a cute side.'' However, the maids just smiled warmly, thinking that she had made a close friend, and tied the ribbon again. Having confirmed that everything was perfect, Yuria boarded the sky carriage. Her destination was the Silence Tower. When they were not attending sses, they studied together or did their homework at the Silence Tower. At the entrance, Reed and Rosaria greeted her. "Hello, Miss Rosaria." "Yuria, hi!" She smiled at the friendly waving gesture. "How have you been, Tower Master?" "You''vee a long way, Miss Yuria." His dignified smile seemed dazzling. Yuria, who had a proper crush, avoided his gaze by casually flipping her hair behind her ear. ''How can he be so cool?'' She knew that he had re-engaged with her master, Dolores, but she couldn''t help her innocent crush. ''Can I make the Tower Master like me if I be a better magician than my master?'' She brushed off the thought of an absurd imagination that could appear in a soap opera. Rosaria took Yuria to her room. *** "Miss Rosaria, do you know that?" "What is it?" Rosaria, who was struggling with a math problem, looked up at Yuria''s question. With a smug smile, thinking that Rosaria wouldn''t know, Yuria told her. "Magic apprentices take on requests from the Adventurer''s Guild to show their magical abilities to their masters." "Taking on?" "It means to ept. They ept requests and show their abilities with them." "What kind of abilities?" "If it''s destructive magic, they sweep away monsters¡ª." "Monsters!" "If it''s healing magic, they heal patients¡ª." "Healing!" "In ces with drought, they provide water¡ª." "Drought!!" "Are you going to react like that and interrupt me every time?" "Uh, sorry." Excited Rosaria lowered her head. Yuria coughed and finished her sentence. "Anyway, that''s how we show our abilities. To prove that we can serve as a magician." "I see. It feels like an adventure somehow." "It''s pretty much an adventure. Since we''re getting requests from the Adventurer''s Guild." "Adventurer...!" At the mention of adventure, Rosaria''s eyes sparkled. As if waiting for such a reaction, Yuria chuckled and replied. "Miss Rosaria, shall we try an adventure ourselves?" "Adventure! I want to!" Knowing that she liked adventure stories, Yuria expected her to agree easily. ''Hehe, I''ll show you how amazing I am.'' Yuria made this suggestion to show off her seniority. She thought that by doing so, she could kill Rosaria''s spirit and take control at the same time. ''Adventure!'' To the innocent Rosaria, she thought Yuria just wanted to y together and was genuinely happy. "So, are we going to the Adventurer''s Guild?" "No. I happened to bring a request form!" Although she picked it up on the street. Swallowing that fact, Yuria unfolded the rolled-up scroll. Type: Search Request location: Dun Luster Vige. Content: An unidentified creature is wandering around, attacking the chickens of the farm. It only appears in the dark of night, and it''s a headache as it catches one chicken every two days. Please catch or drive away the chicken thief. Grade: F "What''s the letter next to the grade?" "It''s F. It means the lowest grade." "I see. So this is the easiest request?" "That''s right. It means the least dangerous among adventures. It means it''s safe enough for us to go." The F grade was something anyone could do in a safe area, such as gathering and simple errands. Rosaria, who had imagined a grand adventure, was a little disappointed. "I want to try a dangerous adventure." "What kind of adventure?" "Going into abyrinth and defeating slimes and stuff!" "Do you think we have the ability to do that?" "We can''t, but our Meowmeow can. He''ll defeat them all." Rosaria grabbed the Meowmeow wagging its tail next to her. "That smander? Slimes don''t have just one attribute." "Our dog can shoot breath, change into light, and transform into water. So, no matter what slimees, he''ll defeat them all! He did thatst time too." "Hmm..." She already knew it was not a smander but an elemental lizard. A heterogeneous creature created by her curiosity. "Do you want to try an adventure with me, Miss Rosaria?" "Adventure! I want to!" Yuria knew how amazing that was. ''But can this stupid-looking lizard protect us?'' The dog, who had been dozing off, opened his eyes and got up. Yawning after waking up from sleep, the dog said. -Meoow... Hardly reliable. Yuria preferred it looking ipetent, as it meant more responsibility for her. "So when should we try the request?" "Can we do it right away tomorrow?" "A magician should be prepared. Even so, we need at least two days." "Two days... So, in two days? Okay." "Surely, if Miss Rosaria or I say we''re going on an adventure, the adults will frown. Then they will undoubtedly want to apany us on this adventure." "It seems more fun to go together." "Adults are all overprotective. We wouldn''t have a chance to go on an adventure." Hearing that, Rosaria nodded her head, agreeing. What about when she went out with Phoebe? If it seemed a little dangerous, she would interfere with Rosaria''s path and divert her attention elsewhere. Rosaria had a desire to y a little more dangerously. "Say this." "What?" Yuria told Rosaria what she should say. *** "I want to carry out a request like magic apprentices with Yuria." "You''re going to carry out a request ande back?" Reed wasn''t surprised by the idea of an adventure since Rosaria always liked it, but he was shocked by who she was going with. ''Is Yuria going together?'' Yuria, whoins about being bitten by insects? No matter how much Reed thought, he couldn''t easily allow it, imagining Rosaria with a worse personality after the adventure. "What''s the request grade?" "It''s F grade." "F grade... Then it should be easy." He was relieved that it wasn''t anything dangerous. ''Should I apany them?'' He thought about whether he should monitor Rosaria from behind and watch what she was doing, but then shook his head. ''It''s a bit much to interfere when my daughter is ying with her friend.'' To grow up like her peers, she should learn to blend in with them. ''Besides, since Zekeheil Frenda is a doting father, he will provide an escort, so there''s no need to worry.'' Reed came to a conclusion and nodded his head. "Alright, go together. But you must carry the location tracking magic and signal magic stone." "Dad, you seem to treat me like a child." Rosaria, with her hands on her hips and her chest puffed out. A small, baby-like figure that seemed to be pushed away with one palm, and augh burst out. "Ask Phoebe to prepare it, and be careful." "Okay!" The parental heart was still uneasy even with sufficient measures. Instead, Reed decided to set up an invisible surveince. "Water Spirit King." "Why do you call?" The figure of a little girl appeared in front of him through a cup of water. "I assume you''ve heard everything, can you watch over Rosaria?" "Are you asking me to look after that little girl?" "You''ll be following Rosaria anyway, so please let me know if there''s an emergency. So I can step in." "Annoying. But alright." Orneptos thought observing the person trying to make a contract was also a means of getting to know them. Yuria also spoke simrly and obtained Zekeheil''s consent. *** * * * Dream big tl dot *** Meanwhile, at the Adventurer''s Guild. "Where did I put that adventure request form I receivedst time?" The receptionist responded to the branch manager''s words, rummaging through the documents. "The request form? Just wait a moment... Huh?" The man''s hand rummaging through the documents became busy. The team leader, who seemed to roughly understand the situation, frowned, and the man bowed his head, scratching his head. "I''m sorry. It seems I''ve lost it." "Do we have to rewrite it?" "Yes." "Ah, you. What on earth are you doing while eating?" The branch manager started scolding him. After a long 30-minute lecture, the team leader sighed deeply. "It doesn''t matter, just rewrite it. What''s the grade for that?" "I made it an F grade." "F grade? Are you crazy? That''s a search request." "Is it?" "Don''t you know that search is always C grade or higher? F grade is for errands." "The requester said it was okay to be an F grade..." "That''s because if you raise it to C grade, only a limited number of people can do it, so no one wants to do it. You took that at face value? You, you need someone to die toe to your senses?" "I''m sorry." The receptionist scratched his head again with an apologetic expression. The branch manager clicked his tongue and prepared to rewrite the request form. "Well, it''s not an official order, and there''s no seal on it, so no one in the Adventurer''s Guild would believe it as it is. If you make such a mistake next time, I''ll deduct your sry, got it?" "Yes, yes!" He vowed never to make such a mistake again, but the request form had already fallen into the hands of the two girls. Chapter 155 Side Story. Rosaria Quest (2) "Can you go alone?" "I''m fully prepared. No need to worry." Rosaria puffed her nose confidently, her face full of enthusiasm. Her zeal was enough to make even a worry seem foolish. Phoebe, who had checked her belongings until thest moment, knelt down. "Mydy, if you walk around with such beautiful hair exposed, people will be jealous." Phoebe tucked Rosaria''s hair inside her robe. And then, for the 52nd time, she asked Rosaria the same question. "Is it really okay if Phoebe doesn''t go with you?" "Yes! I can do it alone!" "Alright. Always be confident! You are the proud eldest daughter of the Adeleheights family, so you must not be discouraged!" When Phoebe put strength into her eyes, Rosaria also looked determined and made a fierce expression. "Yes!" She held the apprentice magician''s wand and turned her feet. The thought urred to her that the teddy bear Lucy, which was carried on her back, might be mistaken for a humpback due to its swollen appearance. The dog stayed close beside Rosaria as they walked. Reed nced up at the sky. The floating Orneptos caught Reed''s eye. As if it knew something, it wiggled its eyebrows and secretly flew behind her. As they entered the forest, they saw Yuria waiting there. Yuria, who had been rubbing her shoes on the ground, put on a stern expression when she saw Rosaria. "You''rete. I arrived 20 minutes ago." "You''re saying I''mte even though I arrived 5 minutes earlier than the promised time?" "Of course." Although it didn''t make sense that she waste even though she arrived earlier than the promised time, Rosaria just let it go. "How do you like it, Miss Rosaria?" Yuria proudly showed off her body. A robe from the Imperial Workshop, blending white and gold colors. Inside it, she was armed with lightweight cloth armor and various items. Although she was not yet a member of the Imperial Workshop and couldn''t wear their robe, it wasn''t unreasonable to allow her, considering her potential. Upon seeing such a splendid robe, Rosaria looked up and down and said, "You''re not supposed to wear it like that." "Excuse me?" It was far from envy and more like advice. "Apprentice magicians are supposed to wear gray robes! So you can''t wear that. Take it off quickly." "Well? Yeah, that''s the principle, but..." "We''re going to adventure as apprentice magicians from now on, so we have to wear gray robes." "Alright." Unlike Yuria who didn''t take it seriously, Rosaria was quite serious. With no choice, Yuria took off her robe and borrowed some spare clothes from Rosaria. Yuria looked at her wrapped body and was a little disappointed. ''I can''t show off the items I wanted to show like this.'' She had deliberately loosened her robe a bit to show off the items she had inside. A magician keeps their secrets hidden. For Yuria, who was eager to attract attention at her age, it was the most difficult rule to follow. It was the most suitable outfit for a magician''s basic rule of secrecy, and since her opponent was the younger Rosaria, she couldn''tin. "Oh, by the way, I also made a contract with a spirit recently. Did you hear?" "A contract? With whom?" "I made a contract with a lower spirit too!" "What kind of spirit is it?" "Seeing is believing!" Yuria infused her wand with magic to create a summoning circle. The condensed mana gathered within it and formed a shape, and the spirit appeared. Yuria proudly introduced her spirit. "It''s a lower water spirit, Elsid!" Upon seeing the water spirit, Rosaria marveled. "Wow, it looks like a person! Like a doll." "Hehe, it''s the only lower spirit that has a human-like appearance." Lower spirits usually exist in the form of animals or simple spheres. Yuria discovered Elsid while searching for the coolest and strongest spirits among the lower spirits. Contracting with Elsid was no big deal, given her talent. Yuria was secretly proud as she watched Rosaria admiring her spirit. She thought about showing off a few tricks, but she couldn''t do that indefinitely. -Squeak, squeak... Elsid was restless. "Why are you doing that, Elsid? Why are you so nervous?" Lower spirits generally don''tmunicate with humans. All Elsid did was stare at one ce and tremble. Yuria followed Elsid''s gaze. Beyond Rosaria''s shoulder, she could only see a brown walnut tree and the bright sunlight shining through it. Although she wanted to show off her skills, with the spirit''s condition being poor, Yuria hesitated. "Elsid must be feeling cold." "Why would spirits feel the cold... is that it?" Not being proficient in spirit magic, she couldn''t tell what was going on. Rosaria picked up the dog beside her with both hands and brought it in front of Elsid. "Our dog will keep you warm. It''s so warm that you don''t need a campfire when it''s around!" -Meow. The dog opened its mouth as if to answer. Yuria looked down at the dog and muttered quietly. "It looks stupid. It''s not even cute..." Arge-headed, gentle-looking lizard. On top of that, it was as obedient as a dog, so there was no way it wouldn''t be cute to young Yuria. -Squeak... Elsid looked up as if to apologize. "It''s okay! You''re a good enough spirit too! Since I made a contract with you, I''ll make it that way!" -Squeak. Elsid''s eyes turned into crescent moon shapes, as if grateful. Separately, its restless appearance didn''t disappear, so Yuria had no choice but to reverse-summon Elsid and send her back to the spirit world. ''It doesn''t seem like today''s going to be a good day.'' It was a plot that required a smooth start, but with so many duds, it was inevitable to feel discouraged. "Let''s go to the quest now!" "Alright." "I brought a map." Rosaria took out a crumpled map from the bag inside her robe. It was a map of the central continent. Yuria tilted her head at Rosaria''s preparation. "Do you need to use a map when you can use map magic?" "But a map feels more adventurous." "Adventure... No. When magicians are around, using a crystal ball like this to determine the location is the main role, rather than a map." "Really?" "Yes!" "Alright, then." Rosaria folded the map and put it back into the pocket inside her robe. A faint sense of disappointment crossed her face. Yuria used map magic with the crystal ball. A beam shot out, drawing a map of the Cloud Continent on the ground. Yuria''s finger moved, zooming in on where Rosaria and Yuria were. "We are here, and we need to go here." "It seems really close." "It looks that way because we can see it all at once. It will probably take about 2 hours to walk there. Your legs will hurt a lot." When she had measured the distance in advance, it wasn''t thrilling, but now that the situation was approaching, she felt suffocated. ''I must not cry!'' She wouldn''t stop until Rosaria said she wanted to rest because her feet were hurting. In the end, the two didn''t rest at all. Rosaria, trained by walks with Phoebe, didn''t tire easily. On the other hand, Yuria was only used to light walks in the garden of her house, so she wasn''t used to moving with her gear on. ''Still, I can''t ask to rest shamelessly¡­!'' Betting the pride of the eldest daughter of the Frenda family, they continued the forced march. "Yuria." "Heck, heck¡­ Yes?" "Are we going the right way?" "We should¡­ I guess?" Yuria, who had been moving without stopping, had forgotten to look at the map. Checking the map btedly, Yuria was sure. ''We''re lost¡­'' It was the price of walking mindlessly. They had to walk another 30 minutes to reach Dun Luster vige, the quest location they should have arrived at by now. "¡­Let''s rest first." "Alright." Believing it was important to regainposure, Yuria decided to let go of her pride. They caught their breath, drinking water from the canteen they brought. That''s when it happened. They heard rustling in the distance. As Yuria turned her head towards the sound, she almost screamed reflexively. "Eek!" "What''s wrong?" "Shh, shh!" Yuria panicked and sent a signal to Rosaria to be quiet. Rosaria cautiously went next to Yuria and took a quick look at what she saw. "It''s an orc." A group of about six orcs could be seen moving. The race had protruding lower jawbones, fangs sticking out, and massive muscr bodies. ''Orcs are here?'' Yuria had thoroughly researched in advance, but she didn''t know this information. That''s when it happened. While observing the orcs, Yuria locked eyes with one of them. Yuria reflexively turned her head. However, the fact that their eyes met did not change, and her face turned pale. ''What, what should I do?'' Yuria was at a loss, biting her nails. She knew what kind of beings orcs were. Although they were intelligent monsters, they were said to be no different from savages, captivated by their wild instincts. Although the perception of orcs improved a lot after the conquest of the Kalton Mountain Range, Yuria, as a noble''s child, only had her father''s advice to be cautious of orcs in her head. But it was toote to run away now. The sound of rustling through the bushes was getting closer. Trembling, she leaned against her wand, which she held in both hands. On the other hand, Rosaria was different. After meeting the orc''s gaze, Rosaria jumped up and shouted at the approaching orc. "Baltan!" "Eek!" Rosaria''s brave shout not only attracted the attention of the approaching orc but also that of the marching orcs. She didn''t know much about orcs, but she knew a few things about what not to do in front of them. Don''t mention Baltan carelessly as a foreigner. The chieftain is a sacred area, and mentioning Baltan is an act of desecrating the sacred. That desecration must be atoned for with death. Recalling that knowledge, Yuria''s face couldn''t help but turn pale. The fierce-looking orc in front of Rosaria put his hand on his chin and breathed heavily. "Ah." As if remembering something, the orc asked Rosaria. "The white-haired, red-eyed, small female human. Are you our Baltan''s teacher?" "That''s right! I''m the teacher!" "Wha, what, what nonsense are you talking about, Ro, Rosaria!" If mentioning Baltan covers a wide range, iming to be a close associate of Baltan as a foreigner is an outrageous desecration. An impudent fellow would challenge a duel for the act of insulting Baltan. The end of a duel is always when someone dies. Or both receive praise for conducting an honorable duel. Yuria, thinking that the orc would be angry, put her hand into her bosom. ''I need to use the signal stone...'' In the face of a crisis, her hand did not move as she had thought. ''I''ll be eaten, I''ll be eaten, I''ll be eaten.'' * * * Dream big tl dot *** Yuria was so scared that she couldn''t even shed tears. "Wait." Therge orc left those words and went somewhere again. To Yuria, it sounded like he was telling them to wait with bated breath. "Ro, Rosaria..." "Huh? Yuria, what''s wrong? Are you cold?" "It''s not that I''m cold, but why are you soposed in this situation?!" There''s a limit to being naive. Provoking the orcs, who are close to monsters, with such natural innocence. "We, we have to run away! Even if our legs are short, if we run to the vige somehow..." "Why run away? It''s okay!" After a while, the group of orcs stood in front of Rosaria and Yuria. An evenrger orc warrior stood before them, looking down at the two. Feeling as if they were standing in front of a giant golem, Yuria''s legs lost strength. Yuria clenched her eyes shut. The giant orc looked down at Rosaria and spoke. "It''s surprising. Why is teacher here?" "¡­Huh?" Chapter 156 Side Story. Rosaria Quest (3) Yuria opened her eyes again at the sound of friendly greetings. Rosaria nodded her head and pped her arms. "Yeah, I''m here! But why are you here, mister?" "Larksper came to do a few things about the Orc Alliance. They said they had to cut down trees, so Larksper taught his brothers how to use the magic saw." He sneakily showed off the threatening magic saw he was holding. Yuria looked up at Larksper with a puzzled face and then looked down at Rosaria. Isn''t he calling Rosaria a teacher? ''And why is the conversation so natural?'' They were talking veryfortably, as if they had met a longtime acquaintance. Not knowing what the situation was, Yuria alternately looked at Rosaria and Larksper, and then Rosaria introduced Yuria to him. "Oh! Mister, this is my friend, Yuria!" Following the naturally flowing atmosphere, Yuria grabbed the edge of her robe and greeted him gracefully. "Ah, hello, I am Yuria, the eldest daughter of the Frenda family." She stuttered a bit, but sessfully introduced herself. Larksper also bowed his head and greeted her politely. "I am Larksper, the chieftain of the Barchan Alliance. Are you a noble?" "Yes? Oh, yes. I am a noble." Larksper. There was no doubt about the name that had been ringing in her head since she heard it. ''The Chieftain of the Bultan Alliance, Larksper!'' He upied the Karlton mountain range and used its resources to civilize the orc tribes. She had heardints that they couldn''t be easily subjugated by the empire because they were under the protection of the Kingdom Alliance and Althea Church. ''It wasn''t an exaggeration to say that they were familiar with orcs, as they even joined hands with the Silence Tower...'' The gears of her thoughts, which had been stopped in the horror of encountering a monster for the first time, seemed to be moving little by little. "We have to go now on an adventure." Then Larksper shook his head. "I cannot let you go like this. The teacher is my hon... hon... " Larksper''s eyes widened, and he fell silent. Unable to find an answer for a while, Yuria pointed out the word. "Are you talking about being an honored guest?" "Yes, an honored guest. The teacher and her friend are Larksper''s honored guests." A momentter, a carriage was brought from another group of orcs. Yuria and Rosaria were ced on it. As if escorting a delegation from another country, they were led to their vige. *** In the middle of the forest on the map, there was a small vige. With log fences and wooden houses, it was no different from the appearance of a small rural vige. It was information that had not been updated on Yuria''s map. Although it was a temporary residence for the Orc chieftain, the inside of the hut was as splendid as that of a king of a country. The space was just a little cramped. Decorations that could be used in a fairlyrge kingdom were visible. "So, we came all the way here for a fun adventure." "I see." Rosaria chattered on endlessly, and Larksper listened to her stories, reacting appropriately. Unlike Rosaria, who was talking very affectionately as if she had met a long-time friend, Yuria was as ufortable as sitting on a bed of thorns. Larksper, who had been sneaking nces at Yuria, seemed to have a sudden thought and started talking to her. "Frenda... Youngdy?" "Yes, yes!!" Larksper, who had barelybined the words in his head, and Yuria, who nodded her head vigorously. Larksper pointed to the fruit with one hand and made a gesture of eating it. "It''s sweet." Yuria, who thought for a moment that he was going to eat her, came to her senses and reached out to pick up an apple. Her picky eating habits, which didn''t allow her to eat apples unless they were carved into rabbit shapes, didn''t even have a chance to surface. She was eating only to survive! However, after taking a bite, Yuria''s tension waspletely relieved. ''It''s really sweet.'' The taste was so sweet that it made her temporarily forget she was nervous, as if there was a lump of sugar in her mouth. Even in the empire, which was known for selecting the highest-quality fruits, she had never tasted such fruit before. While Yuria was munching on the apple, Rosaria asked her. "How is Mister Larksper helping here?" "I am helping the brothers who cannot join the Barchan Alliance. I teach them metalworking so that they can make the things we need, and in return, we give them food." Larksper, who had be familiar with human economics, realized that there was no need for all orcs to gather in the Kalton mountain range as the orcs'' rights increased. It was easy to gather local information, and they could supply the items that were difficult to obtain in the Kalton mountain range instead. He thought it was a way to rationally educate the barbaric orcs and preserve their race. Larksper traveled all over the continent and expanded the alliance''s influence. For him, who had a dream of prosperity and tribal integration, it was a moment of great happiness. "You said you were doing a quest, right?" "Yes." "Could you show Larksper the request form?" "Sure!" At Rosaria''s words, Yuria handed over the request form she had kept in her pocket. Larksper checked the location and spoke to an orc outside in the oguage. And after a while, he answered Rosaria. "The other brothers say they''ve never seen such a monster before. It could be dangerous." "The adventure rank is F." "What is F?" Larksper tilted his head. Rosaria didn''t know the exact meaning either, so she couldn''t exin it. "F rank is not very dangerous!" She just said it''s not that dangerous! Larksper, without doubting her words, nodded. "Is that your practice?" "Yes. To be a great magician, you need to go on adventures and prove yourself." Larksper stroked his chin with his hand. After pondering for a moment, he nodded. "Larksper also likes to practice. Can I join you?" "Mister Larksper?" "If Larksper stays still while the teacher takes risks, it would be a shameful thing to do as a student and a brother. So, I will join." "It''s a practice that Yuria and I are doing together. Is it okay...?" Not knowing for sure, Rosaria turned her head and passed the baton to Yuria. "It''s hard to do adventure requests alone in the first ce. It''s possible for someone to help." "That''s right." Upon hearing that, Rosaria jumped up. This was her favorite moment in the hero''s story. The hero gatherspanions, and the adventure group gradually bes bustling! "Great!" While Rosaria reacted warmly, Yuria couldn''t hide the anxiety on her face. Although the Orc chieftain was said to be kind, she couldn''t tell if it was right for her to mingle with the orcs. "Can we go together?" "Ah, yes......" Yuria nodded her head. Yuria, who had thought everything would go smoothly, was initially unable to do anything when she saw the orc. Because she felt the need for an adult so deeply, she thought that Larksper''spany would make the dangerous journey safer. *** Chieftain Larksper. Unlike when he was with the orc group without a shirt, this time he wore leather armor. If you didn''t look at his face, it looked like a giant human warrior was standing. He had two axes on his belt, a greatsword on his back, and two spears. Yuria recognized the items as gifts from the imperial workshop by their markings. ''The empire''s items are in the hands of an orc...'' Were they items plundered from the imperial army? However, all of them were in good condition. If they were plundered items, they would usually be poorly managed and rusted somewhere, but the management was perfect. That meant they were made in the empire''s workshop. "Imperial items are good. They''re sturdy and have a sharp edge." "Is that so?" "Yuria, you''re from an imperial family, right?" "Yes. I''m an imperial workshop magician." "I see. Larksper has a bad memory. I forgot a little about the Frenda family." "Oh, no! It''s okay since I didn''t recognize you as the chieftain either." "I see. Then it''s even." As Yuria and Larksper walked and bonded, they arrived at Dun Luster Vige before they knew it. The patrolling soldiers were startled to see the two girls and the orc. "An orc warrior?" "How did an orc get here!" The vige guard pointed a spear at Larksper. Larksper casually showed the amulet of the Althea Church. "What? An Althea Church believer?" "If the Althea Church recognizes the orc..." Under the light of Althea, everyone is equal. So they didn''t stop Larksper any further. Larksper inquired around the vige and found the requester. Finally, he found a woman who ran a poultry farm. "That''s right. I''m the one who requested it. Are you the leader?" "No, I''m not the one who epted the request." "Is that so? Then the leader hasn''t arrived yet?" The woman didn''t think that Rosaria and Yuria were the ones who took the request based on hermon sense. Unable to be ignored any longer, Rosaria raised both her hands and shouted. "Rosaria is the leader!" "The littledy? Hmmm..." When she heard that the girls had taken the request, she first thought something was wrong. "Larksper has ears too. Just tell me the story." "Alright. I''ll tell you what happened." The number of chickens had decreased. Feeling something strange, the woman waited for the chicken thief to appear, prepared for the third attack. When she was sure that the thief appeared periodically, the woman went outside with a hook and a torch. She, who thought of the creature as a hedgehog, came face to face with an unexpectedlyrge thief. "It was definitely a wolf. I saw its long snout like a dog''s." Hearing that, Larksper went over the fence of the poultry farm and entered. As Larksper entered, the ground was soft enough to sink in, but it was difficult to find traces of the wolf. The chickens had already trampled all over, and the owner of the poultry farm had cleaned up, erasing the traces. "Did it say it bit the chicken to death and ran away?" "Yes." "Having good night vision, being carnivorous... and not eating humans, arge creature..." For Larksper, who had hunted wildly in the Kalton mountain range, it was a very difficult creature. "Maybe it will attack again tonight. Can you ambush it, orc gentleman?" "Hmm... It might be possible. But I can''t guarantee sess." So said Larksper, the chieftain and great warrior. "If ites again, the prey will rely more on its senses. It will use its nose, eyes, and ears to act cleverly. If it fails this time, it might change its pattern or be even more difficult to catch." "It seems cunning..." The mistress bit her lower lip in annoyance. "Don''t worry. Larksper has a way. We''ll solve it tonight." "Alright." The conversation ended like that. The sun was tilting, and the sky was turning dark. The three returned to the chicken farm, where the crowing of the roosters could be heard. Having finished a hearty meal, Larksper smeared the soil of the chicken farm on his body. The smell of chicken feces and filth covered Larksper''s entire body. "Mister, you smell terrible!" Rosariaughed heartily. Larksper scratched his head awkwardly. Yuria asked Larksper while holding her nose. "Is this to mask the smell?" "That''s right." It couldn''t be called barbaric. Covering oneself in filth and ambushing was a notoriously famous tactic. "Larksper will ambush. You and Yuria should rest at the inn." "No way. Then it''s not our request!" "That''s right! The smell is strong, but... we can endure it!" Yuria and Rosaria were stubborn. However, he shook his head. "Miss Yuria, your perfume is strong. If the orcs can smell it, the wolf will definitely smell it too." "Eh......" "Same goes for the teacher. It''s dangerous because you might get caught instead." "Ugh." "If you''re prepared to get dirt like Larksper, you can stay together." He showed her the dirt covered in chicken feces. With a determined look in her eyes, Rosaria spoke in a resolute voice. "Fine¡ª." "No! Even so, there is a line that ady should not cross!!" Yuria interrupted and stopped Rosaria''s words. This time, even Yuria couldn''tpromise. Chapter 157 Taking a break for a week. Chapter 1/5 Side Story. Rosaria Quest (4) "Alright. We''ll follow the chief''s instructions and scout from the inn. Is that okay?" Larksper nodded his head. He wanted to tell the kids to stay out of it, but he decided topromise as this was theirst line of negotiation. Larksper hid under a pile of straw and waited quietly. The chickens were restless, clucking anxiously due to his intrusion into the henhouse, but it didn''tst long. As if to prove that they weren''t called birdbrains for nothing, they seemed to forget Larksper''s presence and started pecking feed off the ground. "Hmm." Larksper nced up to see the location of the inn. Two tiny silhouettes flickering in the candlelight were leaning against the window, looking down at this ce. They were waving their hands eagerly, but he couldn''t respond, so he remained silent. As the night deepened, Larksper, who had been lying in ambush, sensed a presence. Arge object, unlike the dozing chickens, was approaching. ''A wolf?'' Its silhouette was barely visible in the dark night. It wasrge and, more importantly, walked on two legs like a human. It also clumsily chased the pping chickens. Wondering if he had mistaken the thief for a wolf, Larksper decided to observe a little more. When the opponent turned their face, he saw a long snout and was convinced. ''It seems to be a werewolf.'' Then it wasn''t strange to mistake it for a wolf. Larksper cautiously raised the axe he was holding. He slowly approached the werewolf catching a hen in the henhouse, making sure not to make any noise whening out of the straw pile. ''Just a little more...'' That''s when it happened. A twinkling light from the inn momentarily blinded Larksper''s vision. The light reflected off the well-sharpened axe, drawing the werewolf''s attention. He was caught. Larksper hurled the axe with all his might without hesitation. The sharp trajectory enveloped the werewolf. Whoosh! It missed. The werewolf dodged the attack with an exaggerated movement. The werewolf, who had been catching chickens, took off on all fours. Larksper took out the spear he carried on his back. "Hmm..." However, Larksper couldn''t easily throw the spear. It was the middle of the night when he couldn''t even properly see the target, and there was also an uneasy feeling. There was something unsettling about hunting it down one-sidedly when it seemed to have no intention of fighting Larksper while clumsily catching chickens. ''Besides, if I chase it now, it might actually escape.'' Undoubtedly, the werewolf must have a hideout. Since the footprints were clearly left, he just needed to find the ce and devise a strategy. Then today is over. Larksper returned to the inn and took a bath first. After washing his filth-covered body thoroughly, he returned to his room. "Hey, orc." At that moment, someone called him without any warning. When he turned his head, a small water elemental appeared in front of him. "The two little ones are leaning against the window, sleeping. They should be put to bed properly." "...Is that so?" "I don''t want to contract a genius who can''t even pronounce properly because of their twisted mouth, so do it." Why would she ask him to do it instead of doing it herself? Thinking there must be some reason, Larksper entered the room where Rosaria and Yuria were. "Kuu... Kuu..." It was just as she said. Rosaria was drooling while leaning against the window, and Yuria was sleeping with a snoring sound. "Hmm..." Larksper carefullyid each of them on the bed so they wouldn''t wake up. And he found out the source of the light that had disturbed his hunt. It was Rosaria''s mirror. *** * * * Dream big tl dot *** "I fell asleep yesterday." "Me, me too, I fell asleep..." Although breakfast was in front of them, Rosaria and Yuria hung their heads as if they were ashamed. If anything, the only difference was that Rosaria''s hand was ripping the bread and bringing it to her mouth. "Young ones need to sleep a lot. It''s natural." Since it was a natural oue, Larksper didn''t have high expectations for them. As Larksper continued to encourage them in his own way, Rosaria and Yuria finished their breakfast. After finishing their meals and getting ready for the morning, Rosaria and Yuria each contacted their parents. -What? Yuria didn''t have an escort either? "Yeah! But we met Mr. Larksper and we''re traveling together." -Larksper? Oh, he recently said he was directly involved in taming the orcs. I didn''t expect your paths to ovep. Reed felt relieved, thinking it was rather fortunate. -Can I talk to Larksper for a moment? "Sure." Rosaria called Larksper, and he began talking to Reed face to face. The conversation was predictable. Take good care of my daughter. And since Yuria is an important guest, please be courteous. Being siblings before being a king, Larksper didn''t feel offended by Reed''s earnest request and listened. -I''ll be home today or tomorrow. Contact me when you''re done. Dad wille to pick you up. So, you''ll wait at the inn, okay? "Okay!" -Then finish well ande back. Rosaria waved her hand enthusiastically and hung up. As she was about to leave with Yuria, they stood in front of the door. -Dad, you don''t have to worry that much! Your daughter isn''t stupid! ...You don''t have to worry! I''m the eldest daughter of the Frenda family! Yuria''s voice was heard, raising her voice and shouting spiritedly. The two couldn''t open the door and waited for her call to end. Yuria, who came out, coughed awkwardly when she saw them. "Ahem, let''s go!" Larksper led them towards the henhouse. They crossed the fence of the henhouse and found the path where the werewolf had escaped. "It''s here." "Where is it?" "Look at these footprints." When Larksper cleared the fallen leaves and branches, Rosaria and Yuria noticed the footprints on the dirt floor. Observing the footprints, Yuria tilted her head. "Something''s strange? The stride and shape don''t seem like a wolf''s..." "That''s right. This is a bipedal wolf." "Could it be a Lycanthrope?" As Larksper nodded, Yuria''splexion turned pale blue. ''Does that mean we''ve been on an adventure to find a Lycanthrope all this time?'' Realizing how dangerous it had been, her legs trembled. On the other hand, Rosaria. "What''s a Lycanthrope?" She innocently asked Yuria. "Um, I think we should end our journey here..." "Why?" "You heard it! There''s a Lycanthrope here!" "So?" "It''s a werewolf. Cursed by the moon, they are active only at night. And they''re as strong as ordinary knights, being powerful monsters!" "Strong enemy." "Hmm..." Upon hearing that, Rosaria and Larksper showed the same reaction. They were both intrigued by the opponent. Yuria looked at them with disbelief. ''These fearless fools!'' She couldn''t bring herself to say it out loud. "It''s been attacking the henhouse multiple times, so it could certainly harm humans as well. We need to eradicate it." "Yeah! We need to teach it a lesson." Their faces were full of determination. Yuria''s face was filled with concern, so Larksper took her feelings into consideration. "Yuria doesn''t have toe with us." "But, but..." How could she stay behind when Rosaria wasn''t? She couldn''t say that. She nodded with her lips tightly closed. "I''ll join...hehe..." She tried to hide her trembling hands gripping the wand. Larksper scratched his head, wondering if it was okay to take her along, and then took the lead. The traces led from the beginning to the end to a single cave. Judging by theck of backtracking, it seemed the werewolf was not ustomed to living in the wild. "Hmm..." The cave itself was not wide, but it was deep. Larksper muttered as he looked inside. "We''ll need to make a torch." "There''s no need to make a fire. We have a mage." Yuria smiled. Finally, she had thought of something she could do. ""Light"!" A small sphere of light floated from Yuria''s wand. Larksper nodded as he saw the light. "That should be enough." Larksper led the way into the depths of the dry cave. As Yuria and Rosaria apanied him, he carefully checked the surroundings to avoid being ambushed. About halfway into the cave, Yuria felt something poking her back. Annoyed, she scolded Rosaria, thinking it was her prank. "Rosaria, stop ying around. It''s hard enough to concentrate in a cave." "Huh? What''s wrong?" Rosaria, who had been in front, asked Yuria. Yuria, who had been looking at the back of Larksper''s head, blinked when she saw Rosaria. "Huh? Rosaria, when did you go ahead?" "I''ve been in front the whole time." "Then who''s behind me..." Yuria turned her head slightly. Arge wolf''s face appeared. "Ahhhhhh!" As Larksper turned his head, he threw an axe towards Yuria. "Ouch!" The wolf''s head screamed. If it hadn''t pulled its head back btedly, the axe embedded in the wall would have hit its head. "I''m out of practice." As Larksper frowned and prepared to throw the axe in his left hand as well, "Wait, let''s talk in ournguage, Orc brother!" Everyone looked at the Lycanthrope with surprise as it fluently spoke theirnguage. "The wolf talks." "Of course I talk. I used to be a human! So put down your axe and let''s talk!" The Lycanthrope raised both hands, showing that it had no intention of fighting. "Sob... I don''t want to be caught... I don''t want to be eaten." "Ah, ah, youngdy, I didn''t mean to catch and eat you..." "Eek! Go away!" Yuria burst into tears. The wolf, who was trying to exin, backed away. Rosaria hid behind Larksper with Yuria. Larksper moved the axe to his right hand and said, "Even if you speak humannguage, you''re still a beast." "I''m not a beast! I''ve never hurt anyone!" "But werewolves open their eyes to their wild instincts on full moon nights..." "I know I''ve turned into a dog-like creature. But I''ve never been drawn to my wild instincts because of the full moon or anything! I''ve even helped when I could! Please believe me!" With sharp ws on both hands, it pleaded with tears in its eyes. It looked pitiful, even with a fierce wolf''s face, and its emotions were conveyed to Rosaria. "It looks pitiful, doesn''t it?" "Master, there''s no guarantee that it''s telling the truth. Wicked creatures can be like that in front of us but hide a dagger behind our backs." "A dagger?" "It means... sob, that they could harm us." Yuria, still crying, gave a prompt answer. Rosaria nodded, sticking to Larksper''s side, and asked. "Why did you steal from the henhouse?" "Try walking around like this, youngdy! If I go to the vige, the guards wille after me for being a monster, I have no way to make money, and I had no choice but to eat wild animals and fruits. If I''m really hungry, I can''t help but steal livestock. But I''ve only done it a few times! Please believe me!" Upon hearing his words and looking at the ground, a few mountain berries were rolling on the floor. There was no one else in the cave, so it must have been something he brought for himself to eat. "Why did you be a werewolf?" "Well... there are some circumstances." "What kind of circumstances?" "It''s literally adult circumstances. This is...plicated to exin." Yuria could feel it. He was hiding something. That''s why she approached Rosaria and whispered. "That werewolf is hiding something. I don''t think we can just leave it be." "Is that so?" "He must have hurt someone." Yuria red at the werewolf with teary eyes. "I don''t think that''s the case." It was Larksper who responded to Yuria''s words. "Are you sure?" "Larksper is sure. That werewolf has never killed a person." He had felt it since the werewolf sneaked into the henhouse. The clumsiness in trying to catch a chicken was simr to a human hesitating many times before taking a life. Rosaria looked at him and then came out from behind Larksper. "If you have any difficulties, Rosaria will help you." "R-really?" "Yes!" Rosaria said, hitting her chest. "Despite appearances, Rosaria is a hero!" Chapter 158 Side Story. Rosaria Quest (5) "Eh, hero?" The man showed doubt, but he didn''t question it further. It was time to be grateful to the girl who said she would help him, so he bowed his head in thanks. The smiling eyes and the tongue sticking out of his mouth. It was like looking at arge dog. *** * * * Dream big tl dot *** Upon hearing Rosaria''s words that she would help unconditionally, the man told her his situation. The man''s name was Dandelion. Dandelion entered the Witch''s Forest in exchange for having all his debts cleared. With the promise that if he listened well, he would be set free, Dandelion obeyed the words absolutely and carried out his orders. "Before I knew it, she started to interfere. I was free for a few days, but after about a week, rules and uses kept increasing, you know? Saying it''s different from the contract, that this isn''t allowed. She tried to make me unfree by saying one thing and doing another!" "Mm-hmm." "So I confronted them! ''If you said that if I listened well, you''d set me free, why don''t you keep your promise!'' like that." "But then?" "She then said, ''Fine. I''ll set you free unconditionally¡¯ and turned me into this mess. Like this... not long after that, I had no choice but to run in the wrong direction when a hunter who misunderstood me while I was helping a lost girl in the forest shot an arrow at me. And then I lost my way." Upon hearing that, Yuria nodded her head. "It must be a curse magic cast by the witch herself." "How can it not be, little wizards?" "I don''t know about Rosaria, but..." As Rosaria nced at Yuria, Yuria puffed out her chest and spoke. "In this case, our workshop is specialized in this! Transforming animals with magic would be a piece of cake!" "Then can you save me?" "That... is another issue." Yuria awkwardly scratched her head. In the end, it meant she was useless. Dandelion''s shoulders slumped. "There is a way to do it without side effects, though." "What, what is it!" Dandelion, who found hope again. "It''s going directly to the caster. You have to ask the witch to undo the magic." Dandelion seemed to have a troubled look in his eyes. Rosaria pped her hands as if she had a great idea. "That should do it! That''s the solution." "It would be nice if it ended like that, but it''s not going to end that easily." "Why?" "Because the person who cursed you won''t undo it that easily." It was a problem that Larksper could easily predict. Rosaria tilted her head, wondering, ''Is that so?'' Larksper chuckled at Rosaria, who had yet to fully learn about human malice. Dandelion mumbled, covering his head with both hands. "Besides, if I wander around like this, the vige patrolmen will find me... and then, oh noooo!" A sudden howling started. The man quickly covered his mouth, realizing what he had done. "I''m sorry for making such a useless fuss... Ah, I''m really not being consumed by my nature! I''ve never eaten a human before!" "Calm down. Larksper doesn''t think of you as that kind of person." His actions and tone showed that he was an immature young man. His physical abilities were more than enough to sweep away the guards. "Anyway, it seems like you don''t want to cause trouble to those around you." "Yes. I did do a little thievery... but I borrowed without permission, so when I return to normal, I n to apologize and repay double. Sob..." Dandelion wiped away his tears. "Then let''s go to the vige and apologize first! We''ll protect you. That should do it, right?" "Yes? If the little wizards and the orc warrior vouch for my identity, I would be grateful!" Of course, the one Dandelion trusted the most was the orc warrior, Larksper. Just having him by his side felt reassuring. So, Rosaria took Dandelion to Dun Luster vige. To show that he had no intention of attacking, he put his hands behind his head with fingers interlocked as he walked. The owner of the chicken farm recognized the wolf right away and shouted. "Ah, it''s the chicken thief! That''s the wolf! I''m sure of it!" "What?! You caught the chicken thief?!" The small vige''s solidarity was strong. Led by thendy, they threatened Dandelion with sharp farming tools in their hands. "Eek!" Dandelion hid behind Larksper. Since the werewolf, who was simr in size to Larksper, hid, his figure was not visible. "Do not hurt him!" Rosaria stood in front of them. "He was cursed by an evil witch! That''s why he turned into a werewolf!" "It could be a lie, too." "What if he attacks our vige when the full moones?!" Just as they had doubted, the vigers also doubted Dandelion. Larksper pounded his chest and said. "At least, if he goes on a rampage here, Larksper can handle it. Larksper guarantees it." As the muscr orc warrior assured them, the vigers who held weapons looked at each other and put their weapons down. Thendy, still angry, red at Dandelion and asked. "What about the price of the chickens, you damn wolf?!" As thendy with a big presence roared, Dandelion shrank and replied. "Don''t worry, madam. I will pay double the price of the eaten chickens, even if it costs me my life." "Double? Hmm, well, that changes things." Thedy who was about to kill him a moment ago calmed down. Money was the best after all. "Looking at you now, it seems like I''ll have to give you credit... but there''s no credit at our house, so remember that." "Then if I work and pay it off¡ª." "What kind of work can you do in that state? I don''t know if you can scare the vige kids." "Grrrr..." Dandelion covered his face. In his current state, it was difficult to earn money honestly. Rosaria stepped forward, knowing it was a difficult situation. "Rosaria, I have money." A jingling purse. It looked about three times the size of a small hand. "So far, dead chickens... there were three, right?" "Yes, I ate three chickens." Dandelion nodded his head. Thendy looked down at Rosaria and said. "It''s 50 UP per chicken." "50 UP? So... 50... 100... 150 UP." "You have to pay double, so you can''t just give 150 UP." "Then do I have to give 152 UP?" "It''s 300 UP!" "Eek!" Yuria shouted in frustration. Rosaria hit her head as if she had made a mistake. When she rummaged through her wallet to pay, Rosaria only had 100 UP. "Rosaria doesn''t have that much money." "Why did you insist on bringing less money..." "Hmm." They hadn''t prepared for this situation properly. Yuria decided to take matters into her own hands. "I am Yuria, the eldest daughter of the Frenza family, a prestigious magic family of the Imperial Workshop. When I return to my home country, I will certainly send the remaining money. Can you ept just 100 UP for now?" Yuria showed her family''s emblem. It was unlikely thatmoners would recognize the item used by nobles to receive special treatment. However, everyone knew that the exquisite, glittering gold object proved one''s noble status. "Well, it''s always the creditless folks causing problems... If you''re a person of means, I suppose I can amodate." Besides, they didn''t know how refusing a noble''s request might turn out, so it seemed better toply. However, Rosaria shook her head. "No, we can''t do credit! When you make a promise with money, you have to leave something valuable as coteral." "Who said that?" "Kaitlyn told me." The chief engineer from amoner background. Her advice to Rosaria had only been about origami and money matters since money had always been an issue for her. Rosaria took out a bear doll from her back. "Instead, I''ll leave this." Rosaria handed over her bear doll. "What is this?" "It''s Rosaria''s most precious possession. I''ll bring the money, so please take care of it!" Thendy thought their identities were sufficient coteral, but she couldn''t refuse when Rosaria offered her precious item. "Then I''ll put my emblem on the line too!" Yuria handed her emblem to thendy as if she couldn''t lose. "Huh? What??" She was flustered to suddenly receive such valuable items. The emblem was a family treasure, and the material value alone was worth at least 10,000 UP. Even so, it was on a different levelpared to the cute bear doll. "Hmm..." Larksper handed over his greatsword, still in its sheath, which he had been carrying on his back. It was a sword granted by the empire, an item that could not be bought with money. "I entrust it to you." "..." Thendy, who had unexpectedly taken charge of such arge sword, blinked her eyes while holding a pile of treasures. With that, everyone in Rosaria''s party had left coteral. The amount of money they had to pay was easily surpassed by 100 times. Dandelion shed tears of gratitude as he looked at the coteral they had left. "Sob, thank you, little wizards, and orc warrior." A joyful howling echoed through the vige. *** Following Dandelion''s guidance, they moved towards the woods. Yuria and Rosaria began to feel that something was different from a certain point in the forest. This was the witch''s forest. Feeling this, they continued to go further inside. -How dare you set foot here without knowing where you are, outsiders. A deep female voice echoed throughout the forest. Yuria shuddered and drew her wand. -Ho? I thought there were only outsiders, but even the runaway scoundrel came along. "He''s not a scoundrel! He''s a person with a name, Dandelion!" Fearless Rosaria shouted at the forest. -What''s with that cheeky little girl? Is she your daughter? You''re spreading your hands here and there, even sowing seeds? A thick murderous intent spread from the forest. There was no doubt that the owner of the forest was truly angry. The atmosphere was filled with murderous intent from all directions, making it impossible to tell when or where an attack mighte from. In the midst of the tension, Dandelion stepped forward. He knelt down, sped his hands together, and pleaded. "My love, Arienna, it seems there''s a misunderstanding. Please put away your anger first, please." "My love?" Yuria and Larksper were surprised to hear that. His serious tone had lightened considerably. -Did you think I would be pleased if you brought these daughters of the women you''ve been with and we all get along together? Didn''t you think you''d just make me angrier? Why didn''t you run away further? "It''s not that I ran away. I took the wrong path while being chased by a hunter. I ended up wandering and had no choice but to do so." "Hmm..." "What''s that about a daughter?" Larksper scratched his head, trying to understand the situation. Yuria thought there was a huge misunderstanding and spoke to the witch. "Respected witch of the forest, I apologize for the confusion, but I am not the daughter of this Lycanthrope. I am Yuria, the eldest daughter of the Frenda family." Then the murderous intent slightly weakened. -The Frenza family? A child of the imperial workshop? "And this young girl here is Rosaria Adeleheights Roton, a protege of the master of the Silence Tower." -Ho? A genius girl from the Frenza family, and a genius girl from the Silence Tower brought an orc here? What a rare sight. The extended murderous intent subsided. At the same time, a woman appeared from behind a tree. A witch wearing a brown robe and a pointed hat. Her braided orange hair and freckles made her sharp look much softer. Nevertheless, the unpleasant energy emanating from her was undoubtedly because of that man, Dandelion. "Let''s go to my house to talk." *** "Wee, little wizards. Is this your first time seeing a witch who''s not from a workshop or a tower?" "Yes!" "I may not be able to use magic as freely and live like you, but if you want to be a mage with a free soul, it''s good to be an unaffiliated mage too." "What kind of work do you do?" "Well, unlike you guys, I don''t do magic research. Instead, I heal people whoe to the vige, help with childbirth, and do those kinds of roles." Rosaria listened to the daily life of an unaffiliated mage with pure curiosity. Yuria looked inside the room. The room waspletely open, with no dividers, except for the bedroom. Herbs were hung on the ceiling to dry, and something was boiling vigorously in the firece. It looked like an alchemist''s mansion, but it was at least three levels more downgraded. The witch, Arienna, took out a thin metal box from the cupboard. "Here, some candy. Oh, you''re children of high-ranking people, maybe it won''t suit your taste?" "I love candy! I want to eat it!" "Me, I''ll eat it too!" "Hmm..." Larksper also cautiously took one and put it in his mouth. A refreshing peppermint vor swirled around in his mouth. "My name, as that damn dog said, is Arienna." "I am..." "No, let me guess. Yuria Frenda, Rosaria Roton, and... the leader of the Barchan Alliance, Larksper, right?" "That''s right." As Larksper nodded, Arienna snapped her fingers and made a proud face. "Who says a forest witch is out of touch with the world? There are not many people who know the news as well as I do." The witch, Arienna, had be more lighthearted than before. However, her personality changed significantly when she saw Dandelion standing next to her. "So, where did you find that damn dog?" "Dog? Our Meowmeow?" -Meow? The unnoticeable dog turned its head upon hearing its name called. "Your spirit''s name is Meowmeow? That''s amazing. Anyway, I''m not talking about that dog, but that one." "Arienna, how dare you call me a dog! I am a human!" As Arienna pointed at Dandelion, he howled and protested. "People misunderstand because you made me like this!" "Be quiet. You shouldn''t have gone outside in the first ce. I told you clearly. With that face, if you try to help unnecessarily, you''ll only be ridiculed. That''s why you''re being chased by a hunter." Arienna red at Dandelion. Unable to argue since she had indeed warned him, Dandelion remained silent. Rosaria, sucking on her candy, looked back and forth between the two and asked. "Are you two a couple?" Chapter 159 Side Story. Rosaria Quest (6) "Well, it''s something like that. I brought him here to pay off his debt, so it''s like a groom being taken in." "A groom being taken in?" "It''s when a man goes to a woman''s house, like a strategic marriage." "Ah, I think I know what you mean." As soon as she heard the term "strategic marriage," Rosaria understood and nodded her head. "Strategic marriage is bad." "Why do you think strategic marriage is bad, little magician?" "Our master said that strategic marriages are only for bad people. A marriage between people who love each other is the best." Rosaria made a thumbs-up gesture and said. ''It seems the master had a hard time with strategic marriages.'' Arienna smiled ufortably. "Well, if I hadn''t brought him here, he might have been beaten to death. I brought him here to live like a human being. Right?" "Yes, I am always grateful to you." "But you''re fooling around with others?" "Arienna!" Dandelion cried out in a voice that seemed like he was about to burst into tears. Listening to their conversation, Yuria suddenly became curious about Dandelion. "How did you end up in debt?" "He was born so kind... No, he''s a foolish person who can''t hurt others and can''t pass by someone in need. That''s why he went into debt, for 30 people''s worth." "3, 30 people?" Yuria was surprised by the unexpected number. He had no ability, but he was the type to meddle in others'' affairs. Dandelion was the most convenient person to take advantage of. "But how did you two meet?" "It''s a funny story... I also received help from this man. I asked him to tell me a good ce to buy medicinal herbs, and he said he''d help me. I had never seen anyone so pure and helpful in bargaining. So..." I fell for him. Arienna swallowed those words and smiled. It was a brief smile, and when she looked back at Dandelion, she red at him coldly. "Well, it would be nice if he were only kind to me, but that nature is a huge stumbling block now. He''s flirting with women here and there, like a dog in heat. If he were ugly, it would have been cute to see him struggle on a tree he couldn''t climb, but with his looks like a leech¡­¡± "Flirting? What are you talking about, Arienna! I''ve never looked at anyone else!" "You''re joking. I saw you with my own two eyes, drooling over a woman with big breasts and hitting on her, and you''re going to talk nonsense again?" "Well, that''s because she asked if there were any suitable flowers to match her fianc¨¦, and I tried to put a flower on her chest!" "Oh, really? From what I saw, your gaze was a bit lower. And you touched her body quite a bit." "Well, if the needle were to get stuck in her beautiful skin, it would be a big deal." "Big breasts are beautiful, right? Yeah, it''s better than having them on a woman like a gum stuck to my shoe. A beast that doesn''t know gratitude. Oh, right, that''s why I turned you into a dog, remember?" "Arienna, you have no idea how many people I''ve hurt in this form! Please, put away your anger and undo this form!" "If you stay at home, you won''t have to worry about that, right? That''s why I made you like this." As the argument continued, Dandelion let out a groan. "Ugh... Okay. Arienna, if you really want me to stay at home, I will. I''m a man who can''t help you, so I''ll just live off of you." When he started to speak weakly, Arienna secretly nced at him with a guilty face. Then she scratched the back of her head as if annoyed. "Ugh, I''m too soft-hearted. I''m disqualified as a magician." Arienna raised her wand and concentrated her mana, lifting the curse ced on Dandelion''s body. The fur receded into his body, and his snout gradually shortened. A tall, handsome blonde man appeared. He was naked. Larksper''s speed was as fast as light. He covered Rosaria and Yuria''s eyes. Dandelion reveled in the joy of his face. "Ah! I finally got my original form back. How d I am for this soft skin!" "Cover your lower body, you beast." After living in the wild for so long, a sense of shame finally caught up with him. "Huh? Oh no! I showed the kids something they shouldn''t see! Arienna, do you have clothes?" "I left them in the bedroom, you scalded man." Dandelion hurriedly ran and got dressed. After a while, seeing him properly dressed, Larksper uncovered the eyes of the two. "Oh my." "Wow." Yuria and Rosaria eximed in admiration. Yuria, who was weak for handsome men, couldn''t take her eyes off Dandelion. "Who are you, sir?" "My name is Dandelion, youngdy." "Don''t lie. Dandelion was a werewolf!" "Ha ha! I returned to my original form as the magic was lifted." Dandelion responded with a refreshing smile. His face, which felt like a considerate older brother, made anyone feelfortable. Yuria could understand Arienna''s feelings as she looked at Dandelion. ''I can see why she would say that.'' With a refreshing smile and a prominent nose, he looked like the prince of her dreams, only needing a crown and a white horse. She felt a desire to possess him as if he were a delicate princess. Though Yuria had a face that easily fell in love, Dandelion had a national treasure-level appearance that all women would desire. As she stared at him, Arienna looked at him with her chin raised. "Hey." "Yes?" "Don¡¯t covet my stuff?" Yuria, who had her true feelings exposed, shouted in denial. "W-what are you talking about! I have someone I''m interested in." "Well, that''s a relief. It''s annoying to have a rival." Arienna giggled. "Returning to a human body makes me feel all the more refreshed. Thank you, our little magicians, and the honorable orc warrior." Dandelion courteously greeted each of them. "It''s okay!" "But if the magician was your wife from the beginning, there would be no need to worry so much. Why didn''t you tell me?" "Well, Arienna has her own reputation. I was afraid Arienna would dislike me and want a divorce, so it was hard to bring it up." "Huh? What nonsense are you talking about? I spent 5,000 UP to pay off your debt, you think I''d just let you go?" Arienna spoke gruffly, but Dandelion held her right hand with both of his and said. "I don''t want to let you go either, Arienna. Please don''t say anything cruel like leaving me." "¡­Wh-what embarrassing things are you doing in front of the kids? You silly¡­ man¡­" "Oh my." "Wow." Yuria and Rosaria eximed in admiration. Yuria, who was weak for handsome men, couldn''t take her eyes off Dandelion. Arienna punched Dandelion''s chest with her left fist. "Oh, by the way, Arienna. I''m sorry, but can you lend me 300 UP?" Arienna''s excited face soured in an instant. "300 UP? Where did this fire victim get into trouble again?" "I got into this because you arbitrarily cursed me. I secretly ate a chicken from a farm. I have to pay back double the amount." "What? Double? Why did you make such a promise? You foolish idiot!" "That''s how it is. If you don''t pay, these youngdies and the orc warrior won''t be able to get back the precious items they''ve put up as coteral." "Ugh¡­!" Arienna let out a groan with an unhappy expression. Then, she waved her hand and took out money from the container where the funds were kept and put it in a pouch. "Thanks, cough!" She threw the money pouch containing exactly 300 UP directly at Dandelion''s face. "If you do something stupid like paying for someone else''s debt again, I''ll turn you into a dog, not a werewolf! Got it!?" "Yes, I understand." Arienna stood up from her seat. "Let''s go. This time, I''ll go with you." "You''reing with us?" Arienna''s face turned red at the question. "Huh? So what? I have to go clean up your mess. Who else would go?" "No, I''m just happy that you''reing with us. Please don''t be angry." The witch of the forest never leaves her territory easily. It was a principle to bring the other party into her forest range, even if there was an urgent matter, as it always involved danger. Dandelion looked at Arienna like that and smiled purely. Arienna smiled bitterly, as if she found even that smile annoying. *** Having be human, Dandelion returned to Dun Luster Vige with Arienna. Dandelion took the lead and approached the owner of the poultry farm to greet her. "Hello, madam?" When the handsome blonde man approached her and spoke, she forgot about her broom sweeping and blinked her eyes. "¡­ Who are you?" "I came to apologize once more for the trouble I caused you recently." "What wrong did you do? I''m not sure..." The owner of the chicken farm asked in a slightly different tone from their first meeting. The owner was unfamiliar to Dandelion. Dandelion introduced himself again, realizing the confusion. "I''m Dandelion. I''m the guy you called a wolf." "What? The werewolf? Oh my, has the curse been lifted?" "Yes, it has! Haha! I''m sorry for eating your chickens without permission, madam." As he bowed his head politely to apologize, thedy burst into a carefreeugh. "Oh, no, it''s okay, haha! You can eat them if you''re hungry. I''m the one who should apologize, young man. Did I surprise you?" "No, it was a natural reaction." "Wow, you seem a bit reserved. I don''t know if I should treat you to a meal or something. Would you like to have a meal together?" "Oh, no thank you. Haha! I''ll just receive your generous heart, madam." The owner, who seemed like a general, began to give Dandelion instructions. Arianna red at Dandelion as he chuckled, as if disliking his cheerful demeanor. Conscious of her gaze, Dandelion quickly handed over 300 UP. Thus, they received the items that Rosaria, Yuria, and Larksper had left as coteral in their entirety. After confirming that there were no problems, Arianna nodded her head and spoke. "That settles the debt... Thank you again for finding us, little girlsand the orc warrior." "Don''t call me ''little''. I have kids, you know..." "Shut up. Don''t act like a kid." Arianna growled, and Dandelion became quiet again. Then, the owner of the chicken farm continued speaking. "Young mages and orc warrior, you did well. If you go to the adventurer''s guild, they will pay you for the quest. It may be a small amount of money for people like you." Then, Rosaria strongly shook her head. "No, it''s valuable money! It''s a reserve fund for the future use of the hero party!" The fact that they had taken their first step towardspleting the quest and receiving the reward was important. Whether it was arge sum of money or a small sum of money, Rosaria didn''t care at all. "Hero Party? Then who''s the hero?" "I''m the hero!" "You?" The little magician girl in a gray hat and robe bes the hero. At that, Ariennaughed out loud, finding Rosaria cute. It wasn''t a mockingugh. It was augh that came from her cuteness and pure expectations. "That''s right, little magician. A girl as understanding and kind as you will undoubtedly be a great hero." Arienna and Dandelion returned to the forest. Rosaria and Yuria reported thepletion of the quest to their parents. As if waiting for them, two sky chariotsnded side by side in Dun Luster Vige. No, there were three. An extra chariot came from the empire. Yuria Frenda, who weed her father, Zekeheil Frenda, asked as she saw the people getting off the chariots. "Who are they?" "They''re the imperial envoys. They were sent here when they heard that the leader of the Balton Alliance was present." "They sent them directly from the empire?" From the time the Kalton Mountains were conquered, the empire tried to exert influence there. However, the chance for the empire to meet the leader of the Barchan Alliance was like picking stars from the sky. The orc chieftain, who valued honor, did not even try to negotiate with the empire in the first ce. There were few opportunities to meet and confront them like this. "Daughter, thanks to you, I can help the empire in a good way." Zekeheil spoke proudly, but Yuria was not very happy. ''It''s good to be an imperial magician...'' It was undeniably a good thing to be helpful to the great empire, but she couldn''t shake off the feeling of unease. "Next time..." "Huh?" "Could you tell me when the envoys areing?" "Ah, I see. I''ll do that." Zekeheil was puzzled by Yuria''s sudden displeasure. The reunion of Rosaria and Reed continued. "Dad!" "Did you have fun?" "Yes! It was so much fun. There was a werewolf catching chickens, but actually, it was..." "Let''s talk about thatter. We''ll go home and tell everyone." "Okay! Oh, I''m going to turn it into a fairy tale and show it!" Rosaria, feeling uplifted by the sessful adventure, climbed onto the chariot. Reed patted Larksper''s shoulder. "You did a great job." "I''ll go anywhere my brother needs me." Larksper, beating his chest and smiling. "Shall I join you in talking with the envoys? It seems like it could be a headache." "Hmm... No. I can handle it myself." Having learned about human policies and values, Larksper had a sense of how to talk to the envoys. Being a strong man in practice, he faced the envoys alone. Rosaria showed her hand-drawn pictures along with the dog and told her adventure story. There was no Demon King or hero, but it was a very interesting story. *** "Arienna, let''s go." "Stay away, you lustful one. Walk one meter away from me." "What are you talking about? Then we won''t look like a couple, will we? Are you embarrassed by me?" "I am embarrassed. I feel like I''m going to die of embarrassment. You have no idea how embarrassing it is to be with a man whose head is full of flowers." "Then I understand. I''m sorry for being such a terrible man." "¡­I really can''t hate you. I''ll lift the one-meter approach ban. Come here." "Thank you, Arienna." "Hmph. You''re really like a dog. Why do your emotions sway back and forth like reeds?" "Isn''t it because I love you?" "You say you love me, but you''re always flirting." "What are you talking about! I''m always grateful for your kindness and devotion." "Fine. Be grateful for the rest of your life, you fool. Don''t even skip a day." "I will. I''ll be like that for the rest of my life. So I wish you would tell me you love me too." "No way. I''m not a child." "Is that so?" "¡­." "¡­." "I love you, you idiot." "I love you too." Chapter 160 First Light (1) The happiest moment for a human is when they feel safe with themselves. In that sense, the bolt gun was an incredibly revolutionary item for the nobles. It was iparable to simple recording devices and tea leaves. -They say it''s an item that allows non-mages to use magic, right? -Most items made in the Silence Tower are like that. But this time, our nobles can use offensive magic. -And they say it''s very easy to use? While there were many methods for those proficient in magic, from amoner''s perspective, it was simpler than anything else. Press a button, pull back the hammer, and pull the trigger. With these simple actions, they could use magic, making it the perfect self-defense weapon for the nobles who disliked inconvenience. This weapon attracted everyone''s attention, but it was especially loved by Morgan II. "I really appreciate the item you made, Tower Master." "Do you?" "You wouldn''t know how much I use it. I look forward to training with it every morning when I wake up." There was no way he wouldn''t know. This simplepliment was already repeated twelve times. Twelve times within this meeting. However, Reed could understand Morgan II. Born with a warrior''s spirit, Adonis was worried about Morgan II''s health every day. The best method she knew was exercise, and she personally guided him to build up his physical strength. Although physical training had a clear purpose, Morgan II hated Adonis''s swordsmanship training terribly. "Is she notining these days?" "Of course, she stillins that I shouldn''t neglect swordsmanship, but having a way out is so nice. At least I can practice shooting during the time I have to learn swordsmanship to protect myself, and it feels great." For Morgan II, who didn''t fit well with swordsmanship, it was one of the few convenient items that could be used for self-defense. It was a long-range weapon like a bow, but it didn''t require the strength to withstand tension, and all they needed was enough strength to aim and withstand the recoil. Morgan II enjoyed practicing shooting and was actually the best shooter in the Hupper Kingdom. Adonis had no choice but to admit it. Morgan II naturally became interested in the parts and structure of shooting tools. How can the uracy be increased? How can the effective range be extended? Morgan II, who had been interested in various civilian facilities, gradually began to focus on weapons derived from bolt guns. "Did you know? Nowadays, nobles duel with bolt guns." "A duel, you say?" "Yes. They walk about seven steps away from each other with their backs turned, and then they turn around and shoot at each other." It was a rule simr to a duel in the real world. It seemed barbaric, but they decided to ept it since the eras were roughly simr. "I recently thought of a few ideas derived from bolt guns." "Ideas are always wee." As Reed weed the idea, Morgan II began to chatter excitedly. "What about throwing a spell like a bolt gun? Magic that either causes an explosion right there or explodes after a time dy to strike at the opponent''s weakness." "Spell throwing, you say? That''s a good idea. I''ll suggest it. We''re currently considering a method that umtes mana and then fires it in rapid session." "Oh! Like a bombardment. But wouldn''t the recoil be too strong? Would that be okay?" "If we fix it to a stand on the ground, we can increase the uracy." "That would undoubtedly be good for defensive firepower... and also great for attacks!" Morgan II became happier as they talked, like a child receiving a toy. Boys do love robots and guns after all. ''My modern memories aren''tplete, but...'' Being able to suggest in that direction was a big help. There were many simrities with modern firearms in terms of difficulties and problems. Morgan and Reed''s idea conversation continued. *** * * * Dream big tl dot *** Elites who showed promising qualities as mages also became interested in magic engineering and expressed their desire to enter the Silence Tower. As a result, the number of applicants doubled this year. Reed could pick more useful talents by checking each person individually, so it was a good deal in any case. After the ghost incident in the past, the now well-recognized Tower Masters asked Reed this question. "Do you have any ns to make the tower taller?" Every time, he would answer like this: "I think the current height is enough." "Really?" They tilted their heads as if they didn''t understand Reed''s words. The size of the tower was as good as the face of the Tower Master. They thought that the Silence Tower, with the lowest floors, would consider adding at least five more floors. It wasn''t that Reed had no ambition, and that''s why he postponed it. He had his own thoughts. ''Magic engineering consumes too much mana.'' The amount of mana consumed was different when simply researching magic. In the case of magic research, a specific period, demonstration, or overload test consumes a lot of mana. Therefore, if you take enough time to umte it, there would be no shortage. However, in Reed''s case, research and development were ongoing, and the tests were three times more than other towers. ''And then make the tower taller?'' In that case, the required basic mana demand would increase. It would cause disruptions not only to external defenses but also other ns. Postponing the expansion n was the wisest thing to do right now. He became even busier with the Barchan Alliance, the Hupper Kingdom, and recently, the merchant alliance. Raising the tower would only make it easier to copse during an attack. Reed didn''t obsess over unnecessary honors with only good appearances. Right now, it was a precarious time to hold onto substance. Knock-. "Come in." Someone entered, and Reed, who was busy approving documents, nced up. It was Phoebe. "Here is a letter from the Hupper Kingdom." Phoebe handed it over politely in a drawn-out tone. Reed cautiously took the letter. Her perfect posture and demeanor were the same as usual. ''But...'' Phoebe''s face rarely smiled. No, the vibrant atmosphere of not knowing when flowers would bloom disappeared. She seemed more scared than when he first possessed the game. Since that day, he hadn''t seen her smile except when she came to visit for official matters. At best, she faintly smiled when their eyes met asionally. ''It must have been hard for Phoebe.'' Phoebe personally buried the nine corpses she killed again. When they first died, she buried them alone. She said that since they were her family, she had to bury them herself, so Reed just watched her from the side. She dug, buried, prayed, and cried. She repeated that nine times. But when she buried them again, she didn''t cry. Reed guessed it was because her siblings were with her. When they brought the nine corpses, Saul and Gorgan were there, and they helped. This time, they cremated all the corpses and put them in jars. Whether she thought someone would use her family again if they were simply buried, she chose to turn them into ashes. He thought she had been coping well since then, but it seemed that wasn''t the case. ''She doesn''t look affected, but that day must still bother her.'' Reed couldn''t just leave Phoebe like that and inadvertently called her name. "Phoebe." "Yes?" Phoebe raised her head. An impromptu meeting began. "How''s your life these days?" "Are you asking about my life? It''s fine." Phoebe weakly nodded her head. "Let me know if there''s something I can help with." "......" Phoebe looked at Reed with wide-open eyes. Golden eyes that matched her blonde hair. The sharpness contained within them. Some avoided her eyes, saying they brought misfortune, but Reed didn''t avoid her gaze. She was undoubtedly contemting something as she looked at Reed. Her gaze was a bit overwhelming, but Reed stared back at her eyes without saying a word. Phoebe, who seemed lost in deep thought, didn''t blush with embarrassment. "I..." Finally, her cherry-like lips moved and she uttered a word. "Can I like you, Tower Master?" At that moment, time froze. Reed doubted his ears. Tower Master... what? "What?" "Ah......" As Reed asked back, Phoebe covered her mouth. Her face turned bright red as if she had said something she shouldn''t have, and then she turned around quickly. "I''m sorry." Reed stood still, staring at the closed door. What did she say? Does she like me? Did she just say that she likes me now? That fact wasn''t surprising. Honestly, if you have eyes to see and ears to hear, you could have noticed that much. ''But it''s unexpected that she said it directly.'' The reason is that Reed recently found out why she couldn''t say that, as his memories werepletely mixed. *** Phoebe''s room. Given her personality, it wasn''t decorated in a feminine way. There was arge bed, a desk, and a chair each. There were also stuffed dolls made of the faces of people she knew as a hobby. The only things in that room that were more than two, were the stuffed dolls in Reed''s likeness. Shey in bed, ming herself for her recklessness. "Why... when I''ve been doing well so far." She believed that she was undoubtedly acting well. She didn''t even know that she was obviously showing signs because she wasn''t smart. She had never told Reed that she liked him. Knowing who she was and what she had to do, she focused only on her role. ''It''s because that child said that...'' One of her siblings, who she couldn''t kill in one go, barely spoke to her in a state where he could only speak. Those words kept echoing in her ears. So she unintentionally revealed her true feelings. ''How should I face the Tower Master now...'' Phoebe couldn''t know what Reed was thinking. As she was thinking that, she heard footstepsing towards her room. The owner of the footsteps opened the door without knocking. Phoebe already knew who it was. "Phoebe unni." It was Rosaria. Phoebe raised her head and asked. "Why did youe to Phoebe''s room?" "I was worried about you! There was no one in the secretary''s office, so I came! Dad is secretly spying for a long time." "The Tower Master?" "Oops." Rosaria covered her mouth, but the words had already slipped out. Rosaria tried to cover her eyes and pretended to be surprised, but it wasn''t easy. "I shouldn''t have said that... I guess I''m a fool." Phoebeughed at Rosaria, who was ming herself. Was it a kind of homogeneity that fools could understand? Seeing her, the thought of being on guard melted away. "It''s okay. Being honest is a very good thing." She hugged her to her chest as if this purely honest creature was lovely. "Unni." "Yes." "Can I touch your horns?" "Ah, horns are off-limits~." "Phew." Rosaria let out a deted sound and nuzzled her face against her chest again. Then she sat down next to Phoebe. "Do you like Dad a lot?" "Yes." "Then can you tell him?" As she said that, Phoebe''s face, which had been smiling brightly, changed subtly. More seriously, but without showing it. Phoebe said. "Lady, I can''t tell the Tower Master that." "Why?" Rosaria tilted her head. "Because he has Lady Dolores." "Aristocrats can have more than one wife, right? Dad is an aristocrat." "That''s right." "Then isn''t it okay?" Phoebe pursed her lips. "Bloodline is important for a mage. That''s why, unlike other aristocrats, they tacitly agree to have one wife. If I try to break that, I would cause trouble for Lady Dolores. And..." Should she say this? With further hesitation, she opened her mouth. "I don''t have the right to do that." "Why? Why don''t you have the right?" In the end, Rosaria asked what she didn''t want to be asked. Phoebe told Rosaria the truth without any exaggeration. "Because I once tried to kill the Tower Master." Chapter 161 First Light (2) -Roderick Astheria! Come out obediently and answer the great emperor''smand! On the day of the Astheria n''s extinction. Those who btedly learned that Roderick had sessfully created the half-dragons gathered all the knights from the entire continent to capture him. More than a thousand knights, 20 from each kingdom, surrounded the Astheria family. The Astherias did not back down. In order to protect their family, 13 half-dragons fought against the knights. As a result, 9 died and 4 survived. One was missing in an unknown state of life or death, and three were captured with serious injuries. And at the center of it all, Roderick Astheriamitted suicide. They had a choice. Either they would clear their crimes by agreeing to serve as imperial knights, or they would be sent to the continental trial. Upon hearing that, Gorgan and Saul chose to be imperial knights. Although it seemed opportunistic, it was enough to turn them away after hearing all of Roderick''s misdeeds. Still, Phoebe did not betray Roderick. She said this: -All that remains for you who took away my light is death. To Phoebe, Roderick was her first light. With that light gone, nothing remained for Phoebe, and the meaning of life was solely to burn her hatred. Phoebe refused to eat or drink anything they provided until the trial. She went madly rampaging to break the sturdy imperial prison. Due to not eating anything for ten days, she was exhausted and transported to the trial. The trial began to determine her punishment. Although her body was weak, Phoebe''s mind was clear. That''s why she remembered all the words exchanged during the trial. -The murdersmitted cannot be forgiven, but not even thinking of seeking forgiveness! Such a venomous thing must be killed! -It''s the blood of a ck dragon! We don''t know when it will bare its fangs again! -She seems like a good toy, can I take her with me when we kill her? The majority opinion was that she should be executed. Drip- Drip-. Phoebe burned the remaining life she had with hatred. A king, who made eye contact with Phoebe, shouted in shock. -Look! She cannot be called a human! She''s like a demon wearing a human disguise! A demon created by that devilish man! Whatever they were babbling about didn''t matter. But she couldn''t stand them insulting her family. Phoebe squeezed out her remaining strength to break the iron bars and tried to grab the man''s throat. -Although shemitted heavy sins, she was just a child deceived by the devil''s trick. So, let us take care of her. That''s when it happened. Someone defended Phoebe and offered her a lifeline of salvation. Phoebe, who was grinding her teeth, raised her head. An old man with a white beard and a man with gray hair and golden eyes were staring at her, the focus of everyone''s attention. They were the owners of the Silence Tower, Jude Roton and Reed Adeleheights Roton. At Jude''s request, Phoebe was escorted to the Silence Tower. Phoebe''s life continued in a cell, just like in prison. Let''s die like this. That''s how she can join her family. Phoebe thought so, even her mind bing hazy. However, unlike the imperial prison where she hadn''t seen anyone for days, someone entered the cell. -Eat. He showed her the food he had carefully ced on the te. There were also a fork and a spoon. Phoebe knew who he was. He was the man standing next to the old man. Gray hair and golden eyes. She didn''t like the way his distinct facial features looked down at her expressionlessly. It wasn''t contempt or pity. It seemed like her anger would explode as he approached her with such a face, like someone who knew nothing. tter-tter- The sound of the shackles rubbing against each other echoed as she moved. Reed, who had been still, looked at the shackles. -I apologize, you''re a human, not a beast. Reed acknowledged his mistake and unlocked the filled handcuffs. The moment her arms were freed, Phoebe made the biggest mistake she would regret every time she looked back on the past. She dug her nails into the throat of the man who showed her kindness. *** * * * Dream big tl dot *** Reed recalled his time with Phoebe. ''She tried to kill me like that.'' She had dug her nails deep into his throat, but it wasn''t fatal. She didn''t touch any vital blood vessels or the trachea, and she stopped her fingers as soon as she pierced them. Although she was exhausted, she was a superhuman. If she had just moved her fingers a little more, it wouldn''t have been a big deal to bring Reed to the brink of death. Reed knew. She was blinded by anger, but at that moment, she realized she made a mistake. ''So, I have no reason to hate her.'' It was the most eerie memory, but Reed just lived as if he had forgotten it. Leaving the past behind and moving forward to the future. With that in mind, he forgave all of Phoebe''s actions. However, Phoebe probably couldn''t do the same, unlike Reed. That''s why this moment felt ufortable and strange. "Can I like her......?" If they were a man and woman in love, this situation would have been thrilling enough. However, since she was Phoebe, he was more worried than thrilled. The fact that the incident that made her utter those unspoken words happened to her. ''And what should I answer?'' It wasn''t that he had no goodwill towards Phoebe. She was beautiful, and her asional smile and clumsy appearance stimted his protective instincts. She was the one who followed Rosaria the most and was dedicated enough to make difficult choices to protect the tower. ''But just saying yes and epting it unconditionally...'' There is a rule for magicians. One spouse only. They value lineage and are sensitive to intellectual property, so they created an unspoken rule not to have multiple wives. ''I''m not sure how Dolores will react...'' Dolores pretended to be cool, but in reality, she was a very jealous person. Especially, she didn''t like talking about other women. The person she loved the most had cruelly abandoned her, and Reed, the person involved, had to understand the obsession that resulted from the bacsh. ''It''s better to talk to Phoebe a bit more first.'' He had to listen to Phoebe''s thoughts on what she wanted to do before moving on to the next step. ''Even if she tries to avoid me, I have to hold onto her and settle things right there.'' "......I didn''t think I''d have the luxury of such idle thoughts." Reed let out a sigh as he btedly recalled the important guesting to the Silence Tower today. A master of spatial magic, Helios Glin Zelonia, ising. He created a tower that floats in the sky and was the only tower that used mana from space instead of mana from the ground. If asked to name the strongest magician, it would be Helios. "Greetings, Tower Master of the Sky Chamber Tower." "You must know why I''m here, right?" Of course. Didn''t he notify them three days ago that he woulde for this moment? ''Although it was a courtesy, he probably gave enough time to make excuses.'' Using someone else''s magic is a serious crime. A tower owner would have to retire in such a case. The fact that Helios gave enough time in a situation ripe for criticism meant that he was showing some goodwill towards Reed. Helios tried to solve the issue fairly and mercifully. "Tell me." "Yes." Reed confessed everything, from the stone''s acquisition route and purpose to its usage. Upon hearing that, Helios was convinced. Although it might be useful for other magicians, it would be useless for him, who could move things with just a flick of his finger. "......So, I''d like you to permit me to use the abilities of this magic stone." "Very well." Reed was surprised to see him nod willingly. ''Why is he so cool? I thought I''d have to persuade him two or three more times.'' Was it because his contribution to this case was so significant that he had no choice but to acknowledge it? In that case, there would be no reason for him toe all the way to the Silence Tower to talk. Reed didn''t think so carelessly. "I don''t think you came here just because of the teleport magic." That was just a pretext, and the important matter was something else. Helios nodded his head. "Of course, I wanted to hear the story as well. It''s just not the main reason." "What story did youe to tell?" "I''d like you to make a weapon." "A weapon, you say?" Helios made an unexpected request. Reed could tell that he wasn''t just asking for a simple weapon like a bolt gun. "I want to create a weapon that can challenge the power of a god." At Helios'' radical remark, Reed couldn''t help but flinch slightly. "I can make it, but the problem is, I can''t gather what I don''t have." "What do you mean?" "In other words, there''s no such thing as magic that can draw high efficiency with a small amount of mana." There are many spells that require a vast amount of mana. However, they are not used because their effects are too lowpared to the mana consumed. Magicians calcte and optimize those inefficient spells to create more efficient spells. Reed had already given up on that kind of work. He was only researching how to use machines more efficiently, and the tower was busy enough. "Of course, I''m not asking you to create non-existent magic. There was a spell that we''ve been researching in the Sky Tower for a long time." "Are you talking about a magic that challenges the power of a god?" No one knew that such magic had been studied at the Sky Chamber Tower. "This is something even our tower''s people don''t know. I''ve been researching it personally since my college days. You''re the first one to hear this story." "I see." "What do you think? I''ll lend you my magic, can you make a weapon?" Reed pondered Helios'' proposal. ''A weapon... Why does he want to turn magic into a weapon?'' Helios is a capable archmage. Why would such a capable archmage not use magic directly and instead weaponize it? While thinking, Reed finally found the answer. "Fine. But there''s a condition." "Tell me, I know it''s not a charity you''re doing." Helios responded as if he would ept any condition. "Give me the magic that challenges the power of a god." However, he couldn''t imagine that Reed would cross the line. "...What?" Helios raised his eyebrows. It would be surprising to see him, who is always expressionless, make such a face, but Reed didn''t even flinch. ''This is a reasonable request.'' His face conveyed that message. Whether fooled by such audacity or giving him a chance to speak, Helios nodded. "Tell me." "In order to use that magic, one has to bear a tremendous amount of mana and risk. There''s no doubt that the reason you asked me is because you cannot eliminate that risk. It must be a kind of magic that can only be activated by risking one''s life." "That''s right." Helios readily admitted it. He was as cool as when he approved the teleport magic stone. "If one manifests this magic with a human body, they will be destroyed. I''ve dedicated over 100 years to trying to eliminate that cost, but no conclusion has been reached." There was no solution, even though he tried to find possibilities. That''s why he wanted toplete this magic through an alternative. ''I thought it would be somewhat unreasonable, but...'' He never expected to be asked to hand over the magic. Helios couldn''t tolerate that much. Before Helios could say anything, Reed opened his mouth again. Chapter 162 "I won''t say I want it unconditionally." "Then?" "I''d like to at least divide the button that uses the magic challenging the authority of that god." "Divide the button?" He couldn''t understand what he was talking about. "The items we develop should be such that they can never be used without the approval of both of us." "Hmm..." If it''s a magic that challenges the authority of a god, it''s undoubtedly a power that can turn a whole nation into dust. If such power can be used without any limitations, there was no guarantee that it wouldn''t harm Reed himself, even if it''s the fair Helios. So they divide the authority. "You''re asking me to give you power." "It could be interpreted that way." Although he could be criticized for being blinded by his lust for power, Reed had no intention of giving up. The Silence Tower had been at the bottom without any power in his entire life. It was a tower so unstable that it wouldn''t be surprising if it copsed at any moment. After the magic engineering, there was no one who ignored Reed. He found out about the demons that could hide among humans, and he found a way to eliminate those species. Not only that, but by allowing ordinary people to use magic, the number of means to protect themselves increased in the viges and territories that had to suffer mercilessly if theycked magical power. It wasn''t a pleasant sound to the magicians whose positions were narrowing, but the fact that he contributed to the security of the continent remained unchanged. Because of that much, Reed was convinced. That he was allowed to have such power. That he could assert it proudly to Helios. Although Helios might be displeased, he would also know that this proposal was a reasonable one. ''It''s just an item being made to check the birth of a new disaster.'' But if, as Reed said, Helios had sole control, it would be irreversible when he made a mistake. If it''s a weapon strong enough to challenge the power of a god, the checks must be carried out sufficiently. "That condition seems fine too." Helios epted Reed''s proposal. "In that case, it would be better to give it to the Althea Order and the Empire as well. Rather, it would allow us to keep each other in check." "What I want is something like that. It''s to prepare for a time when the continent cannot handle what''sing. A power that can defeat such a powerful enemy that people who are at opposite extremes can unite." Prepare for a universally recognized enemy, like the Demon King. Make it so that no one else can use it except for those enemies. That will be the penalty for a weapon that challenges the divine authority. "Do you think these conditions are enough, Silence Tower Master?" "It''s such a good idea that there''s no room for doubt." Having equal rights with the three who achieve the best in religion, monarchy, and towers. There was a feeling of being squeezed in between them, but that alone was enough. "Thank you for taking an interest in our humble tower''s technology, Sky Chamber Tower Master." "Humble technology? Nonsense. It''s a technology greater than magic." Was it just ttery? Though I''d like to think so, Helios was not the type to tter. "I became interested in your magic engineering when you saved the previous Wallin Tower Master." An imperfect entity created to be identical to humans, not just to resemble them for a greater purpose. He transferred Dolores'' magic seed into it and seeded in removing it. Since then, he wondered if there was a magic that could rece it, but there was no efficient and intuitive method to remove the magic seed within thew of equivalent exchange. He couldn''t hide the question, ''What if I use magic engineering?'' For the first time in his life as a magic specialist, he became interested in something other than magic. When he invented the bolt gun, Helios was convinced. Magic engineering is an extension of magic, and through that extension, it can rece the magic that has not been solved so far. "However, I can''t easily research magic engineering." Even if the Sky Chamber Tower was created by Helios, he couldn''t change the minds of the members inside. There would be nothing harsher than telling those who majored in pure magic and took pride in it to pursue magic engineering. Unlike the arbitrary Freesia, he had all the virtues and the image required for his tower and tower master. That''s why the Sky Chamber Tower decided not to consider researching magic engineering. Helios brought his research project to Reed. "What do you think will happen in the future?" Reed was curious about Helios'' opinion. He answered. "I can''t know everything, but if your research achievements continue like this, magic will be closer than we think." It bes closer. Even though it wasn''t a pleasant sound for magicians who thought of themselves as superior beings, Helios was smiling faintly. *** * * * Dream big tl dot *** The always busy Silence Tower was quiet today. There had never been a weekend off before, so it was a day when all the magicians took a break as a tower-wide event. Reed wasn''t on duty either. There was one thing he had to do separately. ''Phoebe.'' After the slip of the tongue, they had been awkward and couldn''t talk. Reed headed to her room to talk about what had happened with Phoebe while taking a break. Knock, knock-. As he knocked lightly, a surprised sound came from inside. At least she was inside. "Is it, is it the Tower Master?" Phoebe''s flustered voice echoed. "Yeah, it''s me." "What brings you here?" "I want to talk. Do you have time now?" "Can''t we do itter...?" Later. Phoebe continued to dodge with that word. Reed decided to be firm. "I''d like it to be right now." "Ugh..." Phoebe hesitated with her lips pursed and opened the door. Then it became clear why she had said it couldn''t wait. She was wearing very thin clothes. Clothes that tantly revealed the contours of her entire body. Phoebe blushed and hesitated, and Reed quickly closed the door again. Reed finally realized the meaning of ter'' and closed the door. "I''m sorry. I didn''t know that''s what you meant." "No... Please wait a moment." A momentter, Phoebe appeared wearing slightly thicker casual clothes. "What did you want to talk about?" "It''s about the conversation we hadst time." "Ah..." Unable to forget or perhaps unaware that Reed would bring up the conversation, Phoebe hesitated with her lips pursed. "Please forget about it. I made a mistake in my words. I don''t want to ruin the rtionship between Dolores and the Tower Master." Her face showed that she wanted to move on somehow. "No." But Reed wouldn''t allow it. "The fact that you said that to me means there must be something that made you say it unintentionally." At Reed''s words, Phoebe nodded her head. "Can you tell me what happened that made you have no choice but to say that to me?" Reed came out forcefully. Under his pressure, Phoebe fiddled with her lower lip. "Actually..." Phoebe spoke. The story goes back to when the hero attacked the Silence Tower. When Phoebe killed her nine siblings and copsed on the floor, she heard a very faint moan. She thought she had killed them all, but one was still breathing. "Phew... Phew... As expected... you are the Captain." Rather than admiring, she tilted her head. "Didn''t you die?" "I''ll die soon. As it is... we can''t live even if we try together." "Then I''ll kill you." Phoebe meant to show mercy since it would be painful. The man waved his hand and said. "I''m fine, Captain. Let''s just talk." "Are you trying to buy time?" "That too, but since we met again, it would be a bit awkward to just go like this." Phoebe seemed to agree with his words, withdrew her hand, and sat next to him. "I heard you personally buried us. Will you bury me again like that?" "I have to. In the ce where you guys broke through." "I can''t just put the body in this time. Please cremate it." "I will." Although she hadn''t thought about cremation, Phoebe responded as if she knew. Her pride was the same as before, and the man burst into a snicker. "Captain, your way of speaking has be a bit strange. Why are you acting like a fool?" "¡­Because I am a fool." Hearing that from her mouth, the man looked up at her with a dumbfounded expression. "Yes, that''s right. The captain is a fool." "That''s too much." "I have to say it since there''s no more dying to be done here." The man''s breathing became rough, and his hair disheveled. Phoebe swept his hair to the side so it wouldn''t poke his eyes. He was extremely despicable, but the fact that they were her siblings remained unchanged. "Anyway, your skills haven''t died, Captain. I thought it would be simr to that time..." "If you guys had attacked me back then, I would have won." "Weren''t you bluffing back then?" "Don''t you know that it''s harder for me to kill you than to subdue you?" They attacked with the intention of dying, and Phoebe always had to control her strength well to subdue them. The manughed bitterly as if he was disappointed. "If it''s the strongest on the continent, it must be the captain. Your tactics are always... outstanding." He wanted to say it was cowardly, but he changed his words knowing that the loser had no right to say that. "I won''t apologize." "I won''t apologize either. It was a choice for the Captain too." "Is the brainwashing notpletely gone yet?" As Phoebe nced at him with narrowed eyes, the man flinched. Even though he was about to die, her gaze still made him shiver. "Captain, this is not brainwashing. It''s just my thoughts from beginning to end." "Did you intend to drag me out of there and make me unhappy?" "Yes. But not to make you unhappy. That man, the hero... there''s something bigger behind him." "Something bigger?" "Run away, Captain. I''m saying this for you. And at the same time... for that man too." Phoebe grabbed the cor of the man and lifted him. "Speak up. What on earth is going on?" The dying man''s breathing quickened. "... Roderick, the origin of the dragon that the head of the family was looking for has returned." "...!" The origin of the dragon. If you are from the Astheria family, you know what that is. The father of all dragons, such as the Yellow Dragon, Blue Dragon, and ck Dragon, and the god of dragons. It was an absolute being that existed only in records like the Eternal Hall. What the head of the Astheria family wanted to create was the origin of the dragon. It didn''t juste into being, but returned. "What are you talking about...? The origin of the dragon is just a legend." "No. That... was undoubtedly the origin of the dragon. Even though I only saw a part of it for a short time, I instinctively felt that I couldn''t resist it. If you see him, Captain... you''ll understand what I''m talking about." "Is this origin of the dragon... targeting me?" "He is targeting you. And... the little girl too." "The youngdy...?" "I don''t know the reason. But... I know only that as long as that child exists, neither you nor that man can be happy." A word full of conviction. Phoebe didn''t want to listen to his words, but she couldn''t help but think about them. It wasn''t just her own danger, but everything she cherished was in danger, so she had to think about it. "Captain... please run away. If you face him, you''ll die without a chance to do anything. If you face the origin of the dragon... you won''t be able to resist him. So... run away now. Do... what you... want to..." His eyes grew dim, and he stopped speaking. The breath he had been gasping for finally ceased. Phoebe closed his eyes and lowered her head. Chapter 163 "The Origin Dragon?" "There was a saying that there is a father who creates all dragons. He always told me, who was once loved by the master, like this." -Reaching the origin of the dragon. That is the purpose of creating you. The origin of the dragon could be described as a source of disaster. Once called a disaster, the dragons were the main culprits who persistently tormented humans until they disappeared. As humans became stronger, they were called rulers of the ancient era that ruled the earth. To summon the origin of the dragon means that the rulers of the old era, even more terrifying beings, areing. Dragon''s blood is simr to that of demons. However, it is even more absolute in hierarchy. If a higher entity gives an order, the lower entity cannot refuse it. It is unknown what will happen to Phoebe, a half-dragon, but since she received the blood of the dragon, she will not be able to resist. Reed asked Phoebe just in case. "Did you ever have an experiment resisting the voice of the dragon when you were experimented on?" "No, I never had such an experience. We only practiced our unique skills that suited each of us." Roderick Astheria''s goal was to reach the origin of the dragon. He was busy developing the main abilities of the children who inherited the blood of each dragon. So Reed began to feel anxious. ''How will Phoebe react to the so-called origin of the dragon...'' Whether she can resist it because she is a half-dragon, or whether she cannot help but sumb because she is a half-dragon. So now, Phoebe''s existence has be too big a variable. ''What if she''s ordered to kill Rosaria...'' Who can stop Phoebe? She was the most troublesome figure during the genocide incident. Her skills are not dead yet. Destroying half of this tower would be no big deal. Although Rosaria was worried, she couldn''t just speak to Phoebe. It was Phoebe who took care of her with the utmost devotion more than anyone else. She went for walks together, brought clothes and food, and listened to Rosaria''s stories with more interest than anyone else. If Dolores was her sister, Phoebe was Rosaria''s mother. "Tower Master..." Phoebe opened her mouth with a sad voice. "I''m fine." "What do you mean?" "Right now, all I do is cause trouble. I think there''s no need for you to be in danger by worrying about me." Phoebe, who noticed that Reed couldn''t speak, mentioned it first. "I have to protect Miss Rosaria. So... please iste me as before." Like when they first met Phoebe. Both of them recalled the scene where she was tied up with both hands and locked up alone in a confinement room from different perspectives. "Do I look like someone who is afraid that the sky might fall?" Phoebe raised her head. And she exined with a puzzled expression. "I didn''t see you that way, Tower Master. I, I am..." "I know you didn''t mean it that way. But it sounds like I''m so ipetent that I can''t even stop you." "That''s not it. How could I do such... disrespectful things..." Phoebe fiddled with her fingers and closed her eyes tightly. Feeling sorry for scaring the already disheartened child unnecessarily, Reed held Phoebe''s left hand. "Then do you trust me?" He asked softly. Phoebe, who looked up at Reed, blushed and bowed her head. And she nodded her head slightly in response. "When Dolores had a problem, Rosaria was very worried. I don''t want her to worry about someone again. I will definitely find a solution." "Yes..." That was the end of the conversation. Neither Phoebe nor Reed could mention the slip of the tongue in the current atmosphere. They didn''t intend to draw a line, but they couldn''t help but postpone it again, thinking that it would be irreversible if they were hurt by talking about it now. ''I liked Phoebe as much as she liked me...'' That was the emotion of Reed before the possession. It was a simr emotion to Dolores, but Phoebe, whom he met after maturing a bit more, seemed like a woman. Unlike Phoebe, who showed her feelings outwardly, Reed just thoroughly hid the fact. With those mixed emotions, Reed made a vow. Even if he couldn''t make her happy, at least he would make sure she wouldn''t bear one-sided sorrow. * * * Dream big tl dot *** *** Phoebe dug her nails into Reed''s neck, but she was quickly subdued. Thanks to the device around her neck, it wasn''t difficult. As soon as it activated with the effect of knocking out vicious monsters in the empire, Phoebe fainted on the spot. About an hour after she fainted, Phoebe got up and looked around. There was a tray with now cold food on the floor, and the blood that flowed from his neck where she had dug her nails into had dried and stuck to the floor. She recalled what she had done. Phoebe crouched in the corner. She didn''t shake off the blood on her right hand and it stuck to her dirty clothes. ''That man... must be receiving treatment.'' She aimed for his neck, but it shouldn''t be a serious injury. Phoebe knew. At the same time, as she felt her nails digging in, her sanity returned to its ce and stopped there. Phoebe knew what she had done. ''It''s that man''s fault.'' There was no guilt or regret. It''s the fault of the guy who approached the mad dog, even though it clearly said it''s dangerous. Phoebe tried not to think about that man anymore. He almost lost his life by bestowing his favor on her, so he must have learned his lesson. So she thought he wouldn''te before her again. However, it didn''t take long for that to change. The door opened again, and Phoebe''s eyes turned into crescents. The man who had been stabbed in the neck an hour ago was calmly entering the room. He muttered as he looked down at the tray. "You didn''t even touch it." "..." "Our Silence Tower may have that reputation, but the chefs should be skilled... Does it not suit the taste of half-dragons?" Reed spoke his mind casually. Phoebe looked up at him with surprised eyes. "Are you sane?" "That''s a rude remark for a first sentence. Not a good start for a conversation, is it?" "How can I not say this when you''re shamelessly showing your face to the person who tried to kill you?" She thought she might have been mistaken, but it was clear in Phoebe''s eyes. There were two scars in the shape of Phoebe''s fingers on his neck. Reed touched the scar with his index finger. "It''s a minor injury, no need to worry. It''s simr to being bitten by a mosquito. I even heard that there was no need to worry during the treatment." "Liar." Of course, it was a lie. When Reed''s wound was treated, a considerable amount of blood had poured out, and he felt a chilling sensation in his head. He didn''t die, but at least he should have realized that he shouldn''t approach Phoebe recklessly, using this incident as a lesson. And the healers also advised not to approach Phoebe. Reed ignored all of that and stood in front of Phoebe again. He must be either out of his mind or bold. "Do you feel guilty or something?" "No." She originally didn''t have much emotion, but she started to get angry at Reed''s nonchnce. Phoebe stiffened her body and told him. "Get out of here. I won''t miss this time." Reed listened to her threat and got up, approaching her. "I''ll leave." Saying that, he put the tray he brought back in front of her. "But only after you finish eating." "Why?" "Because I have to clean up. If you don''t have the ability to eat and clean up everything, including the tray, someone has to do it, right?" Phoebe looked down at the food Reed brought. The pieces of steak on the tray, the sd made from crushed potatoes, and the side dishes. It was a luxurious meal that was only allowed when dining with the master. "Why are you hesitating with the fork and spoon? Do you not know how to use them? Didn''t you learn that at Astheria House?" As he mentioned Astheria House, Phoebe''s eyes filled with poison. "Don''t dare insult the master, you trash." "The one who''s shameful is you, the blonde-haired half-dragon." "What''s the reason you keep talking like that? Do you want to fight me? Do you want me to pierce your neck again? I''m telling you, I can''t talk to anyone, but I can kill. That was my job. So if you talk like that one more time, I won''t make a mistake this time." Phoebe was serious. Reed leaned against the door and sat down at her eye level. "You get rough when talking about the master. He must have been like a father to you, huh?" "......" "Yes, of course. So that''s why you stick to this attitude even after hearing about the misdeeds of Astheria House. I understand." "He... made me useful. He made it so I didn''t have to live as a weak human anymore." Phoebe, who was an orphan, had to risk her life to find food. Choosing what was edible among spoiled foods, begging on the streets, or resorting to looting grocery stores as ast resort. It was Roderick who allowed her to say goodbye to that lifestyle. "He was a great person to you. But Roderick Astheria, that man, broke the most important rule. He experimented with humans, and he created creatures like you. Making artificially mixed-blood creatures is forbidden as long as demons don''t go extinct." "It was only necessary. He said it was natural for wizards to seek power." "Over a hundred children died. With a low sess rate, you could have died too." "If I had died there, it would have meant I was just a weakling." "......it''s not a weakling, but a loser." When Reed pointed that out, Phoebe red at him maliciously again. Nheless, Reed moved on as if he didn''t care. "How old are you now? ording to the documents, you were 18, right? You were a maiden, just about to learn about marriage." "Do you think orphans will have the noble life like yours?" "Of course not. I''m sorry about that. I just thought of my ex-fianc¨¦e. She was about your age." Phoebe could vaguely tell that he had bad memories with his fianc¨¦e. But she wasn''t interested, so she didn''t ask. "I don''t know what your master was thinking, but maybe he would have held an adult ceremony or made a social debut for you this year, considering you as his daughter." As Reed''s words continued, Phoebe''s face contorted. Anger, and from within it, sorrow seeped out. Reed could read Phoebe''s face. "Do you want to take revenge? On the man who stole your happiness." "Revenge......" She muttered the word, then spit out a fierce statement. "I''ll kill them all." Anger seeped through her voice. "I remember the faces of all those imperial bastards and kingdom bastards who insulted the master. I''ll kill them as painfully as I''ve suffered, no, a hundred times, a thousand times more painfully!!" A thick dragon''s murderous intent burst out, drying and twisting everything around it. Her golden eyes stared at Reed. "And the first one is you." Chapter 164 Reed had insulted the head of the household as well. To Phoebe, it sounded like he was implying that she had not received proper education. She could bear insults to herself, but she couldn''t bear it when the head of the household was insulted. That''s why Phoebe nned to kill Reed first if she were to kill anyone. But Reed justughed. "What an interesting n." It seemed as trivial as a puppy''s antics. "However, there''s a major w in your n." "..." "The moment you reveal your intent to kill is the moment you take revenge. If you show your murderous intent to someone before then, your revenge n is bound to be exposed soon." What was this man talking about? He was calmly giving advice even though she had just said she would kill him first. Phoebe looked up at Reed with a dumbfounded expression. His demeanor had changed from before. The man who had initially been so hateful now, for some reason, seemed to ovep with someone else. Someone who was so precious... her first light. "You have to live if you want to take revenge." "Get lost..." "In this hellish world, you have to know how to survive even if people point fingers at you for being ugly. Only then can youugh in the end." "Don''t spout nonsense to me... just get lost." Desperately shaking her head, fearing the contamination of her memories, she refused. "I said get lost!" Her emotions exploded. Phoebe rushed toward Reed. She knocked him down and pinned his shoulders with her knees. She reached out with both hands to strangle his neck. But that was all. She couldn''t strangle Reed''s neck. "If you kill me, that''s the beginning." As Phoebe had said, it would have been the beginning of her revenge. But she couldn''t start. Her head was full of hesitation. Her hands gripping his neck trembled weakly. Reed flinched. Phoebe then backed away as if frightened. In the end, she timidly retreated from Reed''s movements, which were many times weaker. "Why don''t you begin your revenge? If you killed me, that would have been the beginning, right?" "I don''t know. I... I don''t know what''s what..." Phoebe couldn''t look into Reed''s eyes. There had been only one person who stared so clearly at her ominous eyes. Head of the household. Yes. Phoebe felt the presence of the head of the household from Reed. That''s why she was so confused. "Then don''t start. Just live for now." Reed said. "Live disgracefully and find the answer. That''s the advice I can give." It was the same thing he had said just a few minutes ago, but it sounded different to her ears now. What she had thought was a sarcastic remark now felt like sincere advice. Phoebe, drawn to his voice, walked over to the tray of food Reed had brought. Revenge. She would live to take revenge for the head of the household. She ate to live. She began to pick up the food with both hands, not using a fork or knife. She couldn''t taste it, but she felt her empty insides filling up, and a bted hunger tormented her mind. Reed, who had been constantly belittling her, didn''t say anything even when Phoebe ate messily. He just quietly watched her eat. Phoebe''s movements, clutching the cold food with both hands, gradually became disheveled. She choked as if her throat was blocked, but it wasn''t a sudden seizure. "Ugh... Ugh..." It was the sound of copsing. The sorrow that had been blocked by a dam of venom and hatred crumbled. Phoebe was heartbroken. She hated the people who mocked and gossiped about the person she admired. Above all, she hated herself for not even being able to argue and just watching. She felt so ashamed that she wanted to die. With such a self-defeating mindset, she had only thought about taking as many people with her as possible. But she would live. As he said, she would survive disgracefully and take her revenge. "Ugh... Ugh..." She couldn''t stop the sorrowful sounding from her mouth. She forced the food soaked in salty tears into her mouth. And so, Phoebe became a part of the Silence Tower. * * * Tower of ck Sky. Freesia had always set up a system so that the tower could run on its own even when she wasn''t there. It was because she hated working. Freesia, who was exceptionally skilled at bossing others around, maintained her dignity to perfectly run that system. However, it didn''t mean she waspletely idle. As the tower master, she couldn''t avoid having annoying conversations or keeping up appearances with people she had no interest in. There was nothing she could do about her nature when she couldn''t find a solution even with her cunning mind. This was the first time she had thrown everything away. She had sent representatives to the tower master meetings, and whenever there was a need, she sent Tongyang Ma-gun as her proxy. Ma-gun, who was now handling everything on her behalf, came into her office and said: "Tower Master, the Silence Tower Master is..." "Tell him I don''t want to because I''mpletely naked." "What does that have to do with..." "You should get the gist. Right?" The magic army rubbed his eyes as if he had seen something wrong and looked at Freesia. She was wearing the same clothes. He sighed and went back. As her secretary, the magic army could easily notice. The reason she was showing such azy appearance now was because of the Silence Tower Master. She was clearly avoiding him. In fact, Freesia was showing such behavior to avoid Reed. She was ufortable with him. It wasn''t a bad feeling. Nor was it a good feeling. She couldn''t meet Reed carelessly because that emotion, which she couldn''t even understand herself, was too big a variable for her. The origin of that emotion was when she found Reed in the tower. When she saw Reed with one arm cut off, Freesia was furious. ''I was scared.'' A long time ago. When she had a tiny bit of humanity left in her, she felt that fear. The most frightening thing to her, who couldn''t experience the realm of death, was not her own death but the death of others. The emptiness of having everything precious disappear and being left alone. When even that humanity disappeared, she didn''t give her affection to anyone. But she ended up giving her affection to Reed. Because of that, she felt human emotions for the first time in decades. As soon as Freesia saw the severed arm, she was obsessed with the idea of saving Reed. However, healing the wound with magic was still nearly impossible. That''s why Freesia decided to use her own blood. However, it wasn''t easy for an ordinary mage to endure the pain unless they were a heroic knight like Adonis. Freesia fiddled with his nerves to make it less painful. It was difficult for her to face Reed, who wore the mask of a malicious woman and trampled on him painfully. ''How many people have had this kind of feeling before?'' If there hadn''t been a single time since her humanity disappeared, that''s a lie. It hadn''t happened once since bing a tower master, and there had been many times before that. But if there was such a situation, there was only one solution. She made an absurd decision to kill the person who made her feel that way. But what should she do when that''s not even the answer? ''I''m annoyed.'' It was even more annoying because she couldn''t ask someone else to find the answer. In the end, it was a problem Freesia had to solve. "Ah~. Annoying." Freesia, sitting diagonally on a wide chair, sighed as she looked at the sky. She didn''t like having to think about a man, rather than her research or death. She got up, thinking of taking a light stroll. That''s when it happened. "¡­Hmm." A sinister energy approached. It was natural for the Tower of ck Sky to be full of death and pain. But she felt something with an even stronger presence than that. She didn''t like that it tried to hide its presence on such a subject. "You dare to enter my tower without fear and try to hide yourself?" Freesia''s hair twitched. The massive mana inside her made the ground tremble. "¡¯Come out¡¯." With a shortmand, the vibrations spread. As the huge gong sound rang out and the dark curtain lifted, the figure was revealed. It had a human-like shape. The constantly changing appearance, whether old, young, female, or male, made Freesia doubt her eyes for a moment. It wasn''t an illusion that deceived the eyes. The entity itself was that iplete. -Indeed. A woman worthy of being called the continent''s greatest mage. To the extent of revealing my appearance. "It''s not because you''re the continent''s greatest scoundrel?" Freesia mocked and quietly warned him. "This is not a ce for non-existent things like you to move about. Get out of here right now when I''m in a good mood." -Can I do that? Her eyes glowed red. "No." Following her hand, the ground stirred and soared upwards. "Eat this." Crash!! A dragon''s head emerged, breaking the floor. The iplete being swallowed the entire spot where it stood. The dragon''s heady across her office. "Tower Master, what''s going on... uh!" The magic army was shocked by the dragon''s head. Freesia gestured for him to leave by waving her hand. The dragon''s mouth contained an acidic liquid that could melt a person in three seconds. If it stayed like this, it would melt him. ''That won''t happen.'' However, Freesia didn''t think it would happen. She sensed that he was an extraordinary person from their first meeting. Scratch-scratch! The sound of the dragon''s head splitting could be heard. A green light leaked out from various spots and eventually exploded. Freesia''s shadow created a wall that deflected all the fragments. "Rise." With a dignified word that didn''t match her young voice. At hermand, magical circles appeared everywhere. Freesia''s skeleton knights, Duhan,monly known as high-level undead, rushed toward the broken part of the dragon''s head. They were named among the ones she controlled. But even they were not enough to stop him. The named ones'' hard skeletons melted like slime. -I heard you were azy tower master, but you weren''t just ying around all this time. "You''re pretty strong, huh?" Freesia looked at the man with interest. Fighting an opponent whose information hasn''t been properly grasped is forbidden. However, Freesia got up from her seat and began to walk toward him. She intended to engage in closebat. -If you''reing to me with the intention of dying, it''s better not toe. I don''t intend to amodate that purpose. "Huh? What the hell are you talking about? You''re more of a lunatic than I imagined." -I already know that what you, who regard the infinite life force that life cannot have, as a curse desire for death. The iplete beingughed. Freesia clicked her tongue, pretending to be offended. She acted cheekily, but the man''s face was full of confidence. It was so annoying as if he was seeing right through her. ''There''s something.'' Her intuition told her. That iplete being knew everything. -I was the one who shared knowledge with the Vulcan family to create you. "¡­!" Freesia''s eyes filled with strength. The infinite life flowing in her blood, the ability that felt like a curse to her who couldn''t die no matter what she did, was created by that man. "Are you proud of your failure?" -Failure? The information I gave is all urate. I never intended to create an Eternal Hole in the first ce. I needed a failed work. Her face contorted even more as he imed she had yed right into his hands. Her reason was about to fly away with anger, but Freesia didn''t recklessly rush in. The iplete being continued to speak. -Broken Ring that Defies Fate and the Eternal Hole. One is infinite life, and the other is infinite magic power. If that child has infinite magic power, you have a life force more tenacious than this world. "So, you made this messed-up body, huh?" -It''s because I have a great purpose. If that purpose is fulfilled, I will grant you death. "Do you have what I''ve been searching for for over 100 years?" -I always have a solution. That way, there''s no backfiring in my ns. Was what this man said true? Freesia couldn''t tell. "What do you want me to do?" -There''s only one thing I want. The death of a little girl named Rosaria Adeleheights Roton. I need that child''s death for n B. As soon as she heard that, Freesia snorted. "Listen carefully." Freesia put her middle finger and thumb together. "It''s a zero." Snap! When she snapped her fingers, shadows wrapped around the iplete being. Tik-tik-tik! Dozens of skeletons in the shadow reached out and grabbed the shadow wrapped around the iplete being, dragging it to the ground. The iplete being disappeared like that. Freesia didn''t know where the world beyond the shadows led. But the man will escape from the shadow. Her intuition told her. Freesia sat back in her chair. "Ah." It''s annoying. There are too many trash in this world. There''s only one body to catch all those trash. What can she do if it''s difficult? She needs to die quickly. Chapter 165 "Is the magic form ready to operate?" "Foreign substance inspection and magic circle check are bothplete." "Good." Reed tilted the board with the scroll of the magic circle drawn on it, fixed with tweezers, towards the front. The target of the scroll was a dummy for damage measurement. "Inject mana." "Injecting mana equivalent to a mana bolt." The experiment proceeded ording to the manual, with repeatedmands. A mana bolt''s worth of mana was released, filling the magic circle. The magic circle scroll vibrated heavily. Oooong-. Shortly after, a sh of light burst out. Boom! The dummy shook violently. There was a hole in the chest of the startled dummy. "Experiment ended." Reed retrieved the scroll and approached the dummy. There was residual heat left inside the chest of the damage-measuring dummy. It was undoubtedly a fatal wound. "How many mana bolts do we need to shoot to make that hole?" "By the numerical standard, it takes 5 bolts from a senior mage. It needs to be pierced with precise aim." It wasn''t a mana bolt created by a senior mage''s direct tuning, simply using a magic circle, yet the damage was significant. ''The downside is that people can''t use it directly, and the mana storage has to be left to break?'' It takes at least a minute to install something like a scroll, even at the fastest. Despite this, Reed thought it might still be better to use this magic. ''Worthy of being the magic that challenges the power of a god.'' The Tower of Sky Chamber barely appears in ¡®Disaster 7¡¯ and only briefly appears in thetter part. It was only fitting for the Tower of Sky Chamber, making an entrance using teleportation and briefly using magic to clean up the surroundings. ''The reason why it wasn¡¯t revealed till the end... Was it because there was no such thing as magic engineering?'' Magical engineering itself was barely recognized in thetter part of the story, and since it wasn''t a magician from the Tower of Silence, but a workshop magician, there was no doubt they tried to hide it until the end. Reed cleared a condition that could never be cleared in the game, and he received a reward for it. ''Really a crappy game.'' The condition for the hidden ending was like this. He felt pathetic for having repeated such a game dozens of times. ''Although it''s still too difficult for humans to use...'' If applied to objects, this smallser could be used. Even if it''s not just the amount of one mana bolt, but using only 10% of the tower''s mana. ''Wouldn''t Cosmo just disappear in one shot?'' [T/N: Cosmo refers to Rosaria from Disaster 7] If that happens, wouldn''t it be possible not to find all the disasters as prophesied? Reed was convinced. ''If the weapon Helios wants is made, the disaster situation willpletely subside.'' With that conviction, Reed began the project. It was arge-scale project conducted in the Silence Tower. He selected talents who had been deeply involved in magic engineering so far and had them work under Kaitlyn''s guidance. "What will you name the project?" "Project name..." There was no need to think about what name would be good for this project. "Let''s go with Sunflower." The project name was ''Sunflower.'' In Korean, it''s a famous flower that looks towards the light like a sunflower. The only difference is that it emits light, but nothing suited it better, and Kaitlyn agreed. Project: Sunflower wasunched, and Reed, along with Helios, invited the leaders of the empire and the Althea Order to discuss the project. An item that cannot be used if either side refuses. It was clear that its purpose was to punish those who would disrupt the bnce of the continent other than them. There will be a war someday, and when they are weary of that war, if a third party interferes to disrupt the bnce of the continent, they will have no choice but to be caught off guard. - Since it''s an item created for that purpose, we will divide the usage rights if you all agree. The emperor of the empire and the pope agreed to that proposal. There was no reason to refuse since it would strengthen their position and power. As with all diplomacy, receiving favor is incurring debt. They began to help Project: Sunflower by providing resources and manpower to ensure nothing wascking. *** * * * Dream big tl dot *** After the sessful negotiation, the rumor spread quickly. Reed conducted this project as an open disclosure from the beginning, so it spread quickly. It was a rumor that the most powerful weapon on the continent was being made, and only four people could use that weapon. The rumor that only four people could use it was distorted and spread everywhere, as it couldn''t be used without the approval of the four. Although they tried to rify the rumor btedly, there were people who didn''t believe their exnation. There were voices of concern that they might be eating the continent with a four-power system. Although public sentiment was on the verge of turning hostile, it did not fall into the hands of the agitators as intended. At this time, the favorability for the Silence Tower had reached its peak. - If it''s made by the Silence Tower, there''s some degree of trust. - Our savior must be making it out of concern for the safety of this continent. Although skeptical voices were heard here and there, agitators could not openly agitate. It was because someone who mocked the Silence Tower''s owner got stoned. People were captivated by his half-godlike martial arts tales. The nobles also admired him and began to target Reed, wanting to get a share. The most certain way to draw someone to the same side was marriage, although gifts andnd were also good. - Our daughter has had hering-of-age ceremony this year. She has grown into a refineddy under the tutge of the most famous bridal teacher, Old Reyna... - Although there''s a rule of one spouse for magician families, please reconsider marrying our daughter once more... There were even suggestions to ignore the rule of magicians and bring in concubines. It wasn''t just one letter. All the well-known nobles and military factions sent such letters. ''Well, it''s tempting.'' They probably thought Reed was just like any other man, poking at him despite knowing the rule of one spouse. Of course, Reed had no such thoughts. Bringing in concubines, intoxicated by the lust for power, only leads to fostering new disputes. That''s why Reed always called one person when such a troublesome letter arrived. "Twelve more came today." It was his fianc¨¦e, Dolores. Whenever such a letter came, he always opened it with Dolores. It was a kind of fence rule to show that he didn''t harbor any other thoughts. "Three of them are from the same ce asst week." "Really? They must have fixed it because your reaction was lukewarm. Let''s see how much they''ve retouched their portraits." Dolores personally opened the unopened letters and examined the portraits inside one by one. Her reactions were of two types. Either she talked a lot, or she just snorted. Whenever Dolores found a portrait she thought was pretty, her reaction was always the former. "Look at this woman. She definitely fixed her chin and nose." "Did she?" "I can tell just by looking. She''s trying to catch your eye and meet you at least once. When you meet, she''ll be the type to say ''I''m a good woman~.'' or ''My appearance may not be pretty, but I have a beautiful heart.'' So funny, really." Dolores snickered as if she found it amusing. It wasn''t jealousy, but purely a condescending attitude towards them. Who is she? The fianc¨¦e who is acting as the hand of the very man all the women are after, sitting on hisp. The fianc¨¦e who reads the letters on his behalf and feeds him the fruits on the table. She was as good as having the world, and there was no reason for her to be jealous. Reed epted her actions without any thought. He was smiling, but there was a storm raging in Reed''s mind. He tried to talk about Phoebe but the words didn''te out. ''I don''t know how it will turn out, and if it''s extreme, I don''t know if I can ept it...'' He wondered if forgetting, as Phoebe said, was really the best choice, and the question haunted his mind. "Phoebe confessed to you, didn''t she?" "Uh, yeah?" Reed let out a flustered voice. He couldn''t have imagined that Dolores wouldunch a preemptive strike. "Did Rosaria tell you?" "She talks a lot. If you provoke her a little, she''ll get cocky and spill everything." Rosaria. How could you betray me like this? No, before that, wasn''t I the fool for telling such an important fact to that girl? Yes, I''m the fool. So I have to take responsibility. Contrary to what seemed to be full of jealousy, she was cautious. "What are you going to do?" "Do you want me to reject her?" Dolores gently held Reed''s hand at his words. "Both of us are just ordinary magicians with abilities, without any secrets like family heirlooms. Phoebe isn''t from a declined family, and her individual abilities aren''tcking either..." "It doesn''t sound like you agree." "What can I do? I''m a woman full of jealousy." Reed hugged Dolores tightly. In Reed''s arms, Dolores was quiet for a while before answering. "I''ll do as you say since you have the right to do so." This permitting phrase. Although the phrase itself agreed, hesitation was incorporated in her expression and tone. It seemed as if there was a trap set somewhere. How great would it be if he had the ability to see through her thoughts? Then he wouldn''t even have to worry like this. Reed nodded his head. "Okay." "Alright. ...Ah! Look at this! It''s exactly the same as the third one. Anyone would think they''re twins." Dolores, as if nothing happened, began tough again while looking at other people''s photos. *** An unexpected visitor came to the Silence Tower. It was Freesia. -The Master of the ck Sky Tower has visited. "Has she alreadye in?" -...I''m sorry. Freesia cannot be stopped. She invades in one way or another due to her willful nature. ''Thanks to that, I can improve security...'' Seeing the defense line that was broken even after improvement, the Silence Tower still felt extremely shabby. Reed roughly guessed her destination. ''Office? Laboratory? Or is it my room?'' He waited, thinking about where she would break in. After waiting for 30 minutes and not seeing her in the office, Reed eventually got up from his seat and began looking for Freesia. The ce where he found her was an unexpected location. It was Rosaria''s room. *** Rosaria''s room. "Ugh..." Rosaria sat at her desk, staring intently at a book. What she was looking at were math problems. She was having a headache, repeatedly checking the forms and getting different answers every time. "Meowmeow, does this answer seem right?" -Meow. "Okay." As Meowmeow nodded, Rosaria pulled out the answer sheet with a serious expression. The moment she unfolded the answer sheet and checked it. "No way!" -Meow. "Meowmeow, you always say it''s correct." -Meow... Meowmeowy down on the spot, looking defeated. Rosaria had high expectations for the low-intelligence lower elemental. With no choice, she marked the wrong answer and started solving the problem again. "What''s the answer to this..." While holding a pencil and poking her lips, "That seems to be 4." A voice of a girl her age echoed from behind. Rosaria turned her head in surprise. "It''s Freesia." A ck-haired girl dressed in a gothic dress, Freesia was standing behind her. "It feels like I haven''t seen you in a long time, you''ve grown a lot from that little runt." "I grew taller! A whole 3 centimeters taller!" "It seems you''ve grown a bit sideways too. Your face has gotten fat like a pig, like a puppy that couldn''t eat well." "I didn''t gain weight!" Instead of puffing her cheeks, she sucked them in to look as thin as possible. Freesia chuckled. Rosaria, who couldn''t stand still, counterattacked. "Why didn''t you grow taller then?" "..." Freesia''sughter stopped abruptly. That question was so sensitive that no one had survived asking it. "Pfft." However, Freesia answered with a snicker. "It''s because I''m cursed." Freesia caressed Rosaria''s chin as if she found it adorable. She nced at her desk. "Is your magic study going well?" "Yes! I can do everything I couldn''t do before! I can even do Gwain''s Magic Theory now!" "Oh, really?" Gwain''s Magic Theory. She couldn''t remember when she did that. Her head hurt whenever she tried to recall her childhood memories. All she needed to remember was that she was very young. ''When this kid does it, I...'' Suddenly, as her own childhood passed by, Freesia unknowingly threw a question. "Do you know what kind of existence you are?" Chapter 166 "Uh-huh, I know." Rosaria nodded with a serious expression. "I''ll be the hero who saves the world in 5 years." "...Are you still at the age to y such childish games?" "It''s not childish; I seeded in myst quest!" Rosaria tried to show Freesia the adventure sketchbook she had shown Reed. Just as Freesia was about to react with a sullen expression, the door to Rosaria''s room opened, and Reed entered. "Rosaria, I''ll being in for a moment. Ah, I knew you''d be here, Master of the ck Sky Tower." "Oh, nice to see you." Freesia greeted him by raising a finger. "Would you like to talk somewhere else?" "Well, let''s do that." Freesia obediently stood up from her seat and followed Reed. Rosaria innocently greeted her, but Freesia didn''t even react. As soon as they got on the elevator, Freesia, who had been keeping her mouth shut, spoke up. "The little brat grew a lot. She doesn¡¯t know to be afraid of Master of the ck Sky Tower andmits rudeness." "She''s only 11 years old now. She''ll grow up a littlete." "Isn''t it normal to apologize for being rude? You''ve be quite brazen too." Freesia kicked Reed''s shin. "She''s 11 years old now. She''ll soon surpass my age." That remark meant that she could guess the age when she acquired the Broken Ring that Defies Fate. "Are you thinking about how old I am now?" "Yes." Freesia leaned against Reed with a yful smile. "You''re such a sly guy. If you had such a taste, why didn''t you tell me earlier? Do you want to abandon your fianc¨¦e ande to your sister?" "Well, that''s a bit..." Reed liked adult women. Intellectual, mature women who n well for the future. Freesia didn''t fall into either category. If there was someone close, it would be Rosaria. "I''m really disappointed in you. I''ve done so much for you. How could you?" "I''m sorry." "Yeah, with this kind of body, what kind of guy could I seduce? Only a crazy guy would be attracted to me." She sighed unusually long and even self-deprecated, which made him feel bewildered internally. ''What''s going on?'' He began to wonder why she hade here. They arrived at the reception room, and Freesia took out a chair and refreshments from her shadow and sat down on the opposite side of Reed. "The reason you came here is..." "You got magic from Helios, right?" Reed nodded his head. "Yes." "What kind of magic is it?" Seeing her interest, he could roughly guess why she hade. "Do you remember when the hero was resurrected, led the heroes of the past, and upied the castle?" "Yeah." "It''s a magic simr to what was used to prate the barrier at that time. It''s a magic that can produce high power with little mana." "Is that so? Tell me more." Reed exined everything about the magic he had received from Helios. As he exined, Reed was the one who was surprised. He thought her eyes would sparkle like when she first saw the sacred sword, but she was too calm. Freesia yed with her lips as she thought and spoke to him. "If I can use it by risking my life, does that mean I could die if I use it? Why didn''t you bring it to me?" "The mechanism wasn''t what you desired, Master of the ck Tower. It''s not about using up all your life force, but rather, when all the mana is gone and mana addiction symptoms ur, squeezing out mana in that mana-addicted state." "Is that how it works?" Freesia licked her lips as if disappointed. "Then, do you think that thing, whenpleted, could kill me?" If she used all the mana in the tower to manifest high-level magic, would her life force be exhausted before it could be revived? Reed had the same question. He had obtained some results through several experiments, but he hadn''t yet gathered enough data to give a definite answer. "It probably would." "It''s not probably." Freesia spoke firmly. "Give me a definite answer right now. Whether it can kill me or not." Reed was a bit taken aback by Freesia''s words. She had never seriously talked like that before, except when she was angry. Even that had been brushed off vaguely, but this time, he felt she genuinely wanted an answer. Realizing her own desperation, Freesia retracted her statement and lowered her hand. "I guess I asked too much of you. Just pretend you didn''t hear it." "I will definitely keep my promise. I''m not just ying around, so please understand." "I just got impatient. I was momentarily enchanted by that kid''s words." "Enchanted by that kid? What do you mean?" When Reed asked, Freesia answered. "A guy who said he would kill me came to my tower." "Tower Master?" It was an unexpected situation. There were always people who wanted to kill Freesia. She had humiliated many, turning them into undead if she didn''t like them, umting more bad deeds than virtues. In the past, they would directly dere it, but now that she was the Master of the ck Sky Tower and a great magician, would there be anyone who would dare to say such a thing to her? ''It''s impossible.'' If they had nothing to lose, they might be crazy enough to do so, but if they had the ability, they would have secretly nned it. Even the Master of the Tower of Sky Chamber, whom she had known for a long time, didn''t know what she wanted, and the fact that she wanted to die was a secret known only to Reed. "Can you tell who it is?" "I don''t know. If that child is trying to hide his identity, he''s doing a better job than anyone I''ve ever seen. But one thing is for sure, it doesn''t seem like it was intentional. That guy is definitely a non-existent being." "Non-existent?" "Everything that exists in this world, even things that humans can''t see, can be observed by someone. And by borrowing their eyes, we can somehow observe them too. But it''s hard to identify them by any means." "An irregr existence." The existence that suddenly appeared to Freesia. Reed sensed a connection in the behavior as if he had known her for a long time. ''Is it a character rted to the origin of the dragon that Phoebe mentioned?'' He wondered if the person targeting Rosaria was not ying tricks on Freesia. As that fear settled in his heart, Freesia softly spoke to Reed. "If I fail to die this time, I''ll join that man''s side." It was a bombshell statement. Reed locked eyes with Freesia. After about 10 seconds of just exchanging nces, Reed opened his mouth again. "Don''t say things you don''t mean." "Does it seem like a joke now?" "No, I don''t think it''s a joke. It''s just..." Reed knew she wouldn''t do that. If he were the old Reed, it would have been a nerve-wracking statement. But, having seen her ups and downs for a long time, perhaps he could catch a glimpse of her true intentions from her words and actions. ''Saying something that rings hollow means she doesn''t mean it.'' Most of the time when she does that, she tends to speak maliciously. When he fully grasped that, it was when she had returned after the battle with the hero, and she gently pressed his severed arm with her foot. "You''re looking right through me now. I want to kill you." "I didn''t know, but there are more people who want to kill me than I thought." "It''s because you''re annoying. You talk rudely to your seniors. How old are you?" "I see." "Are youughing? I really want to rip your heart out. Just like that." Her grumbling voice echoed hollowly. Reed took the opportunity to say something he had wanted to say to Freesia. "Thank you." "...For what?" "For saving me. Everything seemed hopeless when my right arm flew off, but thanks to you, I didn''t have to worry about that." "..." Freesia stared at Reed with her eyes narrowed. He wondered if there was a mistake in his words, given her reaction. Freesia, who had been petrified like a stone, licked her lips and expressed herplicated feelings simply. "Damn it." Freesia stood up from her seat. Having lost the desire to stay, she walked towards the reception room door. "I have one question." He caught her as she hurriedly tried to leave and asked. "What is it?" "When you get hurt, is it painful until the wound heals?" Reed had experienced his body returning to its original state. The pain was so unbearable that he thought it would be easier to die. After going through such pain, he realized that Freesia''s whining wasn''t just childish antics. "What do you think it would be like if that pain became a part of everyday life?" "I don''t know." "Don''t worry about it." "Right, you don''t need to know." *** * * * Dream big tl dot *** "Forceps, blue herb, scalpel, thread, sutures, werewolf liver..." A man was engrossed in his research in a dark space. The space was unstable and not clearly visible, but everything the man needed was in that space. "I''m busy, so busy..." Work was hectic, and there were not enough hands. If you had to do everything alone, there would be times when you wished you had more hands. As if to realize such a thought, the man had two more hands attached to his sides. The four hands moved busily, repeatedly inserting something into the body and suturing it. They moved very quickly, but also urately. An immense concentration was evident in his eyes, and his mouth endlessly spat out the ingredients and methods like a mantra to shake off distractions. -You seem very busy. "Ah!" As soon as he heard the voice, the man stopped what he was doing and knelt on the spot. He trembled and begged for forgiveness. "Oh my! Master, have you arrived!?" -I''ve been watching for 10 minutes. "I''m sorry, I was so preupied that I didn''t pay attention. Please forgive this disrespect..." -Enough. The iplete being looked past him at what wasid on the operating table. If one had to describe it, it was a piece of meat. With threads sewing the flesh here and there, it was an object difficult to describe as any creature. -How is the research going? "It''s going smoothly. Very smoothly. Look at this beautiful thing. Haha!" Surprisingly, he pointed to the object he was sewing. It didn''t feel beautiful to the iplete being. It felt like an amateur-made sausage. "This is the strongest life form on the Cloud Continent, possessing the perfection that a life form should have!" The iplete being already knew who the man was and what role he yed. His name was Maronie. He was to be the fourth disaster after Adonis. He was born to a nameless magician''s family during a famine. Until he was 10 years old, Maronie, with sparse hair on his head and an ugly appearance, failed to awaken his mana and was almost put to death. But perhaps because of such trials, his intellect developed for survival, and he began to work as a magical form operator in the basement of the magic academy, where mana was not needed. He studied magic to fix his congenital deformity, and after 10 years of research, he found a way to fix his body. The problem was that he needed a tremendous amount of mana, and there was no one to lend him that much mana. He requested the magic academy, but even that was rejected. They refused his request because he was more useful as a magical form operator than a magician. Although he knew that they treated magicians like ves, Maronie came to resent them and escaped from there before dawn. And then he went to Reed, who was running the "Flower Garden" project. Although he was hunchbacked and not talented as a magician, he had outstanding potential, so Reed selected him and helped him develop his talent. His main ability was "Dark Magic". Rather than reviving corpses, he specialized in fixing and modifying human flesh. Through this, he produced monsters with abilitiesparable to other disasters, and he became the driving force spreading despair throughout the continent. However, the Flower Garden was abandoned, and the direction Maronie should go disappeared. It was this iplete being who took Maronie in. In order to cope with the changed fate, he chose Maronie as a backup n. He lent mana to Maronie, and as a result, his bent spine straightened, and his growth began btedly and very quickly. He became a remarkably tall and strong man. Not only that, but due to the change in his body''s shape, the mana channels that had been blocked were opened, and mana began to flow through his body. He became fully focused on body modification. His first modification target was himself. The purpose of the modification was to facilitate further modification research. As a result, he sessfully attached four arms and eight eyes, and his efficiency increased by as much as five times. -How are the things I told you? "It was amazing." Maronie answered with an ecstatic expression. "Master, you made me realize one by one the ways to escape from the weak flesh of these foolish humans, so I had no choice but to devote my life to you!" The iplete being did not like him. No matter how much it was directed towards himself, there was a limit, and his faith was almost indistinguishable from fanaticism. He had taught him two things. The recipe for the failed Eternal Hole, that is, the method of creating theBroken Ring that Defies Fate on Freesia''s back. And the recipe that could trulyplete the Eternal Hole. ''Those two cannot coexist.'' Failure and sess. Light and shadow. They are like two sides of a coin, unable to face the same ce. But he will make it possible for those two to exist simultaneously. That''s why he chose Maronie, this man, as a backup n. Chapter 167 -How long do you think it will take? ¡°Yes, Master. If I try to finish as quickly as possible... it will take about 5 months.¡± -That''s too long. By that time, they will havepleted all their preparations on the other side. ¡°Ah! I''m sorry. What a mistake! 3 months! I will definitelyplete it within 3 months.¡± To meet the deadline, Maronie began to move again, standing at the operating table. If he proceeds smoothly, what is ced on his operating table will be more than just a simple lump of flesh. The fifth disaster and the sixth disaster created by Maronie. Maronie called this lifeform he was creating Rosemary. However, due to iplete knowledge, the sixth disaster bes known as the Iplete Body. ''But if it besplete through my knowledge...'' Not an iplete body, but aplete one. No one will be able to stop Rosemary. *** Rosaria came out wearing a wide-brimmed hat. Phoebe apanied her as her guardian and watched over her. ¡°Sister, look at this!¡± Phoebe looked at where Rosaria was pointing. It was a wildflower that had sprung up in a greenwn. ¡°Oh, it''s a pretty flower. Shall we pick it?¡± Rosaria stretched out her hand and shook her head in response. ¡°No. Many butterflies will look for this flower. If Rosaria takes it, the flowers will be sad.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Phoebe hugged Rosaria,ughing as if she was incredibly adorable. ¡°When the cameraes outter, let''s take lots of pictures.¡± ¡°Camera?¡± ¡°It''s something made by the tower master. It''s a device that captures the scenery and situation exactly as it is in a picture. When Phoebe first saw it, I was really surprised.¡± ¡°Rosaria wants to see itter too.¡± ¡°If the tower master permits, we will see it together.¡± Phoebe''s face was full of smiles. The scorching sun of midsummer. In the warm shadows where there was only the shade of a wide-brimmed hat, she didn''t get annoyed even once. ''So pure.'' Phoebe liked pure things. Because she didn''t have time to be pure when she was young, she was more attached to it. Rosaria, who was looking at flowers in the field, stood still with her gaze fixed somewhere. ¡°Oh? There''s someone there.¡± ¡°Who is it?¡± Phoebe turned her head in the direction Rosaria was looking. Seeing what she was looking at, Phoebe put away her smile. ¡°Miss Rosaria, step back.¡± Phoebe spoke calmly to Rosaria, who then hid behind Phoebe''s white skirt. What Rosaria found was a boy. Rosaria didn''t know him, but Phoebe knew who the boy was. ''It can''t be...'' A small figure with white hair and red eyes. The weakest youngest sibling, the one who inherited the blood of the White Dragon, Isis. He had not aged at all and appeared exactly as he was in Phoebe''s memory. ¡°Isis... is that you?¡± The boy, who had been staring quietly at Phoebe, opened his mouth. ¡°It''s not Isis, sis.¡± Phoebe doubted her ears. That was undoubtedly Isis''s voice. However, as the tone and speech of that voice struck her ears, it pointed to someone other than Isis. And that was someone she knew very well. No, there''s no way it could be. But Phoebe couldn''t hide her doubts and asked him. ¡°Could it be... Master?¡± Master, Roderick Astheria. That was a habit possessed by someone Phoebe knew very well. Isis smiled and nodded. ¡°As expected, Phoebe, you can recognize me.¡± ¡°Master...¡± Phoebe sped her chest with her hands, overwhelmed with emotion. The shock was on a different level than meeting her siblings. ¡°I thought you were... dead, but you''re alive... I was sure...,¡± ¡°I didn''t actually die that day.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Isis. He and I knew. We said that if things went on like this, everyone would be in danger. So Isis and I switched bodies. And... to keep that secret, hemitted suicide.¡± Roderick looked down at the ground with sad eyes. In the past, it would have been a story worthy of sympathy, but for some reason, Phoebe couldn''t shake off an uneasy feeling. ¡°Have you been doing well all this time?¡± ¡°Yes... More than enough... So much so that even seeing you like this, I feel sorry.¡± Isis smiled faintly. It looked like an emotion that didn''t suit the boy''s face, as if it was weathered. ¡°Since you''re happy, I''m relieved. Yes, you are a child who deserves to be happy.¡± ¡°Master...¡± ¡°Phoebe, can you grant an old man''s one request?¡± Without hesitation, Phoebe nodded. ¡°Of course. I will dlyply with anything you say, Master. Please, tell me.¡± ¡°Hand over the child behind you to me.¡± Roderick was pointing at Rosaria. Phoebe''s face hardened. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°I mean exactly what I said. The little child behind you, the one called Rosaria Adeleheights Roton, hand her over to me.¡± Phoebe sensed that Roderick was an enemy. But she couldn''t easily turn him into an enemy. In her head, she thought there must be another intention behind Roderick''s words. ¡°May I ask why I should hand her over?¡± ¡°To bring peace to this world.¡± ¡°Peace?¡± ¡°In this imperfect world, a new ruler is needed. An absolute being must reign, control, and manage this world.¡± Roderick exined very kindly. ¡°And for that, I need that little girl.¡± ¡°Do you intend to kill her?¡± ¡°No, the expression ''to kill'' is not right. To return her to her original state. Just as you all said you would return the spirits of the past.¡± Phoebe''s clothes were pulled. Rosaria''s hand was trembling with fear. Phoebe looked down at her and reassured her by patting her head. ¡°It''s okay.¡± A face that says nothing will happen. It was impossible topletely reassure her with just that. Phoebe stared at Roderick with a sad face. ¡°After killing her... How can you tell me to see the tower master''s face?¡± ¡°Sacrificing something small for a greater purpose is inevitable. She is just one girl. Even if she is his daughter, the bloodline is not connected. The sorrow will disappear before long.¡± Roderick reached out and took a step closer. ¡°Please, my daughter, my Phoebe. The only way for you to be happy is that path.¡± ¡°I cannot follow.¡± Roderick''s steps stopped. Roderick looked up at her as if he hadn''t expected this situation at all. ¡°Even if it''s the Master''smand, I cannot follow it.¡± ¡°Phoebe, my daughter...¡± ¡°The Master in my heart has already passed away. With that in mind, I have faced everything and that''s why I can stand here like this.¡± Phoebe smiled bitterly. ¡°If the Master reappears and tries to shake me like this... I will follow what I have believed in.¡± ¡°Are you saying you will abandon this father?¡± ¡°I am not smart.¡± Upon hearing that, Isis''s face hardened. It was the moment when doubt turned into certainty. ¡°Do you mean to repay me like this... not being able to repay your benefactor?¡± ¡°I won''t forget the grace I received from the Master. I will definitely take revenge for it. But...¡± ¡°But?¡± ¡°Now, I want to serve the tower master, Reed Adeleheights Roton.¡± Isis stared at her quietly. Phoebe''s eyes did not waver. Roderick was an object of envy. Whenever their eyes met, her pupils should have shaken. Roderick knew that she hadpletely turned to Reed. ¡°Do you love that man?¡± She knew who that man referred to. Phoebe answered. ¡°Yes. Sometimes... I love him so much that I wonder if it''s too much and it''s causing him trouble.¡± ¡°To me, it just sounds like you''re abandoning your kin for love.¡± Roderick''s voice grew rougher. Phoebe spoke politely once more. ¡°I will pretend I didn''t hear this. Please, just step back as you are. This is thest favor I can grant you.¡± Phoebe bowed to Roderick and pleaded. ¡°Ha.¡± But what came back was a burst ofughter, full of disbelief. Roderick took off his mask. ¡°As expected... you''re nothing more than a beast that doesn''t know gratitude.¡± At that moment, a strong energy began to flow from Roderick''s body. A gloomy and brutal energy. It was disgustingly ruthless. ¡°Your siblings failed to bring you back, but I have no intention of failing my n.¡± Phoebe thought Roderick would fight her. But her expectation was off. ¡°If it''s easy to kill the dead siblings again, what about the ones still alive?¡± ¡°Even if it''s the Master''smand, I cannot follow it.¡± Two people who had been hiding in the bushes appeared in front of Roderick. Phoebe was startled. ¡°Gorgon... Saul...¡± Gorgon and Saul, the half-dragons who should be in the empire, stood before him. Gorgon stood quietly with calm eyes, and Saul''s eyebrows twitched as if something was unstable. Saul''s face twitched and he moved. ¡°Sister... run... away.¡± He warned her as if he was choking. As Roderick waved his finger, the energy surrounding him dug into his head once more. ¡°Ugh...¡± Saul, who had been in pain, calmed down like Gorgon. He feltpletely captured by something he had been resisting. They were not acting on their own will. ¡°Let''s test your great belief.¡± Gorgon, the man known as the empire''s swift sword, drew his long sword. Before he even drew his sword, Phoebe moved. ng! A sh of light aimed at Rosaria, but it was blocked by Phoebe''s hand. As Phoebe tried to catch Gorgon, he stepped back again. The battle was inevitable. Having judged that, Phoebe decided to stand against them. Phoebe dragged her foot and crushed the ground. By pressing the end of the broken ground, a wall rose to her chest level. Phoebe fixed her clenched foot on the ground as an axis and made a big turn. Her left foot, with more rotational force, stretched forward and struck the wall. Bang! The wall copsed under her blow. Dirt and hundreds of stone fragments flew like buckshot, covering Saul and Gorgon. Saul swung both hands widely in response to Phoebe''s attack. The dirt stopped in front of the trajectory of his hands as if there was a transparent barrier. Most of it lost momentum and fell to the ground, while some of it bounced up at an angle. Arge object flew out of the scattered pile of dirt. Phoebe stood in front of Saul with her nails exposed. Saul''s nails turned purple. His body carried a poison that would cause flesh to rot unless neutralized by the power of the Azure Dragon. ¡°Sauuul!¡± Phoebe''s low kick hit Saul squarely. As it hit the middle of the bone, the bone broke, and Saul copsed like a doll. At the same time, her fist struck Saul''s face. Thump! With a sound like a skull breaking, Saul fell unconscious. Phoebe used Saul''s horn to threaten Gorgon. She skillfully swung therger human around like a club or spear. As Saul was taken hostage and used as a weapon, Gorgon, the empire''s swift sword, couldn''t move easily. Not only was he arade, but the poison circting in Saul''s body could endanger him if he wasn''t careful. Having no choice, Gorgon raised his sword and struck his ally, Saul. Snap! Snap! Saul''s whole body broke and turned mushy like a squid. Phoebe, having lost the value of Saul as a weapon, tried to face Gorgon head-on. ¡°You fool. Do you think you can beat Phoebe head-on? Turn into a dragon.¡± At Roderick''s words, scales sprouted from Gorgon''s body. His already fast sword became even faster, almost impossible to track with the naked eye. Phoebe''s skill was on par with Gorgon''s without turning into a dragon. However, Phoebe had more to protect than just her body. Gorgon targeted Phoebe and Rosaria at the same time. Phoebe would have topromise her body''s center to protect the child, and this would create vulnerabilities or prevent her from defending properly. ''I must protect her.'' But how? To do that, she had to take down Gorgon. How could she subdue Gorgon, who had grown dramatically while being in the empire? ''Dragon transformation.'' She briefly considered it, but immediately dismissed the idea. If she transformed into a dragon, she could be engulfed in pleasure and undoubtedly aim her attacks at Rosaria. ''And I don''t want to kill Gorgon.'' At the moment of decision, someone would undoubtedly die. She had to choose between giving up her old family or her new family. A cruel choice was ced in her hands. Chapter 168 ''I cannot...'' She couldn''t give up. As she twisted her body to protect Rosaria, Phoebe''s wounds increased one by one. "If you hesitate like that, your body will not be able to endure it, Phoebe. Just give up on that child. I''ll take the responsibility of her death. You did your best, but you couldn''t protect her in the end." "Why do you say such things?" Phoebe asked Roderick with a sorrowful voice. "I hated myself for not protecting my master and hated the world. How can you ask me to go through such a cruel time again?" "Don''t you know well that the world isn''t that warm? If it weren''t for me, you would have been just a wandering child who wouldn''t know when she would die." "Please step back. I... I don''t want to hurt anyone." Phoebe pleaded once more. However, Roderick didn''t listen to her plea at all. "What a fool." He frowned as if he was disgusted by her actions. "You can''t be indecisive forever." A sh burst from Gorgon''s sword. It was the line of death targeting Rosaria''s neck and Phoebe''s carotid artery at the same time. At that moment, "Don''t hurt my sister!" Rosaria shouted. It wasn''t just a shout. A powerful wave of magic emanated from her body, spreading throughout the area. Crack-. The sound of thin ss breaking and the ominous aura surrounding Gorgon''s body suddenly disappeared. Gorgon''s body shuddered, and reason shed in his eyes for a moment. Phoebe knew it. Rosaria''s ability had shaken off whatever was controlling Gorgon. "Phoebe!" Gorgon reached out his arm. Phoebe understood his intention and broke his arm. "Ugh." Both arms were broken, and the sword fell to the ground. Gorgon had been incapacitated. "Ah... ah..." Blood flowed from Rosaria''s nose, who had screamed. She had released all the mana inside her body, causing mana poisoning. Phoebe caught Rosaria as her eyes rolled back and she copsed. "Miss, don''t worry. I''ll heal you quickly!" Phoebe sent mana to Rosaria, helping her recover. Her mana was so vast that Phoebe''s shared mana alone was not enough to easily escape from the poisoning. The situation was not good. She was also wounded from the battle with Gorgon and Saul, so her stamina would keep draining if she didn''t perform first aid on herself. Moreover, there were still enemies remaining. If Roderick attacked before she could recover, she wouldn''t be able to focus on healing Rosaria. Fortunately, Luderic did not attack right away. With wide eyes, he looked down at Rosaria. "Even neutralizing the absolute obedience of a dragon... is this the power my lord feared?" It was admirable. At the same time, he couldn''t help but feel regretful. "One, you can''t control it because you haven''t honed that ability." If she knew of that ability and had the talent to hone it, even at her young age, she would have been unstoppable. After finishing that thought, Phoebe finally caught his eye. She was holding Rosaria and staring at Luderic. "Will you stand in my way?" "..." Phoebe couldn''t answer. She could subdue Gorgon and Saul by injuring them, but what about her lord? Could she eveny a hand on him? Phoebe couldn''t do it. He was the first light in her heart, her savior, and her everything. "You''re still hesitating." Roderick decided not to be attached to Phoebe anymore. He would kill Phoebe and take Rosaria. Just as he was about to move, "Huh?" He felt something targeting him from somewhere. ''A sniper?'' When sniping from a distance, a small amount of mana is released to gauge the opponent''s position. Although it was such a small amount that even high-ranking magicians couldn''t easily feel it, Roderick had be sensitive to mana since entering the body of the half-dragon Isis. Due to the fundamentally different bloodline of a dragon''s body, their mana sensitivity was far superior to that of humans. Therefore, he could estimate how much mana was being used. ''A power equivalent to an intermediate Mana Stone. With that level, I can easily deflect it.'' Roderick partially transformed his body into that of a dragon. He brought his transformed right hand close to the point where he was being targeted, blocking it. The barrier ended, and the magic flew towards him. A beam of light flew in a straight line from a very far distance. "...!" His instincts told him he shouldn''t block it directly, so he hastily twisted his hand. Theser that flew in a straight line grazed him and flew over Roderick''s shoulder. Bang! The ce where theser hit directly exploded and disappeared. Roderick''s instincts were right. If he had taken that attack lightly, half of his body would have been destroyed. "Ugh..." Although he managed to deflect the attack, his right hand, which he had brought close to deflect it, was tattered. The beautiful white scales fell off here and there, and Luderic gritted his teeth in pain. ''Who on earth made such an attack?'' One thing he could be sure of was that fighting the person who fired this head-on would not be possible with Roderick''s strength alone. ''I need to dodge.'' He wanted to retrieve Gorgon and Saul, but that would be too greedy. Having no choice, Luderic threw himself into the bushes and disappeared. Phoebe kept using her power to heal Rosaria. A momentter, someone tore through space and appeared before them. It was Reed. "I''m sorry I''mte." *** * * * Dream big tl dot *** Reed realized that Phoebe and Rosaria were in danger after Rosaria released her mana. Reed did not rush straight to save them after identifying the enemy. Instead, he thought he could hold them back, and he had faith that Phoebe could hold out for a long time. Reed decided to snipe Roderick. Because the sensing range of a half-dragon was beyond imagination, he conducted the sniping from the top of the Silence Tower. The Railgun, a derivative weapon created from the main technology of ¡°Project: Sunflower¡±, allowed for a lethal long-range attack using a single intermediate Mana Stone. ''Good intuition.'' The time it took for the attack to reach his body was only 0.1 seconds. Detecting the threat and deflecting it during that time was difficult even for most experts. Reed brought Gorgon and Saul to the Silence Tower and began treating them. The strange thing was that among the four people involved in the incident, Saul, who had fractures all over his body, was not the most critical. The extraordinary regenerative power made his bones heal on their own, and by the time the escort waspleted, he was already conscious. Gorgon, whose bones in both arms were broken, would need rest to swing a sword again, but for now, moving his hands was not a problem. Phoebe was more of a problem than Rosaria, who was unconscious and not opening her eyes. Having taken all the attacks meant for Rosaria, Phoebe was in the most dangerous state. Holding Rosaria, who was suffering from mana poisoning, and sending her mana as well, her stamina drained several times faster. Some of her injuries couldn''t be healed with healing magic, so she wrapped them in bandages and waited for them to heal naturally. While Phoebe was resting with half-closed eyes, a voice came from outside the door. -Right now, the deputy tower owner needs to rest. Pleasee backter. Phoebe responded to the magician''s obstruction outside the door. "It''s okay. Let them in." -Ah, yes! Understood. The magician stepped back, and the door opened. It was the knights of the empire, Gorgon and Saul. Though injured, Phoebe looked up at them and smiled like a caring older sister. Gorgon opened his mouth. "Phoebe, are you okay?" "I''m fine. Gorgon, are you not hurt?" Asking the question, Gorgon felt like he was stabbing his own heart. With three bandages on her least injured face, saying she was fine made him feel guilty. "Shouldn''t you have killed us?" "Huh?" Gorgon looked resentful. Phoebe was taken aback. "At that time, you should have chosen yourdy and killed the two of us. Why couldn''t you make that choice?" At Gorgon''s question, Phoebeughed sheepishly. Then, fiddling with her hand, she grabbed Gorgon and Saul''s hands. "Gorgon, I... for the first time in my life, I had a family. After meeting my lord, getting to know you and Saul. And that day, in that battle where we fought together with our lives on the line, I lost most of my family. And then, I vowed at that time. At least protect the living family members." Phoebe held their hands. Small but warmer than anyone else''s hand. "So I couldn''t bring myself to kill you guys with my own hands." "Is it for such a foolish reason?" When Gorgon pointed out sharply, strength came into Phoebe''s hand. "It doesn''t matter if it''s foolish! You guys are my family! You are my living siblings! How could I abandon my siblings like that!?" Phoebe, with her heart swelling, pulled them in and hugged their heads. "Even if I die, I will die! You guys have to live happily until the end! That''s why I let you guys go!" "Phoebe..." "Sister..." It was a tearful situation, but Saul couldn''t help it. "...It''s really touching that you think of us like that, but when you''re swinging me around like a dried fish and saying that..." "Well, Saul is strong, so it''s fine, isn''t it?" As Phoebe tilted her head as if it was natural, Saul looked disappointed with a cold expression. He didn''t disagree, but epting it was a different matter, so it just left a bad taste in his mouth. "Be d. It was because you had that ability that no one died, and we were able to hold on like this." "It''s not my fault..." Saul grumbled at Gorgon, and Phoebe fiddled with their hands with a troubled expression. "What are you nning to do from now on?" "Phoebe, we will be vignt within the empire now. We will act unnoticed by the master in the prison where we were once imprisoned." "Won''t it be frustrating?" "When we were deceived and fell for the lord, we were captured by him before we even realized it. There is no doubt that it is the order given to those who inherit dragon blood. Until we find a way to break that order, we are as good as in his grasp." "Speaking of which, Sister, when you heard that voice, weren''t you affected?" Phoebe nodded. "Yes. I felt a little... nostalgic, and almost fell for it, but I was able to shake it off with my willpower." "Then I think we don''t have to worry about Sister. I was most worried, but you seem to be the one I least need to worry about." "Why are you worried about me? Are you making fun of me for being a fool?" As Phoebe pouted her lips, Saul and Gorgon exchanged nces. Thinking that now was the right timing, Gorgon spoke with a more serious tone. "Phoebe, the master has never treated us like people, not even once. Except for you. He cherished you like a daughter. No, he manipted you to feel that way." "What do you mean?" "I learned about it while studying brainwashing in the empire. It all matched the actions the lord had taken on you, Phoebe." "Sister, my memory is excellent even though my head isn''t good. Gorgon, everything this guy showed me, it was all done to my sister by that bastard. It was a design to make her blindly trust him." "...What is it?" "It''s about controlling the leader of a group perfectly, so that you can control everyone underneath." "If you change the leader to Sister, it''s all the same content." Phoebe''s face was confused. She tried to act calm with a smile, but Gorgon and Saul couldn''t not know about Phoebe''splicated feelings. "Can I be alone for a moment?" Phoebe asked them with a trembling voice. Gorgon silently got up, and Saul followed him outside. She couldn''t believe that the first light she had cherished in her heart was actually trying to destroy her. That''s what brainwashing is. When you realize it toote, you can''t tell if all your emotions are real or fake. Truth bes falsehood, and falsehood bes truth. Phoebe resented herself. If she had been a little smarter, she would have noticed something like this right away. *** Rosaria woke up from a deep sleep. "Uh...?" As Rosaria rubbed her eyes and got up, the first one to greet her was Phoebe. She was guarding her side in light clothes, not a uniform. "Lady, did you sleep well?" "...I had a bad dream." Rosaria rubbed her eyes with a dead expression. Phoebe asked her with a pitiful look. "What kind of dream was it?" "It was a dream where my sister disappeared. A dream where she said she couldn''t be with me anymore and left." "I see..." Her voice, filled with sadness, seemed like it would burst into tears at any moment. Phoebe, having no choice, tilted her head and lowered her horn in front of her. "Do you want to touch the horn?" "Yes." She reached out with both hands. The rough and bumpy sensation. For some reason, Rosaria liked that feeling. Chapter 169 "Phoebe is always here. You shouldn''t think that I''ll disappear." "Really?" "Of course. How can Phoebe disappear, leaving you behind? Phoebe will be here until you tell me to disappear." "Okay." Rosaria clung tightly to Phoebe''s embrace. The more she did so, the tighter Phoebe held Rosaria. "Do you have someone precious to you too?" "Yes, I do." "Who would you choose among them?" "If I have to choose... I choose Dad." In Rosaria''s heart, Reed had always been the number one priority. "What about Phoebe?" "...Can I put you next?" "Oh my, am I on par with the Tower Master? I''m happy~." Phoebe smiled as if even that was enough. Seeing Phoebe''s smiling face, a smile bloomed on Rosaria''s face as well. "I see. It seems that the Tower Master was the light for Miss Rosaria." "Light?" "You see, Phoebe has always called precious people ''light.''" "Why did you call them that?" Phoebe spoke with her hands on her chest. "The God of Light, Althea, was said to generously share everything. But Phoebe didn''t receive anything. At that time, I believed that I didn''t have a god. But I called the person who gave clothes to Phoebe, who had nothing and wandered the streets, and made me a useful human being, ''light.'' The first light was the Master Roderick, and the second one was the Tower Master." "Dad was also good to you?" Was he good to her? Phoebe answered with a smile at that question. "He treated Phoebe normally." "Normally? Why is that a good thing?" As Rosaria tilted her head in confusion, she answered. "When everyone thinks they''re special, if someone thinks you''re just ordinary, isn''t that as good as being special?" *** * * * Dream big tl dot *** To those who only saw Phoebe''s gentle personality, no one would believe that she was once more mad than a mad dog. Phoebe had given everything for survival. To survive, a more eye-catching personality was needed rather than a gentle one. In addition, Master Ruderick had used her fierce temperament to control other half-dragon people, so she had never doubted whether her personality was bad. ''Everyone is scared of me.'' That had been a given for a long time, and Phoebe didn''t doubt it. But Reed was different. "Phoebe Astheria Roton." The man approached, calling her full name. As soon as Phoebe heard his voice, she frowned. Having the word "Roton" attached to her name still felt strange. But that was not the only reason she frowned. It was because of Reed''s face. At first, he had looked at her with a nd expression, but as soon as she became a member, his expression turned fierce, and he looked down at her. He nced up and down at her with a dissatisfied look in his eyes. "You didn''t dress properly again." "...Mind your own business." "From now on, I''m your superior. I''m responsible for all your actions and the results of your work." Reed pointed out Phoebe''s clothing condition one by one with the wand he was holding. "The button is crooked, the emblem is upside down, and don''t you know that attaching the symbol in reverse is an act of disrespect? Are you disrespecting the Silence Tower?" "..." "I''ll give you one minute. Fix it now." Phoebe didn''t argue and started to change her clothes ording to his instructions. He told Phoebe, who was crying, toy the foundation for revenge in the Silence Tower. "There''s no need to do it officially. Just staying at the bottom is less noticeable..." Phoebe thought she would remain at the bottom. Not starting in such a full-fledged way. She couldn''t help but feel rebellious because it was different from her thoughts. "If you stay at the bottom, there''s no reason for you to be here. I''m not going to create a reason for you to be in this tower, but a reason why you can''t be without it." "What''s the difference?" "There''s a difference in that it''s hard to give up something irreceable." "So you''re that kind of person? Useless, but indispensable..." Phoebe inadvertently spat out a venomous remark. "That''s right. That''s how you make it impossible not to hold on to it. That''s what survival strategy is." As Reed calmly brushed it off, Phoebe felt stupid for spitting out the harsh words. Perhaps that''s why she hated Reed even more and bit her lip tightly. "So, let''s start with improving your image first." "What do you mean, improving my image?" "I mean, starting by getting rid of your nickname. Your nickname isn''t good right now." Phoebe''s nickname was the Mad Dog of Silence. Mad dog. It was definitely not a good nickname for a low-ranking person to have. "Have you studied magic?" "I have." Phoebe mainly receivedbat training, but since she also had an aptitude for magic, she had learned the basics of magic. "Then you''ll understand quickly." Reed handed Phoebe arge book that was on the desk. "What is this?" "It''s everything you need to learn to be in this tower." "...What?" Phoebe made a dumbfounded expression. Reed tilted his head at her wavering gaze. "Didn''t you say you''re the best half-dragon of the Astheria family?" "I''m excellent! I''m confident that I won''t lose to anyone in battle!" "What about studying?" "Well, that..." Phoebe was indeed the best, but she had no talent for magic. It was because she was not smart. She could faithfully carry out orders, but she was weak in the realm of learning that required delving into books. "Is that so? I guess you''re not very smart." "That''s right. I''m not smart... Just give me orders, and I can do well within that." That''s how Roderick did it. He always gave orders, and by carrying them out repeatedly, she gained his favor. Phoebe thought that her value was enough. "It''s not eptable." Reed cut it off in one stroke. Unlike Roderick, Reed hated such passivity. "A mage thinks for themselves. If you can''t think and are dragged around, you''re not qualified to be a mage. Do you want to be acent pig?" Phoebe''s eyes widened. "What, what, a pig!? You''re calling me a pig!?" "...Don''t you even know what a metaphor is? And I''m the head of Adeleheights. Call me that when you address me." "I don''t want to! Why should I call someone like you my master? Are you crazy!?" "¡­?" Her vocabry itself was weak, so the conversation didn''t go smoothly. It was a headache for Reed. So sheined, and Reed epted her request. "Fine, you can call me that. But there''s a condition." "What is it?" "Memorize 30 pages of this book I gave you by tomorrow, all of it. Don''t miss a single word. And I''ll test you." Reed said that and took out the pocket watch from his waist. "It''s almost time for the meeting. Come backter. Study quietly until then." After saying that, Reed disappeared. Phoebe muttered as she looked at the spot where Reed had disappeared. "He talks about improving my image and then just throws studying at me..." It seemed irresponsible. Phoebe looked down at the book with a face that seemed to have no expectations. "Funny guy. He thinks I can''t memorize this stuff... Ugh." Just by opening the first page, she felt suffocated. The font was as small as a fingernail, and the text filled the page tightly without any indentation. That day, a hellish day began for Phoebe. *** While studying in the tower, Phoebe learned several facts. The rumors about Reed Adeleheights were not good. -Apparently, he couldn''t even find his talent properly and failed miserably in various ces. -He barely made it into the Silence Tower, right? -That''s not it. He said he would invest all his money here. So the Tower Master let him in. The reason he was in tower was said to be solely to gain the favor of the Tower Master. He valued discipline and had no flexibility at all. Having heard all that, Phoebe secretly thought, ''I knew it. It wasn''t just me who thought he was strange.'' He seemed like an odd man, always meddling and tormenting others, and Phoebe''s image of him had built up as a person full of inferiority. "Is there anything you don''t know?" "..." "I guess not. It seems easy, so I have high expectations for this test." Puff. Annoying. It would be refreshing to crush that annoying nose. All she had left was persistence, so Phoebe delved into the book. Then, someone approached Phoebe. "Hello?" "..." "Haha, you always study here. You''re Phoebe, right?" "...Go away? I don''t have enough time to study." "What are you doing that you don''t have enough time to study?" "I have to memorize 120 pages of this." During the week, the test range continued to increase as she failed the tests. "He told you to memorize 120 pages of that book in a day?" "...Yeah." "Wow, he''s a crazy person." "Right. He''s a lunatic." "He''s famous. Reed, the lunatic manager." That''s how Phoebe made her first friend in the tower. His name was Ritz. With a talkative personality, he always helped her with her studies, and she naturally asked him whenever she didn''t know something. She never asked Reed even once. Phoebe wanted to crush Reed''s nose in the tests. *** "You got 52 points." "..." "It''s better than before, but it''s still below the standard. I guess I''ll have to test you up to 150 pages again." "...Okay." Phoebe took the test paper. As she tried to take it out of his hand, he held onto it and didn''t let go. "I heard you''ve been hanging out with Ritztely." "Mind your own business." "I don''t care who you hang out with, but don''t hang out with that guy. He''s not a good person. He''s a man who tries to raise his reputation by putting others down." "Are you jealous? He''s a hundred times better than you." "There are many people better than me in this tower. But he''s not one of them." Phoebe was infuriated. ''He said he''d start by taking away the name "Mad Dog of Silence"...!'' She thought he only knew how to nag, and he had never considered her rtionships once, but now he was trying to stop her from making friends, which made her angry. "I..." "I?" "I''ll do whatever I want. It''s none of your business who I''m friends with." She thought she had suppressed her emotions as much as possible, but Reed could read her anger. He closed his eyes. And then he nodded. "Alright, I''m sorry." Reed apologized calmly and stepped back. Although the apology was ufortable, she was right, and it was like she had hit him back. So she moved to the library where she always went. That''s when it happened. Ritz''s voice reached her ears. ''Ritz is in the reading room.'' He was quite far away, talking with his friends. Phoebe hurried her steps to greet him. "Ritz, you''ve been getting close to that half-dragontely?" Phoebe stopped. The topic seemed to be about her. She listened to his conversation from afar, curious about what Ritz was thinking. "Look at this, this." "Yeah, her face is pretty. If only she didn''t have that expression, she''d be aplete beauty. Why does she always have that look?" "She''d be pretty if she started smiling. I thought if I worked on her a little more, she''d fall for me." "She''s totally crazy, though. She falls for weird things." "Are you an idiot? Just y with her for a while and then dump her when she gets boring, what''s there to worry about? There''s no risk, so don''t worry." Phoebe clenched the book she was holding. Reed told her not to damage it, but the hardcover was already half crumpled. ''Should I endure?'' Reed had instructed her not to cause trouble in the tower. She had heard numerous backstabbing remarks about herself in the tower, so she could tolerate that much. Yeah, that much. "The one who tried to overthrow the continent, Roderick Astheria, favored her, right?" "That damned traitor left her behind." Phoebe dropped the book she was holding. She could tolerate being criticized and insulted. But not her family head. "Hey? Phoebe, hello?" Ritz greeted Phoebe with a calm face as if nothing had happened. "Say it again." "Uh, what?" As she countered his feigned ignorance with a twist, Phoebe broke his wrist. Snap- His wrist snapped like a twig, and Ritz''s scream echoed through the tower. "Arrrgghhh!!!" "Say it again. Spit out what you said with that mouth." Phoebe''s golden eyes glowed, and her murderous intent spread out. The aura of a dragon. The man who was talking behind her back with Ritz felt his breath being choked and stepped back. The most ferocious and terrifying ck dragon''s bloodline not only suppressed Ritz''s friends but also those who had nothing to do with the situation. "What''s all thismotion?" Reed appeared btedly. Chapter 170 It was a disconcerting sight at a nce. The man with the broken wrist was crying, and the people around him were gasping for air, clutching their throats. Phoebe''s gaze never left Ritz. It looked like she was trying to kill Ritz outright. Reed stood in front of Phoebe, blocking her view. "Phoebe Astheria Roton, and Ritz Roton. Both of you, back off." "That man insulted the lord." "Back off for now." As Reed spoke calmly, she withdrew her gaze and stepped back. The murderous aura emanating from her body faded. "Now, we need someone to exin what''s going on..." It''s hard to ask Phoebe, the perpetrator, first. "Heuk, heuhueuk...!" The victim, Ritz, was struggling with his broken wrist, making it difficult for him to talk. In the end, Reed asked Ritz''s friends who were with him. "You, a third party, report the situation. Objectively." "Yes, sir." The trembling man nodded and recounted what had happened truthfully. After hearing the whole story, Reed looked at Phoebe first with a serious gaze. He approached her and then p- He pped Phoebe''s cheek. Phoebe looked up at Reed with disbelief. She was staring down at the eyes that she wouldn''t even meet because they were ominous. Phoebe''s lips trembled as she asked. "You... hit me?" "Yes, I hit you. No violence can be allowed in the tower. I''m punishing you for viting that." She felt betrayed. Emotions welled up, and her face flushed with anger. Her pupils narrowed vertically, and a thicker murderous aura began to flow. "Ugh... Kehuk...!" Everyone gasped for breath and copsed, but Reed stood still in his ce. He was sweating a little, but he didn''t move otherwise. Phoebe clenched her fist. Her hand, which could even shatter the city gates, looked fiercely dangerous as if it could pierce Reed''s body at any moment. "You said you liked following orders?" "..." "If you like following orders, then I''ll order you. Go back to your room, right now." Upon hearing those words, Phoebe swiftly turned her body. The thick murderous aura emanating from her body disappeared. Reed let out a deep breath, putting an end to the incident. *** That night. As Reedy in bed trying to sleep, he felt something strange. His body felt heavy and unable to move when he tried to toss and turn. He opened his eyes to see what was pressing down on him. What was visible in the dimly moonlit room was a human figure. "Who are you... Eup!" With one hand covering his mouth and the other pressing his throat. Reed tried to resist, but the figure didn''t budge at all. Who on earth is it? His vision adapted to the darkness and the silhouette. Seeing the eyes staring at him, he could finally recognize the identity of the person who had ambushed him. "Phoe...be..." As he uttered her name, the hand covering his mouth was removed. Instead, the hand pressing his throat tightened. "Never! Never again!" Phoebe shouted in an angry voice. "Don''t ever touch my body again!" But Reed didn''t sumb to her pressure and fought back. "You ungrateful wretch! You''re trying to kill the one who saved you? In this tower, if youmit assault, both you and that guy will be punished! Do you understand what I''m saying? The moment someone with a bad reputation like you causes trouble, you''ll have to strip off your clothes in this tower!" "Who! Wanted! To live! Like this!!" The pressure on his throat increased. Yet Reed didn''t give in. "No one can live the way they want! We endure this hellish ce because we have the hope of living the way we desire! Do you think you''re the only one!?" Phoebe''s angry face, reflected in the moonlight, trembled once more. "If you want to clear your lord''s name and seek revenge, first you have to bend. Bow your head and apologize, smile, and mingle with others to make them think you''re a good person." "I... can''t do that." "You have to. If you truly want something, you have to change yourself to achieve it." The atmosphere and voice be calmer. A choked voice asks. "Do you think I look easy to you?" "Phoebe Astheria Roton." "Do I look like a woman who would just fall head over heels and be your property with just a little maniption?" "It seemed that way to you? Do you think I take you lightly?" "I don''t know." She didn''t know. She asked him because she couldn''t know. She had never lived ording to her own thoughts. Thinking with this kind of mind, there would be no answer anyway. "It''s up to you. Think for yourself how you see me ande to a conclusion." "I am..." Phoebe couldn''t answer. After a long silence, Reed grabbed both of Phoebe''s hands around his throat. And he pulled, tightening the grip on his throat. "If you think I see you that way, what more do you have to hesitate about? Kill me right here, right now. That would be the beginning." "Do you think I can''t do it?" She wanted to do it out of spite, but Phoebe couldn''t. Those eyes. The golden pupils staring straight at her made it hard to gather her strength. She felt like she would be devoured. Phoebe pushed Reed''s hands away. She fled the ce as if running away. *** It was strange. Phoebe started to feel strange looking into his eyes. Phoebe didn''t know what kind of emotion it was. Her insides felt twisted, and the sensation of her body wanting to move back and forth was unpleasant. "What''s happening to me?" She didn''t know. She didn''t know what would happen to Ritz, what her punishment would be, or how she would improve her image in the future. But the scariest thing was how Reed, who she had threatened by choking him this morning, would see her. What would she do if his gaze changed? She wished someone would just tell her the answer. That''s when it happened. Reed walked over. He always walked elegantly at the same time, wearing the same outfit. She thought that if one of those things changed, she might be scared. However, as if to say such worries were foolish, Reed wore an indifferent expression. Even with the clear marks of her fingers on his throat, he looked down at Phoebe with the same eyes. Reed nced at Phoebe up and down and nodded. "You''re dressed decently today." After checking Phoebe''s clothing, he led the way, walking and speaking. "Today''s test will be at 11 o''clock. Study before then." *** The incident where Phoebe had used violence was resolved. The victim, Ritz Roton, suddenly resigned and left the tower. Reed was behind it. He showed Ritz a paper recording all the misdeeds Ritz hadmitted so far, along with a crystal ball, and gave him a choice. To leave quietly or to live inhumanly here. Ritz, of course, chose the former. Without leaving any regrets in the tower, he packed his belongings and disappeared. As he disappeared, public opinion reflected on his backbiting and misdeeds and gradually leaned towards Phoebe. She had broken his wrist, but it wasn''t satisfying enough. Phoebe scored 65 points on the test. Her score for the first test was 65 points, and everything else was aplete zero. She was 5 points short of the 70-point cutoff, and Reed dered a retake without any leniency. Phoebe could no longer handle it on her own. But she gritted her teeth and memorized it. Taking notes was her strength since her time in Astheria. ''I''m annoyed.'' There was some progress, but it was too slow. It seemed like if she barely walked 100 meters, 9 kilometers would be added. No matter how she thought about it, she wondered if he was doing this just to annoy her. Someone stood in front of her. It was Reed. "Do you think anything will get in your head by just racking your brain like that?" "..." Ignoring him, biting her lips slightly, she wondered if he hade tough at her. "Let''s postpone this test for a week." "...Why?" It would usually be a happy asion, but Phoebe felt uneasy about his postponement. "Don''t you think we should see once what you are doing in our tower rather than wrestling with books? Of course, if you don''t like it, we''ll pretend it never happened. We''ll stick to the scheduled test." As soon as he said that, Phoebe closed the book and got up from her seat. Phoebe''s head was aching too, so she needed to take a light walk and change her mood. Reed began to take her around the tower. Instead of the ces he often visited, he mainly showed her researchbs and key facilities she hadn''t seen yet. Phoebe, who had little interest in the work of a mage, found the story boring. However, it was an opportunity to rest, so she didn''t let it go. "Now we just need to go to the basement." "There''s a basement?" "We shoot mana from the underground up. So the mana fountain is located underground." They moved to the basement by stairs, not by elevator. They went down the spiral staircase and arrived at the basement. Reed opened his mouth with a displeased expression. "There should be at least two administrators here. Where did they all go?" He looked around. It was impossible for an administrator to hide in a cylindrical space with no blind spots. "They must be ying somewhere." "Hmm... Take a look around for a moment. I''ll go to the break room for a bit." Reed went up the stairs with big strides. There was nothing for Phoebe to see. All there was were blue mana pirs andplicated-looking panels. It seemed that if she touched them carelessly, things would only get worse. Phoebe knew that, so she just watched. She had no intention of touching anything. That''s when it happened. Wing- Wing- A sharp warning sound started to ring. The blue room suddenly turned red and flickered. "What''s going on?" Phoebe had a rough idea that it was an emergency. She was the only one inside. ''I shouldn''t touch it...'' So she decided to wait for a minute. The warning sound got faster, and the red light flickered quickly. ''I can''t leave it like this.'' She didn''t know what could happen. With that thought, Phoebe approached the panel in front of the mana pir. ''I don''t know.'' There were only a few symbols with unknown meanings, so she couldn''t even guess what to do. Phoebe started to press random buttons. After touching a few buttons, the warning sound stopped. "Sess...?" Kuuuuung-!! Before Phoebe''s words were even finished, the Silence Tower shook loudly. The blue light from the pir distorted fiercely and stretched upward. As Phoebe looked up at the light, the door opened. The administrators who should have been guarding the ce, and Reed, were looking up at the overloaded mana pir. Phoebe could only understand their gazes. She was screwed. *** * * * Dream big tl dot *** Ironically, the things Phoebe pressed to resolve the situation weremands to overload the tower. In trying to fix the situation by pressing anything, she ended up pressing the self-destructmand. The tower administrators were all disciplined for their negligence in management. Phoebe was not without fault for pressing the self-destructmand, so she also had to be held ountable. To determine her punishment, Reed and Phoebe were facing the Silence Tower''s owner, Jude Roton. "This is quite a difficult situation. The error urred just when the administrators left their posts, and it''s surprising that the overloadmand was used..." "What should we do about this?" Jude Roton stroked his white beard. "Reed." "Yes." "What do you think we should do?" "First, I would expel all the negligent administrators from the tower, and then build a system to monitor and supervise the administrators more closely." "That''s true. But, I don''t think that''s the end of it." Jude Roton nced at Phoebe. Phoebe avoided his gaze while biting her lower lip. "It''s not a trivial matter, as the pir of the tower is damaged, and the morale of the tower''s mages is already low." Reed understood what Jude was saying. That''s why Reed looked back at Phoebe and gave her an order. "Phoebe Astheria Roton, step outside." "..." "Hurry up." Phoebe walked out of the room as he ordered. His intention was probably to have a private conversation with Jude. However, Reed didn''t know one thing. Phoebe''s senses were beyond imagination, and even from afar, she could hear their conversation as clearly as if they were right next to her. The first thing she heard from beyond the door was Reed''s voice. Chapter 171 "Tower Master, I apologize. This is all because I wasn''t by her side." "Do you mean to take responsibility for this situation?" "Yes. If I can''t resolve this situation, I will take responsibility." "Doesn''t that mean you''re prepared to sacrifice your life? It''s not even your fault, why should you take such responsibility?" "Why not? I was the one who asked that she be brought to this tower in the first ce." Upon hearing those words, Phoebe''s fists clenched tightly. ''So it wasn''t the tower master who saved me, but that man?'' Phoebe had thought that Jude Roton, the Master of the Tower, had taken her in, and Reed was the man who took care of her under the Lord''smand. She had never heard such a story before, so she realized it for the first time today. "I was the one who told her to think for herself, and she did as I said,ing to her own conclusion. Although her decision put us in danger, the responsibility does not lie with her. It lies with me, who made her that way. So I will find a way and restore the situation." He must take responsibility. He had always said that. Phoebe thought he was just trying to show off and didn''t think much of it. Something was welling up inside her chest. She desperately suppressed it and listened to the conversation. The tower master''s voice was cautious. "Reed, I know how good you are at judging people. And I know how hard it is to have such an ability. You''ve never been so stubborn before, but it does suit your stubbornness. Are you sure you won''t regret bringing her in?" Jude Roton asked, and Reed answered. "Although she has a fierce temperament and seems to have a hard time getting along with others, she has a good nature at her core. She just appears that way because she has been hurt a lot. Even her family wouldn''t have known what kind of person she was. How can anyone know about her when she doesn''t even know herself?" Phoebe clenched her teeth and covered her head. She hated him. She hated Reed for brazenly iming he knew her. She wanted to burst in right now and scream at him, asking what he knew about her. She felt that if she didn''t do so, her rational mind would be overwhelmed by emotions once again. "When this is over, I''ll have a proper talk with her as she''s still a child, just a bit slow to mature." "Alright. I''ll trust you. But if you fail to handle this situation properly, there will be no guarantee for your safety. Then there will be no one left to take care of her. Remember, you are important." "Don''t worry. I will find the answer, no matter what." With that, the conversation came to an end. She heard footsteps approaching the door, ready to leave. Phoebe stood up from her seat, and Reed came outside. Phoebe stood still. Reed looked down at her. There was no contempt or anything else in his eyes. With the same unwavering gaze, as if nothing had happened, he said to her, "Take some time to review." * * * Dream big tl dot *** *** The head of the family, Roderick Astheria, always had a saying. - Humans are not to be trusted. They can speak with two tongues, and if given the opportunity, they will pull out a dagger and stab us in the back. And he always added this. - That''s why the only thing we can trust is family. Only we can have each other''s backs and move forward together, so always keep your family in mind. Phoebe had always lived with those words in her heart. Her faith had been shaken for a while due to someone named Ritz, but in the end, her father was right. Humans are not to be trusted. ''Reed...'' An authoritative, fearless person who was like a puppy with no fear. At first, she hated him so much. She always harbored a dagger in her heart and nned to start her revenge by killing him. But the thought of starting that revenge gradually faded. ''Maybe everything was calcted by that man. Maybe he made me be swayed by these emotions.'' Phoebe tried to steady her wavering heart towards Reed, but every time she had such a thought, she changed her mind dozens of times. "I haven''t seen Reedtely." As soon as someone brought up Reed, Phoebe''s ears perked up. "He''s said to be fixing the mana pir ejection system. It seems he identally touched it, causing it to malfunction." She felt that if she didn''t, her rational mind would be covered with emotions again. "Why don''t we have any of our magicians capable of handling it? Can Reed fix it?" "Even the tower master can''t touch it. Although the creator was efficient, only the previous tower master was capable of fixing it." "Then why doesn''t he get help from the outside instead of doing such a thing?" "Well, there''s nothing more humiliating than solving a problem within the tower with outside help. That''s why he''s risking his life to solve this issue." Something that no one inside the tower could fix. As Phoebe realized what she had touched, her uneasy feeling grew even stronger. Phoebe tried to shake off the thought. ''That man is ying with me. With my heart...'' "What a tiring life he has." "It''s no wonder he''s tired. Hearing about Reed''s past, it''s amazing that he''s so calm." "What''s in that old man''s past?" "It''s not a particrly interesting story. He just lost his parents when he was young." "Really? If that''s the story, then let''s talk about something else... Uh!" The two men who were talking were suddenly startled. A half-dragon with a pair of threatening horns stood between them. She opened her mouth. "Tell me that story in detail." *** Phoebe went down the spiral staircase to the basement. At the end of the stairs, she bowed her head and cautiously peered inside. The mana pir, almost doubled in size, seemed to burst at any moment, as it was distorted. A man was sitting on the floor in front of the panel controlling it. Uncharacteristically for someone who always nagged about tidying up, he had spread out books and tools all around him. Reed btedly sensed her presence and sneakily looked behind him. Phoebe hid in a narrow gap. There were too many parts of her body that couldn''t be hidden in the narrow gap. "Phoebe Astheria Roton." He called her full name. Phoebe, who had been hiding, revealed herself. "I''m sure I told you to review, didn''t I?" "......" "Well, I needed someone to help me anyway. If you came to help, why don''t you give me a hand?" Reed turned his head nonchntly, and Phoebe cautiously walked over. He spoke with an unusually weak voice. "What... do I need to help with?" "Just stay by my side. If I ask for a tool, pass it to me." "Alright." Phoebe nodded, and Reed reached out his hand. "A temporary circuit pen." "Here." "¡­This isn''t a temporary circuit pen. The temporary circuit pen is blue." "¡­" "This pen is made using a material that doesn''t conduct magic, so even if you draw anywhere on the magic circle, it won''t affect it. On the other hand, if you draw with this, it will directly affect the magic circle and cause an explosion. It bes irreversible." "¡­I''m sorry." As Phoebe apologized, Reed turned his head. Only then did he see her deted expression. "You seem different than usual. Why are you so down? Are you skipping meals?" "¡­" "I thought you''d have more stamina than anyone else, but you seem to have less energy than me, who''s been holding out for three days. I''m a little disappointed in the half-dragons." "¡­" "Take good care of yourself. When you think your body is feeling strange, it''s already toote." Reed rummaged through his tools and handed her two pens. "Just hold these two. Blue in your left hand, white in your right hand. You can at least tell your left hand from your right hand, right?" "I know that much." She replied, holding back her annoyance. "Good, at least you know that much." Phoebe felt strange. It should be an irritating situation, but his face seemed soft for some reason. ''I must be out of my mind.'' He said he''s been stuck here for three days, so there''s no way he''s in his right mind. That must be it. Phoebe rolled her eyes and sneakily nced at Reed''s face. His silver hair was disheveled, and his strands of hair were hanging down like silk curtains. Between them, his golden eyes were focused on the traces of the magic circle and the book, alternating between checking the panel. He didn''t say a word for two hours. Reed read the book, thought, and asionally massaged his sleepy eyes with his index and thumb fingers to wake up. Phoebe just stared at Reed. ''He''s someone I hate to death...'' Every time I think of him, I''m annoyed and hate him to death, but why am I not angry when I''m just looking at him like this? "You didn''t do it." Phoebe unknowingly blurted out. She regretted it, but Reed turned his head, and there was no way to take back her words, so she pretended to be calm and looked at him. Reed nodded. "Yes, it''s something you did." "But why... didn''t you tell me?" "That''s what a boss is like. As your position gets higher, you have to take responsibility. When you were a squad leader, didn''t you manage the members below you?" "They are my siblings." When Phoebe corrected him, Reed nodded. "Right, your siblings." "Yes. I took care of my siblings." "As much as you controlled and took care of them, the family head treated you well. It would have been harder to manage without you." "¡­" "Of course, he might have liked you personally as well." "¡­Really?" Her lips curled up, pleased to be considered a useful existence. Reed pretended not to see it. "Anyway, that''s why I have to show others that I''m above you. I have to show that I''m unaffected even when you emit that murderous aura." "You didn''t even flinch." "Even though I''m saying this now, at that time, I barely held on. My legs were shaking, and cold sweat was pouring, but I endured it by trying to think about something else." In Phoebe''s memory, there was not a single person who could stand on both legs after receiving her murderous aura. Even the knights, who boasted about their strength, were crushed by Phoebe''s aura and wet themselves, which she vividly remembered. "I heard that enduring is harder. Why did you endure it?" "As I said, I had to show that I was controlling you. Only when the reins are tightened and you are muzzled will the other magicians stop being wary of you." "Is that... for my sake?" "It''s nothing more than responsibility." She knew that he hesitated for a moment in his words. As Phoebe bit her lower lip in frustration, he asked. "Did it hurt when I pped your cheek?" "It felt like a mosquito hadnded on me. It just made me feel dirty." "I had no choice but to do it. If I had taken your side at that time, the situation would have only worsened." "That''s an excuse." "So if you hit me, will that make you feel better?" Phoebe hesitated. She had thought that hitting him once would make her feel better, but she couldn''t bring herself to do it. "At least try to hit me after this matter is over. Right now, I''m overwhelmed with focusing on this issue." "What happens if you can''t fix this?" "I have to take responsibility." "Could you die?" "Since it almost killed the entire tower, that would be a fitting punishment, wouldn''t it?" Phoebe vented her rising emotions. "Why are you taking responsibility?!" She jumped up from her seat and red at Reed. "I did it! Why did you bring me here without asking, and take everything upon yourself, it''s so annoying! Did you think I would be grateful?!" "¡­It seems you heard everything." He should have kept her further away. Reed muttered under his breath as Phoebe continued to rant. "Your cooking is terrible! You''re trash! You, you... idiot! And, and¡­!" "Is that all?" "Y-you''re a big jinx!" She swung her tightly clenched fists wildly, spewing out the worst insults she knew at her level, but they didn''t hurt Reed at all. It was painful, though. In that situation, if heughed, the atmosphere would be tense, so he gritted his teeth and endured it. Chapter 172 Phoebe looked down at Reed with reddened eyes, sniffling. Seeing her unable to hold back her anger, Reed opened his mouth. "You actually didn''t meet the requirements to enter this tower. You''re young,ck abilities, don''t have a good academic background, and even have a record of killing many people. Bringing you here was entirely my decision. So the moment you cause an ident, you''ll be kicked out of here. That''s why I have to take responsibility for everything." So, Reed tried his best to handle the incidents and idents. Phoebe wished that Reed was a selfish person. "You could just kick me out. That would be easier for you." "Would it?" Reed smiled and looked at her. Phoebe avoided his eyes. "The moment I give up on you is when I admit that I was wrong. If I admit that I was wrong, the hyenas who have been waiting for a chance will try to tear me apart." Reed started drawing a magic circle again. "So, I wanted to prove that I was right, that I could handle this." Looking at Phoebe once more, "Bringing you here was never something to regret in this tower." It felt like a strong p on the back of her head. Phoebe experienced that feeling for the first time in her life. It must be a lie. Phoebe must have thought he was lying to use her while pretending to sympathize. But after hearing about Reed''s past, she couldn''t think that way anymore. -The Adeleheights family used to have a pretty high reputation, but after Reed''s parents passed away and the records were lost, the family fell into ruin. -Without money and without being a traitor, it''s difficult for a noble family to fall, because there''s secret knowledge passed down through generations in a magician''s family. Since Reed lost that knowledge before he could inherit it, it was bound to copse at once. -All the nobles probably turned their backs on the Adeleheights family. They clung to them when they were needed, but closed their mouths when they lost their value. Phoebe felt like she could understand a little why Reed treated her well. He had already fallen. He must have hated the world. But he didn''t take revenge right away. He wanted to prove that those who abandoned their family like a sacrificial pawn were wrong. He intended to calmly build up his reputation in this tower. In the meantime, Reed brought Phoebe. He couldn''t bear to watch a girl who would destroy herself if left alone, so he brought her to his side. "I also..." Phoebe''s lips trembled, and her throat tightened. Forcing herself to exhale, she asked. "...Can I take revenge too?" "You can." He answered without hesitation. "I''ll make it happen for you." At Reed''s words, tears fell from Phoebe''s face. Reed''s face stiffened in confusion for a moment. "Don''t cry. I don''t like seeing women cry." "I won''t cry... *sniff*..." Phoebe, realizing the sensation of tears flowing down her cheeks, turned her head away. Reed, who had been watching her, also looked away, perhaps out of difort. The emotions that poured out were already toote to be contained. "It''s because you said I was crying... That more tears areing. It''s all because of you. All because of you..." Phoebe didn''t want to say those words, but they came out of her mouth on their own. It was the childish tantrum of spitting out whatever came to mind. Reed handed Phoebe a handkerchief. "Wipe your tears." Phoebe took the handkerchief. A single handkerchief was not enough to catch all her tears. Reed waited for her to calm down. With his kindness, Phoebe''s tear nds did not dry up. *** Three dayster, the day before the overloaded mana tower exploded. Reed had settled everything. It was a miracle. Reed, who was relegated to the sidelines, solved what everyone in the tower thought was impossible. After that, no one mentioned that he had secured a position through nepotism. Through this incident, Reed proved himself. Reed relieved his fatigue from concentrating for a week by taking a day off to rest. Phoebe continued to study while Reed was gone. Unconsciously, Phoebe looked up as she felt a familiar sensation in her senses. Reed entered the library with an armful of books to return. Then, their eyes met. Reed didn''t just pass by but approached her. "You''re working hard." "..." Phoebe didn''t say anything. She didn''t re at him with rebellious eyes as usual. "Is there something you don''t understand?" "..." Phoebe looked up at him quietly. Seeing her not saying anything for a while, Reed turned to leave. "Guess not. I''ll go then." "This... this part." As Reed turned his head, Phoebe pointed to a part of the book with her finger. Her tightly closed lips opened once more, and a tiny voice crawled out. "I don''t... understand." It was her first time asking Reed a question. To be honest, she didn''t know what kind of reaction he would have. She was most worried about him looking down on her for not knowing something so simple. "I see." Reed calmly reacted and sat down next to her. He began to exin the parts she didn''t understand. She thought he might mock her for being a little slow, but he focused solely on the exnation. His kindness aside, his exnation was incredibly easy to understand. It was strange that she hadn''t understood it until now, as it entered her head so clearly. "Is there anything else?" "This, this too..." Phoebe began to ask one by one. She asked more actively than when she was with Ritz. "We''ve spent too much time." At Reed''s words, Phoebe checked the clock, and more than two hours had passed. It didn''t feel like much time had passed, but two hours had gone by in an instant. "Based on what I''ve taught you, you should be able to figure out the rest with a little more thought. So think a bit more, and if you still don''t understand,e to my room and ask." "Got it." "If you''re nning to choke me likest time, I''d rather not." "Ah! That was...!" As Phoebe red at him resentfully, Reed chuckled and got up from his seat. ''I''ll cut you down to size.'' Grinding the knife in her heart, Phoebe buried herself in the book again. *** It was the first time. For the first time in her life, Phoebe was confident that she could pass the test. ''I''ve memorized most of it, so I''ll pass this time.'' Still, the anxiety didn''t go away. If she was so confident and still failed, it would only lead to greater disappointment. "Phoebe Astheria Roton." Reed, who had finished grading, looked up at her sitting across from him. "You scored 70 on this test. Barely passing." "¡­So I don''t have to take a retest?" "There are still tests from the second to the eighth, but there''s no need for a retest for the first one." She passed. In fact, there were many times she had passed tests while training at Astheria. However, due to the lowered cut-off line by the head of the family, she barely reached the standard but was still rtively below it. It was her first time passing without anypromises on the cut-off line. "Do you still think your head is just bad?" At Reed''s question, Phoebe frowned. "Are you saying you were right? How annoying." "No, I''m saying you have potential too." Phoebe looked up at Reed''s face. It looked emotionless but somehow seemed to be smiling. "Don''t let yourself be limited by thinking you''re just unintelligent. You can do it if you try." He gently added thest word, as if stroking a child''s head. "You worked hard." Phoebe didn''t show any reaction. She just stared at Reed. "¡­Phoebe?" "¡­Huh?" "Are you okay?" "I''m fine." Phoebe got up from her seat. "I''ll be back in a bit." "Alright, go get some fresh air." As Phoebe took her first step, she faltered. She tried to walk as if nothing was wrong, but her steps moved unnaturally, as if being rushed. ''She''s a child who can grow.'' Although the road ahead is still long and treacherous, if she continues to study like this, Phoebe will be an indispensable member of this tower. As he thought about that and was about to get up to organize the rest of the books. The tower began to shake. -Roarrrrr!! Everyone covered their ears and panicked at the unidentified roar. The Silence Tower, which had been lit in blue, was suddenly dyed red. "Emergency! Unidentified roar!" "A dragon?! All of a sudden?!" "Emergency! Emergency! Track its location!" Although the roar came from nearby, no one could pinpoint the dragon''s location. The magicians were in chaos, unaware that the culprit who caused themotion had returned to the tower with a refreshed expression. * * * Dream big tl dot *** * * * Once upon a time, dragons were disasters that humans feared. However, humans adapted and devised ways to escape the clutches of dragons, eventually seeding in breaking free from their rule. Now, such malicious dragons only appear in heroic tales or legends. Those who brought disaster began to live in hiding, and they were only asionally seen flying. "I apologize, master." In a dark space. A kneeling boy pressed his head to the floor, apologizing. He was the youngest half-dragon created in Astheria, Isis, and at the same time, thest head of Astheria, Roderick Astheria. Despite his young appearance, his eyes held an age-old venom that he couldn''t hide. It would be strange for even the most insensitive person not to feel suspicious when looking directly into the boy''s eyes. The subject of Roderick''s apology was a man whose very existence was iplete. "I thought Phoebe would submit to my power... but due to the unexpected mingling of the ck Dragon''s blood, she did not obey." -Due to that, you let go of two half-dragons that you had sessfully brainwashed and made a painful mistake. "I apologize. I should have listened when you said we should be more cautious, but I failed to do so." -..... The man was silent. As his silence grew longer, Roderick''s body gradually became heavier. The iplete being did not reproach Roderick for his mistake. That was because he initially thought that Phoebe would not end up like she is now. -This is not your fault. You perfectly tamed Phoebe and taught her what she had to do; your role was to stay out of it. "......" -The one who changed is that man. Reed Adeleheights Roton. A man who had nned to overthrow the continent. Through ¡°Project: Flower Garden¡±, the emotion that Phoebe should have felt towards Rosaria was different. She should have regarded her as a storage, not life, and managed her. Everything was for Reed, who had to be treated that way. But Reed changed Rosaria''s treatment, and even Phoebe changed. She became a life, not a mana storage, and felt the purity she couldn''t feel in her unfortunate days on behalf of him. ¡®That''s why it changed.¡¯ The reason things went wrong was because of Reed, who changed all emotions at some point. He changed too much. Demons secretly entered various countries, causing damage and disappearing all at once, and due to the half-dead lives in the hands of a hero who had even lost his identity, they were all living well. He realized it clearly. ¡®If things continue like this, I will cease to exist.¡¯ He lost half of his power because of the hero whomitted suicide in an untraceable space. He couldn''t afford to becent anymore. He looked down at Roderick and spoke. -Roderick. "Yes, master." -I will give you the gift you wanted. "¡­!" Roderick raised his head. "By giving me a gift... do you mean you''ll give me the origin of the dragon I desire... and grant me that power?" -Yes. I will give you the power to be a perfect dragon, as you''ve always wanted. A trace of greed passed over Roderick''s face. He could gain tremendous power just by being under him, and now he was offering to give him all that power. How could he resist? He was tempted. He wanted it somehow. ¡®I thought he would give it to me, but this is too fast...¡¯ It was much earlier than expected. Even if this matter went well, it wouldn''t be enough to make up for everything, but he was offering him power. His lips quivered at the long-awaited gift, but Roderick pressed his head to the floor without blinking and said. "I cannot ept it! I have already failed once. That gift is something I can only receive after I havepleted all my missions." -There is no other way right now. You must bring a glimmer of hope. "If I fail like that guy who couldn''t collect the magic seed..." -It would be the end. But I can''t y around anymore either. Everything has changed, in a direction I didn''t want. In one way or another, it ends the same. A cornered rat will show that it can bite a cat. -If you seed, you can be the master of this world until you die. I will entrust everything to you. He offered even more than what had been promised. It was a pleasant matter, but on the other hand, he could also notice how bad the situation was. This is thest chance. If they fail, they will die, and if they seed, they will live. They must brace themselves. -Take it. A thick smoke gathered in his blurred hand. Roderick carefully picked it up as if holding a sacred vessel. He ced the light wrapped in both hands into his chest. The reaction urred immediately. "Ugh¡­" The white-haired red-eyed White Dragon, Isis. Scales began to sprout all over his body, regardless of his will. A long tail and wings. He barely maintained a human form, but he no longer looked like a single boy. Roderick looked down at his body. Heughed at the excitement rising from his chest. "Haha¡­" The dragon''s origin he had been searching for so desperately was now in his hands. "Hahahaha!!" Roderick''sughter echoed in the darkness. Chapter 173 For a magician, treating magic stones like consumables is a difficult task. Even the lowest grade magic stones are still magic stones. Unless they were filthy rich, it wasn''t easy to have such an idea. However, Reed had more than enough money. Contracts with the merchant alliance, procurement of raw materials, acquisition of knowledge. The tower had be incredibly wealthy just from the various grants and favorsing in. Reed used those funds to not only develop the inside of the Silence Tower but also to foster talent and hold idea contests. Despite allocating nearly 80% of the funds, there was still enough money left over to buy two average kingdoms. ''War always turns into money...'' Even in a peaceful world, weapons continue to be sold. Ideas keep increasing, and currently, eight projects are underway in the tower. Reed was only involved in the "Project: Sunflower". The development of railguns was carried out by the researchers selected by Kaitlyn Ramos. Kaitlyn and Reed''s research had to focus on "Project: Sunflower". Reed entered Kaitlyn''sboratory. Due to the resources and size, the entire three floors were converted into Kaitlyn''sb. ''It''s really big...'' The part currently being made was equivalent to a man''s chest. A solidly carved chest, like a Greek soldier statue, took up more than 5 meters and upied two floors of the Silence Tower. Kaitlyn was assembling the interior on the support. The hoses that would be blood vessels and muscles were being drawn by her telekinesis to find their ces. Since it was a design mimicking a human body, without delicate and sophisticated touches, a catastrophic explosion or aplete inability to use the body could ur. It was a task that no one but Kaitlyn could do. As she sighed and turned her head, she found Reed below her. Seeing him looking up at her, she greeted him like a trained puppy. "Have you arrived?" "Is it going well?" "What could be happier than living in the embrace of a man''s chest wider than anyone else''s?" Kaitlyn chuckled and made a light joke. The name attached to this gigantic body was Jotun. Although it was the same as the headless magician in that it had no head, the difference for Jotun was that only the chest and right arm would be made. It was being designed to meet the minimum requirements for casting magic and to withstand the powerful bacsh of magic. ''At least, I''ve met the minimum requirements.'' The size of the mana storage that Helios demanded was one that could be supported by an entire tower. Once the right arm is attached to cast magic, the "Project: Sunflower" will be over. "Also, I''ve made some adjustments to your weapon." "My weapon? The railgun?" "Yes. After using it once, there were traces of the barrel melting from the heat. I reinforced it with a heat-resistant material since it seemed like it would explode from the barrel after about five uses." "Good job." Reed looked at the railgun ced on Kaitlyn''s desk. The gun that had been used to snipe Roderick''s right arm to save Phoebe. ''How much did I contribute to creating this?'' At most, he just provided the knowledge. It was possible because the rest was in the hands of the skilled Kaitlyn. ''She''s a reliable ally.'' She''s ambitious, but she knows her boundaries and doesn''t overstep. All Reed could do for Kaitlyn was to raise her position and give her money. She deserved more rewards. Thinking so, Reed told her. "Kaitlyn." "Yes?" "I''ll transfer the copyright of this railgun to you." "The copyright... to me?!" Kaitlyn was surprised and stopped talking. For magicians, copyrights are absolute. If they say not to use it, it must not be used, and if they ignore the warning and use it, they would be considered an enemy of the continent. The higher the magic, the stronger the power of copyright. That''s why even joint copyrights can divide power. Transferring such a copyright was an impossible story for magicians. That''s why Kaitlyn''s reaction was perfectly normal. Reed nodded his head. "But, isn''t this your weapon?" "Without your technology, these things couldn''t have been made anyway. I have no intention of iming ownership and being greedy." "Still, this is..." Kaitlyn tried to argue but closed her eyes tightly. As he said, it was enough for Kaitlyn to raise her voice. Denying it would only refuse his favor. "I understand. Since you said so, I don''t know what else to do. Thank you very much." "Yeah. Be careful and do your best." Reed turned around with a slight smile. The reason Kaitlyn couldn''t be more stubborn was that she felt something unusual from Reed. ''It felt like he was wrapping things up.'' Kaitlyn couldn''t say she had good intuition, but that uneasy feeling didn''t leave her mind. *** * * * Dream big tl dot *** Reed was invited to the Sky Chamber Tower. He visited to precisely measure the space for the weapons to be used in "Project: Sunflower". He brought elite members from the Silence Tower, but once they arrived at the Sky Chamber Tower, they felt like freshly trained soldiers. Everything in the Sky Chamber Tower seemed mysterious to their eyes. Unlike the towers stretching towards the skymonly seen in the Cloud Continent, the Sky Chamber Tower was famous for being a tower lying sideways. Rather than feeling like a tower, it seemed like another ecosystem was being maintained, with another ind ced in the sky. As much as it was floating in the shape of an ind, such power was necessary. Reed was facing the material that provided that power. Like the Earth''s core, it was floating in a spherical shape at the center of the Sky Chamber Tower. Reed''s mouth opened involuntarily. Any magician would see an object shining so big and beautiful that they might think it was a dream. "Is there so much mana that can be collected from space?" "It wasn''t made overnight. It has been umted for nearly 30 years from vast space, so that''s possible." He also heard that the Sky Chamber Tower hesitated several times to expand because it could copse without mana. "If you use the mana here, the continent would be destroyed." "It won''t be enough to destroy the continent. If the continent is destroyed, it would be when the tower falls and collides." ''Not a bad idea to drop a giant meteor as ast resort.'' Even though he was about to say that, he quickly swallowed it back, imagining apologizing. Helios, unaware of Reed''s thoughts, guided him to the next room. "This is the mana you''ll use for the weapon you''ll create." The core that supported the Sky Chamber Tower was impressive, but the mana he would use separately was no less formidable. If it was immeasurable before, this time it was an amount that could be measured with certainty. ''It''s enough to operate two Silence Towers.'' In other words, it meant that he would use an amount equal to half of the two towers to cast a magic bolt that could deal five times more damage. ''No living creature would survive, that''s for sure.'' Although he had doubts, he couldn''t create weapons if he worried about that. The most important thing was victory. It''s not toote to think about safety and aftermath after victory. "Can the Jotun you create handle all this mana?" "It''s probably impossible. Our chief engineer said that the maximum is one tower''s worth." "What about increasing the number?" "That should be possible, but the problem is that it would take at least twice as long." "Hmm..." Helios sighed regretfully. "Unless it''s at the level of an Eternal Hole, it''s impossible." "Can''t youpromise on the power?" Bombarding with the mana of five towers is still a very damaging magic. It seemed sufficient to annihte the disaster. However, Helios shook his head. "It won''t be enough. A being that cannot be stopped by human power will undoubtedly require more power than we can imagine. If it''s not at this level, our human future will undoubtedly be bleak." Although he thought dealing damage worth thirteen towers was excessive, he was also right. Since it''s an item used when human potential is insufficient, its power must exceed imagination. Reed nodded his head and told Helios. "I''ll give it a try." *** After finishing his trip to the Sky Chamber Tower, Reed returned to his office. Phoebe was waiting in front of the office. It was unusual. Her desk was in the entrance hallway, so it was strange for her to be waiting in front of the office. Reed sensed that it wasn''t an ordinary matter. "What brings you here?" "Well... I have a question." "Go ahead." Phoebe hesitated and then spoke with difficulty. "Did you... already know?" "What are you talking about?" Phoebe handed him a document. It was a document containing the details of the Astheria extermination incident. It was a significant event, so the report was quite thick, containing analyses from many schrs. Reed was well aware of its contents. So, he could guess why Phoebe hade here. "Do you know all of this?" Her naive-looking eyes seemed to demand trust, and he hesitated between telling her a gentle lie or a cruel truth. "Yes." Reed threw the truth. Phoebe slightly bit her lower lip. "And... is all this true? That I was brainwashed by the lord?" "I knew that too." "...Why didn''t you tell me?" The reason he didn''t tell her. At first, it was because he didn''t know about Phoebe''s past. However, as Reed''s original memories merged, he could fully understand Phoebe. Why he hadn''t mentioned it. "Sometimes the truth is cruel." At that time, Phoebe was already exhausted. Telling her the truth would only make her more miserable. He didn''t carelessly mention such unnecessary things to create a stepping stone for her recovery. "Why didn''t you tell me the truth?" "I said I would be your ally. I promised to be on your side no matter what you believe." You reap what you sow. Phoebe''s blind faith was possible because Reed had blindly believed her. He stood by her side even when others disparaged Roderick. He stood by her side even when the truth was revealed using all avable evidence and methods. Even if Phoebe didn''t believe it when the person involved appeared and revealed the truth, Reed would still be on her side. Reed had been treating Phoebe with such feelings. "I see." Phoebe''s hands trembled as she listened to his words. She was angry. It wasn''t anger towards Reed, who unconditionally believed in her. "If only I were as smart as Dolores... I could''ve figured this out on my own..." She resented her own foolishness. Phoebe closed her eyes tightly and lowered her head. "Phoebe..." Reed tried tofort her by grabbing her shoulder. That''s when it happened. Phoebe suddenly embraced Reed. Her boldness, unusual for her, left Reed''s hands momentarily lost. "I''m a fool." She said. "Just like you said, I pretend to like something, and then I end up really liking it, like a foolish child." Her embrace became stronger. "So now I don''t know what I like. I''m scared that these feelings toward you might not actually be false." "..." "What do you think of me?" Reed wrapped his arms around her shoulders and hugged her back. The horns on her head touched his chest, but he didn''t care. "You are just as special to me as Dolores. A very precious person." He knew this alone wouldn''t be enough. But he was sure that no matter how he answered, he wouldn''t be able to persuade her. Phoebe carefully pushed away the hand that embraced her. "If you say that out of pity... please don''t. I''m fine." Phoebe smiled. It was a smile that was iparably sorrowful. "You don''t have to love me. I''ll always be here. My home is here, and the one I serve is my master, the Tower Master. I''ll be here until you tell me to disappear because you don''t want to see my face anymore. Always..." Tears welled up, and her eyes became moist. She tried to hold back the tears and smiled brightly. Phoebe stepped back with those words. "I''ll go now." Reed couldn''t hold onto Phoebe. ''Now I think I know why I couldn''t say I loved her.'' It was instinct. If, even a little, he said that out of pity for her situation, and that pity was something Reed himself wasn''t even aware of, then all that would be left for her would be pain. As Phoebe said, Reed really needed to reflect on whether he was doing all this out of pity for her or not. Chapter 174 "What do you think about enrolling Rosaria soon?" At Dolores'' question, Reed raised his head. After having a quiet lunch with her and drinking coffee for dessert, she suddenly asked such a question. "By enrollment, you mean Escolleia, right?" "Yes. I think Rosaria is ready to be enrolled now. Of course, I''ll be with her, but I thought her horizons might broaden if she learns from other professors as well, so I''m asking." Rosaria is 11 years old now. It''s the time when prodigies who stand out consider enrolling. Reed didn''t want to enroll her right away. It was hard to bear the thought of the innocent girl who woulde to show off the things she made being somewhere else. "I think it''s a good idea, but I still think it''s a bit early." Reed cautiously spoke. Considering the time when Rosaria began to speak and learn magic in earnest, it hasn''t been many years. It was strange that Dolores, who knew this fact, was asking such a question. "Is something going on?" "It''s not really a big issue, but Yuria is a bit problematic..." Yuria. A genius who grew up showered with love from her father as the eldest daughter of the Frenda family. If she had one rival, it was Rosaria, and she was working hard to beat her. "Yuria is 13 years old now. She meets the early enrollment conditions, and I n to enroll her as my student and live together at the academy, but..." "So, she dered that she wouldn''t go unless Rosaria went with her." "Yes." Yuria has a strange stubbornness. She believes she has to be on equal terms with Rosaria, so she always takes the same homework and magic sses. Thanks to that, Yuria''s skills have improved, and there was no reason to stop her stubbornness. Reed chuckled and spoke to Dolores. "What should a teacher do if they can''t control their student?" "She''s a tough one to handle. I can scold her when she''s wrong during ss, but it''s difficult to control her in this aspect." Who would imagine that this woman was once the owner of the Wallin Tower? "Should I go and give her a piece of my mind?" "Ah, you''re going to go up against a 13-year-old for your fianc¨¦e?" "What''s wrong with a man who does his best even against a child?" "You''re funny." Dolores looked at Reed as if he was cute. ''Since Dolores is there, it''s not like I''m sending her alone...'' Am I being too overprotective of Rosaria? He guarded his thoughts. "I''ll ask Rosaria. If she doesn''t like it, we won''t send her, and if she''s okay with it, we''ll send her." "Alright." Dolores turned her head, kissed Reed, and leaned on his shoulder. Her face was filled with a smile, as if she was happy just being still. *** * * * Dream big tl dot *** Reed walked the streets of Cohen with Rosaria. It was partly to discuss the conversation he had had with Dolores and partly to make up for not paying enough attention to her by going on an outing together. He held her hand tightly and walked along the busy streets. Rosaria''s ruby eyes sparkled. "Wow, I don''t think it was like this when I came here before?" "It has changed a lot, hasn''t it?" "Yes, it''s changed so much!" The capital of the Hupper Kingdom, a city that is currently at its peak and prospering. Even just walking the streets, the technological advancements were evident. The streets of Cohen were getting cleaner, the cultural level was gradually rising, and the signs of the busy streets were changing one by one. The once-exclusive performing arts for the wealthy were being recorded as visual media and gradually approached the public in the form of theaters, and magic tool shops began to disy magic engineering products in front of ss windows. Reed had never seen this scenery before, but he knew what the situation was. ''The path to a happy ending.'' After saving the continent, peacees to the empire and the continent with its prosperity. The source of the disaster is removed, and as magic engineering is recognized, the quality of life improves, and the scene ends. Reed could feel the ending approaching. ''This time, it won''t be a repeat like in the game.'' The world will continue to exist after the ending, and he will live in that world. Since he became a part of this world, he will live in this world until he dies. "Dad!" "Huh?" "You were lost in thought again!" Rosaria puffed her cheeks with her hands on her hips. She looked like a hamster, and Reed almost inadvertently pinched her cheeks. She didn''t seem angry, though, and soon deted her cheeks before pointing at something. "Can I buy that?" It was a cart selling a snackmonly known as ice cream. With the utilization of magic stones, items with a simr function to a freezer had been developed. There were merchants who used them to produce and sell ice cream. "Sure, go ahead and buy one." Since it only cost 10 UP each, Reed handed Rosaria the money. Waving her wide-brimmed hat, she ran and paid for it. "Wow, it''s ice cream..." "It''s amazing." Little kids drooling at the sight of the colorful ice on wooden sticks. "Get away from here, you brats!" The children, who had been lingering around the ice cream cart, were startled by the scolding and fled. They peeked out of his sight, carefully observing the cart merchant. Rosaria watched them as she sucked on her red ice cream. "They must want to eat it too." "Seems like it." "But why don''t they eat it?" "They can''t afford it. 10 UP is a lot of money formoners." "I see." Then, Rosaria nced at the children as she looked down at her ice cream. Reed knew she wanted to give that ice cream to those children. "You eat that one." While stroking Rosaria''s head, Reed stood in front of the merchant. "Excuse me, but how many ice creams do you have left?" "Huh? Oh, wait a moment... I have 382 left. Why do you ask, sir?" "I''d like to buy all the ice creams you have here." "What? Are you sure?" The owner''s eyes widened. It would take a whopping 3,820 UP to buy them all. For some, it''s a month''s ie, and for most, it''s arge sum that could easilyst six months. However, for Reed, it was a trivial amount, like a drop of blood from a fresh wound. He paid 3,900 UP with a tip and said. "Since I can''t carry them all myself, I''d like you to give one to each child whoes to see the ice cream. Make sure to give one to everyone without discrimination." "Ah, if you wish so, I''ll dly do it." The 10 UP high-end snack, ice cream, instantly became free. As soon as the conversation between Reed and the merchant ended, the children who had been hiding and watching rushed to the ice cream cart. "Okay, okay! One each per person! If you take two, you''ll be in trouble! Take one each and say thank you to the gentleman over there!" The merchant quickly handed out ice cream. The children, who had been busy swallowing their saliva, stood in front of Reed and thanked him. "Thank you, mister!" "Thank you, sir!" "Thank you, magician!" All the children smiled brightly as they expressed their gratitude. Receiving the children''s thanks, Reed looked down at Rosaria. She was smiling happily. ''That''s right, you like to give like this.'' Rosaria, who only smiles when everyone is happy. Watching her, Reed felt a sense of warmth and involuntarily smiled. A fountain with clear water gushing out was ced in the center of the vige square. Just a few years ago, there was a well in that spot. It was an object like a monument built to show the advancement of magic engineering. Unable to withstand the midsummer heat, innocent children threw off their clothes and jumped into the fountain to swim. Seeing her peers having fun, Rosaria''s eyes sparkled. "I want to swim too, Rosaria." "Do you know how to swim?" "I don''t know!" "Then you''re going to sink." "Sinking..." Rosaria looked shocked. Reed chuckled and spoke to her. "I''ll teach youter." "Do you know how to swim?" "Of course. When Dad is not busy, let''s go swimming. A quietke is good, as well as the beach... We''ll eat there, sleep for a night, and rx." "Hmm... Can Yuriae too?" "If her parents allow it, she can join us. Let''s go with close friends." "With all the brothers and sisters in the tower?" "... It''s difficult to take everyone, so let''s go with the closer ones." At Reed''s words, Rosaria began to count on her fingers. "Then, we''ll take the Meowmeow, Orphe, Dolores unni, and... Phoebe unni too!" "Right, we should invite Phoebe too." Phoebe''s words suddenly came to mind, weighing on him. Since he hadn''t found a proper answer, he didn''t know what to say to her. ''I wonder if Phoebe is okay?'' As always, she was working with a nonchnt expression. However, the slightly sticky atmosphere had disappeared, and she was keeping her distance. Although it was to protect Reed from potential variables, it was different when dealing with Rosaria, so he could quickly tell that it wasn''t because of that reason. That was a matter forter. For now, he focused on the outing with Rosaria. *** After having lunch together, they began eating the sliced fruit for dessert. Having finished arge sandwich and now munching on fruit, a gentle smile naturally appeared on their faces. He started to ask the question he had promised Dolores. "Rosaria." "Hmm?" "What do you think about the Academy?" "The Academy? Where Dolores unni is?" Having heard Dolores talk about it, she quickly figured out where it was. "It seems like a nice ce!" "Really? Then how about Rosaria going there?" Her expression changed subtly at that. "I heard that if I go to the Academy, I have to stay there." Rosaria looked up at Reed with a worried expression. "Then I feel like I won''t see Dad for a while... and I might be lonely." Reed answered honestly. "It''s true that we might not see each other properly during the four years of enrollment. Maybe just a few times a week at most." "I see..." Rosaria fell silent. It felt like his heart was sinking to the floor when the child, who always sparkled her eyes at new things and agreed first, had nothing to say. tter. She moved her fork but failed to pick up the fruit. Reed picked up the fruit for her and brought it to her mouth. "You don''t have to do it if you don''t want to." "But everyone said I should listen to Dad." "You don''t always have to be a good daughter. What you think matters too. If Rosaria wants to stay with Dad a little longer, Dad will follow your decision." "Okay." "So, cheer up. Dad is not going anywhere." "Hehe." Rosaria took Reed''s fruit and ate it. Her face brightened again as she munched. ''I''m still needed, huh.'' He felt both worried and relieved that she was still like a baby bird that couldn''t fly on her own yet. Being a father seems to involve such selfish and wicked thoughts. Chapter 175 In a world where the continent is vast and the unexplored areas are abundant, adventurers are always a popr profession. In the central part of the continent where the empire is established, even the areas called conquered by humans still have unexplored territories. No one would know that a dragon''sir is right under their feet in the ce they live. A boy entered a huge cave where only a little light seeped in. The space was so quiet and vast that the sound of a kicked pebble echoed in all directions. The boy walked for a while and stood in front of a huge rock. The sun is in the middle of the sky, pointing to noon. A beam of light entered through the narrow gap and tilted in front of the rock. With a dazzling golden sh, the dim interior was instantly brightened, revealing the shape of the rock. A long tail andrge wings that could cover its back even when folded. It looked like a lizard, but it had a presence that no other creature could imitate. It was a gold dragon. The golden eyes rolled and faced the boy standing in front of it. The huge eyes were enough to take in the small boypletely. The air felt as heavy as water, suffocating one''s breath like sinking in water. Despite the overwhelming pressure that would make even the top knights feel like children, the boy did not flinch. Instead, he boldly said this. "Bow your head. Your master has returned." The gold dragon''s pupils narrowed further. It thought the boy was ignorant, but the familiar energy was radiating from his body. The gold dragon scanned the boy''s body. A noticeable white scale climbing up the boy''s neck not covered by the robe caught its eye. - You possess the same power as my master, but your form is different. You are not my master. Who are you? Then the boy raised his head. "My name is Roderick Astheria. Your master entrusted everything to me." The boy''s voice carried a sense of experience. The gold dragon felt uneasy upon hearing those words. They had only exchanged a few words in this encounter, but it could feel his ambition. - I cannot understand. Are you saying that my master handed over their power to a human? "You don''t need to understand." The boy said. "I didn''te here to demand understanding from you." -Hmph! The gold dragon''s body shuddered greatly. It tried to move, but its body was stiff and no longer able to move. Its body was already immune to all magic and attacks. The only way to inflict damage on it was to break the barrier with a fatal blow and take advantage of a few seconds of vulnerability. That meant it wasn''t magic or a normal attack. The gold dragon knew. This was due to its instincts. It was an instinct etched in its blood that it shouldn''t go against him. This man had already be skilled enough to suppress the dragon''s instincts. The gold dragon barely managed to speak to him. - Overpowering with force will not help. Do you think you can gain our favor with this attitude? "I know it''s impossible. I''m not that stupid either." The gold dragon frowned. It had already seen through his intentions long ago. Now was the moment of certainty. - You n to gather power in one ce. At that moment, the sound of teeth grinding from the gold dragon''s mouth echoed like an earthquake. - You say you''re not a fool, but it seems like a foolish idea. In essence, you''re no different from the utterly foolish humans. Do you think you can defeat the humans if you gather all of our power? The gold dragon''s pupils contracted lengthily. Dragon''s fear. Its throat tightened, and his entire body became soaked with cold sweat as it emitted a thick killing intent. If he had been in a half-dragon state, he would have been trembling, but Ludrick''s face was spreading into a smile instead. "Of course." He said. "I''ve been thinking about why my master failed to conquer this world. I''ve drawn dozens of scenarios, but the answer always came down to one thing." He raised his index finger. "It''s because it wasn''t just one." - Not just one? The gold dragon raised one corner of its eye. "Do you know what is needed for absolute power and governance? A consistent set of values, and even stronger than that, a consistent mentality. That''s what I''m trying to gather power for." - And you concluded that''s the reason we failed? Despite its physical submission, the dragonughed. The narrow cave vibrated. - I thought you had grasped some profound truth, but you''ve merely touched the surface, foolish human. Ludrick didn''t like the dragon''sughing demeanor. As he flicked his finger, the dragon''s mouth was forcibly closed. If he restrained it further, he could block its throat as well. Even with that knowledge, the gold dragon did not stop talking. - Tell me, do we look like we''re hiding and living in fear of humans? Do you think we can''t rule them because we can''t be united? That''s not the case. We have a weapon they cannot possess. "What is the weapon you have?" - It''s immortality. "Immortality is a weapon?" - When peace persists, weapons rust. We intended to rule this continent by giving them despair at the end of that peace. That''s what our master told us. Roderick frowned. It wasn''t that his thoughts were being contradicted, but that he didn''t like the gold dragon babbling while under his control. - Humans will destroy themselves. So why should we interfere and create variables? "Indeed, human time is finite." He had the power to subdue the gold dragon, and the power to aim even higher. "But within that finite time, they create things that can defeat you and more. Weapons so powerful that they even covet the power of gods! That''s why infinite time is no longer on our side." Roderick smiled. His eyes looked upon the dragon as if it were a trifle at his feet. "My master entrusted everything to me. The power to control this continent and even the authority to seize the power you possess. So I can do this." As Roderick gestured, red steam rose from various parts of the gold dragon''s body and gathered in Roderick''s hand. The red essence of light gathered vigorously in Roderick, but there was no sign of it ending anytime soon. However, the gold dragon would soon lose its life. Before its vitality ran out, it warned Roderick. - Your rash judgment will ruin everything. Your existence will rally humans, and the world your master desired will meet its end. Soon, it became difficult to even breathe as its power drained away. - Why would you take such hasty action... knowing that humans will ultimately fall into their own foolishness... what are you afraid of... With itsstment. The gold dragon''s head, which had barely been raised, fell to the ground. And its body decayed rapidly, rotting and disappearing. The existence of the dragon had vanished entirely. Roderick put the condensed crystal into his chest. Roderick closed his eyes and savored the power. "Is this the power of the wless gold dragon?" A hot energy that could melt his whole body enveloped him. Like refining a heated iron, he was getting stronger. "Five more to go." He already knew their locations. Finding them, or subduing them, was no big deal. The gold dragon, said to be the strongest, had beenpletely defeated in front of him; there was no difference for the other dragons. Roderick smiled. ''If the essence of the gold dragon is this powerful, how strong will I be when Ibine the power of the other dragons?'' He always wanted to solve such questions. Roderick, who was honest with his desires, tried to solve all the mysteries. He had a personality that could only be satisfied by obtaining the answers through experimenting with everything, not just acquiring forbidden knowledge and prohibited magic. Like an untamed camel in the Thamud, he would not stop until he chased himself into the sand desert. ''I will rule this continent.'' His ambition grew darker along with the shadows. *** * * * Dream big tl dot *** Tower Master Conference Hall. An emergency meeting was held, not a regr assembly. It was the first emergency assembly since the Yggdrasil rapid growth incident. Helios, who called all the Tower Masters, exined the situation to them. "I''ve gathered everyone here because there have been reports of strange noises echoing in various ces." "Strange noises, you say?" Then another Tower Master raised his hand and spoke. "I reported it to the chairman. It sounded like something dying." "Did you also hear such noises?" "Yes. It was yesterday for us." "For us, it was the day before yesterday. And one of our workers recorded the sound. Would you like to listen to it?" Chairman Helios nodded. "Let''s listen." He took out a crystal ball and rolled it to the center. As it was ced in the center of the table with the continent drawn on it, the crystal ball emitted light. After a long period of quiet static, the problematic sound echoed. -Ahhhhhh! It was faint. The sound of birds chirping and fluttering was even louder. The Tower Masters listened to the sound but shook their heads, unable to grasp its nature. "It''s a strange sound." "Is it some kind of monster being created somewhere?" "Monster... the unique sound they have is a bit different. It sounds like a voice soaked in sorrow." "That''s right. It was like... a wailing sound." They listened to it again at that remark. The roar-like sound was closer to a wail. While listening to the sound quietly, Freesia, who rarely spoke, opened her mouth. "I think I know what it is." "Have you figured it out, ck Tower Master?" "You youngsters wouldn''t know. Helios, you know, don''t you?" Helios nodded his head. "It''s the sound of a dragon dying." "Do dragons make such a sound when they die?" "I''m not talking about the garbage with diluted blood from breeding. It''s the sound of their ancestors." "How can you be sure?" Freesia answered that question. "You youngsters might not know, but there used to be a musical instrument that made this sound. When the horn blower blew, it produced an unpleasant and sorrowful sound." "They say there was an instrument made to mimic the memories of people who witnessed the death of a dragon, called the dragon-ying horn. It was used in the past, but now it''s been destroyed as it''s considered an ominous sound of disaster." The Tower Masters of the new generation all looked puzzled as if they were hearing it for the first time. "Then, even if we assume that''s the sound of a dragon''s cry, there are still unanswered questions. Does it mean someone touched the hidden dragons?" "Did someone attack the dragons?" "But with what?" "There have been no reports of anyone creating weapons capable of taking down dragons." Dragons are different from ordinary monsters. They were once the rulers of the world, and the absolute beings. In order to escape from that ruler, humans began to arm themselves, cooperate, and finally made the continent their own. At that time, and even now, the conquest was possible only because there were weapons that could not be made. And there was not a single sign that such a weapon had been made so far. "It isn''t a good sign anyway. It''s unlikely that dragons would die naturally, so is it a territorial dispute?" "Or maybe something powerful enough to kill dragons has appeared." "I''d rather the conclusion be that the dragons fought among themselves..." The appearance of an unknown being is not a wee event. Most of them disappear for unknown reasons after wreaking havoc. "What should we do?" "The workshop and the order side would have already known, and it seems they are also waiting for us to decide what to do..." The reason they were looking at the Tower''s mages was simple. The items created by Reed and Helios were the only weapons capable of oveing the current situation. Helios stroked his beard and suggested a solution to them. "I''ll talk to the Empire and the Order side. Now that we''ve concluded it''s the sound of the dragon''s cry, there''s nothing we can do." Just as it seemed that the emergency meeting hade to a conclusion. Kugugung-. A vibration was felt in the quiet Tower Master Conference Hall. "Is it an external attack?" "What''s the situation outside?!" A worker opened the door and entered. His face was pale. "It''s, it''s a big problem! Ou, outside...!" He couldn''t finish his stuttering words and fainted on the spot. The Tower Masters picked up their weapons and stood up. Each of them used defensive magic, preparing for all situations as they moved outside. In the parking lot where sky chariots were lined up. Something was standing there, dominating the vast in all by itself. They could understand why the workers had fainted. "Are we, are we seeing this wrong?" "No, it''s definitely that." "We''re witnessing a living... legend." With a length exceeding 70m, including its tail, and a height of 10m. Thergest creature on the continent, an existence of disaster that was once called the absolute being. The dragon, which had long hidden its tracks, now stood before them. Chapter 176 It was not a dragon whose blood had weakened through breeding, but their progenitor. From its appearance and gaze, one could be sure that the pressure felt was of a different dimension. The tower masters took out their weapons and condensed their mana. As they were preparing for battle, the green dragon raised its front paw. -Lay down your weapons. I did note to fight with you. It spoke low but very clearly. Although it showed no intention to fight, the tower masters did not easily believe it. "Do you expect us to believe such a foolish thing?" -My name is Astrophe. Although, ording to your god, I am serving a person involved in heresy, I will swear on my name and that person''s honor. It was rare for a dragon to reveal its name. Above all, they take pride in their name and do not mention it casually. The tower masters hesitated but soon lowered their weapons. If it had attacked, they would have undoubtedly been caught in a surprise attack. Helios calmly continued the conversation in front of the excited tower masters. "What do you want to discuss with us, Immortal?" -Our brethren are dying, making the title of Immortal meaningless. I came to inform you of their deaths and ask for your help. "Do you need help from the likes of us?" Astrophe bowed his head. His face was calm and solemn. -Unfortunately, a person with the power of a god is unterally taking all our strength. After the death of thest brother, it will be my turn. "Your death would be good news for us, why should we help?" -He is our disaster, but he will soon be your disaster. The driving force behind his actions is greed, and that greed will only end when he admits his limits. "Isn''t it enough to make him acknowledge that?" -No one can stop that man. That''s why he will be a disaster. "Then, did youe here to ask us to stop that man?" -I ask you to hide me. Everyone made a face of disbelief at the words of the huge dragon asking to be hidden. -It may sound ridiculous that someone who ruled over mortals is now asking for protection. However, if I am discovered by him, there may be no hope left for this continent. "It seems like you''re interpreting things too dramatically." From the perspective of the listener, it didn''t sound good that he was talking about the only hope and boasting about it. And even if Astrophe put his name on the line, it was difficult to believe his words outright. Humans can always go back on their words. Even if they make a life-threatening contract using mana, some people still betray or take risks. If Astrophe had strategically nned all of this, the situation could have be even more dangerous. Helios, themander, could not rule out that possibility. However, an incident that made them believe his words happened by coincidence. A message reached the master of the Radiant Tower. It wasn''t the atmosphere for a conversation, so he had refused several times, but he couldn''t help but ept the message that kepting. And then. "What?" The master of the Radiant Tower encountered shocking news. His question caught the attention of the other tower masters. As they watched his expression gradually turn pale, they waited for him to finish the message. Finally, he raised his head and looked at the tower masters. The pale face made the tower masters anxious. "What''s the matter, Radiant?" "It''s unbelievable... How could this..." The master of the Radiant Tower trembled for a while and then informed them of the news he had heard. "My tower... It has copsed." "What?" "What does that mean...?" The tower masters showed the same reaction and words as the first words spoken by the master of the Radiant Tower. As the master of the Radiant Tower staggered, the other tower masters supported him and seated him. "Tell us. What''s going on right now?" "Are you sure you didn''t hear it wrong? It''s not that the tower copsed, but something else copsed while being built..." The master of the Radiant Tower continued with a desperate face. "They said it was one person. An unknown figure appeared and indiscriminately bombed the tower, sweeping through the interior." One person. Even if a famous magician from the empire came, or even if Helios, the strongest tower master, came, it would be impossible to single-handedly bring down a tower. The master of the Radiant Tower covered his face to hide his despair and continued speaking as if possessed. "They said his power and magic were overwhelming. There was no sign when he entered the tower, and no one could stop him even when most of the magicians were killed..." "That''s enough, we get it." As the master of the Radiant Tower became increasingly distressed, Helios interrupted him. Freesia, who had been listening, furrowed her brows. "Hey, let him talk more. Don''t we need to report what the enemy looked like and how they attacked?" -There''s no need for that. It must be the man I mentioned. Astrophe answered Freesia''s question. The other tower masters could roughly guess it when the story continued. -He seems to have destroyed the tower to show off his power. Can''t control his power, and he hopes someone will look after him? How arrogant. Astrophe furrowed his brows. "It seems like what you said is somewhat true." -I do not lie. I do not allow room for emotions like you humans who are swayed by useless desires and make mistakes. That''s why we can be immortals. It was a proud statement for a dragon like him. Helios focused on the current situation, whether it was true or not. "If we hide you, there''s a high chance we''ll encounter the man looking for you. That puts us at risk as well." -If you protect my safety, I will give you something in return. What do you wish for, tower master? "We need the power to oppose you and information to obtain it." Astrophe closed his eyes for a moment. It was a request to reveal his weakness, so he couldn''t help but hesitate. Dragons are rational. The anger towards the death of their kind and the fear of their approaching death were very trivial factors in their judgment. Having made a calm decision, Astrophe nodded his head. -Fine, tower master. If that''s the way to prevent a rampage, I will dly help. After obtaining Astrophe''s agreement, the tower masters'' meeting moved on to a new topic. It was about where to hide that huge lizard. * * * * Dream big tl dot *** - Roderick Astheria. There was anger in the voice of the faceless iplete being. After transferring most of the power he held to him, he had only recently heard about what Roderick Astheria had done. - Do you know what you''ve done? To that question, the boy, Roderick, replied. "I know." - Dragons are responsible for the bnce of this world. I need dragons in the world I will rule again. So, what''s the point of killing all the dragons now? "What''s the reason why the dragons that once ruled this world were pushed back by humans?" He said, with an expression that showed no hesitation. "The dragons werecent about their power, and they showed weakness because of thatcency. That''s why they had to escape back underground! If their power is united, even such weaknesses won''t be a problem." - That would only render the continent itself meaningless. They should be able to check each other and protect their territories, so how could it go as you wish? The iplete being spoke about the n he had made with the dragons before. - The reason they hid themselves was that they were in great fear. "So, what''s the problem?" - Fear subjugates humans. However, the moment they ovee it, they gain a power greater than fear. Humans harbored hope to escape the dragon''s rule and only waited for peace toe. Peace blooms flowers and rusts weapons. The glory of the past will be forgotten, and the things that should be guarded will be dismissed as mere legends. "Then let me ask you one thing. Why did you give me this power?" - ... "Since it didn''t go as you wished, you gave it to me to manipte this world as I please, didn''t you?" The iplete being did not answer. Roderick took that silence as confirmation. Roderick smiled and said. "Don''t worry. I will win, and I will be the master of this world! After all, isn''t the time I will rule insignificantpared to the eternal time you possess?" - So, you''re saying you''re going to kill the remaining one as well. ¡°Since the bnce has already copsed, it''s only right to deal with them all in the process.¡± - I''ll give you one piece of advice. Don''t make things any bigger than they already are. Roderick red at him with an expression that tantly annoyed him. His originally red pupils had turned yellow after absorbing the power of the dragon, and they hadpletely transformed into a dragon''s eyes. ¡°What reason do I have to back down? What''s left for you? The power to turn back time? And the power to control dragons? You''re nothing but a weakling now.¡± - You''re insolent. ¡°As I said, I''ll enjoy just a little bit of what you can enjoy, and then I''ll go. Please wait until then, my lord.¡± With those words, Roderick disappeared gracefully. Maronie, who had been listening, trembled and shouted. ¡°Th-that damn rebel! My lord, please give me the order! I''ll deal with that damn thing right now...!¡± The man silenced him. Realizing he had overstepped, Maronie apologized with his head pressed to the floor. - It''s impossible for you to surpass Roderick with your power. The child you''re creating might be able to do it. So, focus on your work first. ¡°I understand. I, Maronie, will definitely bring you satisfying results.¡± Maronie hurried back to the operating table, not wanting to waste a single second, and began touching the lump of flesh. The lump of flesh had already grown to more than twice the size of Maronie''s body. It was only natural for it to swell that much, as he had stuffed all sorts of things into it. It was an object he had been creating through modification work for a month. Maronie had modified his own head to eliminate the concept of sleep. This made him awake 24 hours a day, and he continued the surgery without any rest. A normal person would have gone insane in such a situation, but he always showed the same appearance. Perhaps he had already gone mad. ¡®I expected Roderick to be difficult to handle, but it eventually came to this.¡¯ To be honest, Roderick had been more appealing than Maronie so far. He was intellectual, cultured, and always showed restraint. He had thought that Ruderick was an unpredictable character who might betray him at any time, but he had never imagined that he would ignore his will like this. ¡®No... I knew this.¡¯ Roderick asked. Then why did he give him the power? The power of the dragon''s origin should have been given after everything was over. But the timing was too far off. Knowing that Roderick would go on a rampage, he still handed over his power to Roderick. ¡®Was I too impatient?¡¯ Things that seemed to be going smoothly started to distort, and like dominoes, they fell one by one. Now it was too far gone to even stop. ¡®I knew all of this...¡¯ Then why couldn''t he stop it properly? Was there something crucial that made him make such a foolish choice? In the end, only questions remained in his self-reflection. ¡®If ites to this... even I will be annihted.¡¯ Roderick would eventually threaten his life as well. Although he said he would only enjoy a tiny part of the eternal time, he would undoubtedly desire immortality, and eventually try to rule over time itself. ¡®I am so powerless.¡¯ He thought that bing the one and only god was only for himself. However, with the power to turn back time and the power to control dragons all gone, he was nothing but a weakling. ¡®No, there is still one thing left.¡¯ It couldn''t be called a trump card, but at least there was a means to leave room forpromise. A belief that it could be his world after eliminating the naivepetitor. But even he, who held such faith, was no different from a pathetic human. Once the n went awry, it reached a point where it was impossible to recover. ¡®You and I... are so different.¡¯ She had always been precarious, but she had escaped from that precariousness. She preferred small dreams to grand ones and knew how to love the weak. He couldn''t stop feeling envious and jealous of her. Chapter 177 The 13 dragons that were said to have existed since the beginning. Around the time the continent stabilized, they appeared and tried to divide and rule the continent into 13 parts. However, humans had the power to ovee adversity, and 4 of them met their end at the hands of humans. Since then, dragons have been called the rulers of the old world. It was thought that it was impossible to face them. But the green dragon, who introduced himself as Astrophe, appeared. As if that wasn''t enough, he asked for protection from humans. The wizards of the tower granted his request and hid him. The location was underground beneath the Silence Tower. The reason for choosing that ce was simple. It wouldn''t be strange even if a lot of mana was suddenly used because they were conducting ¡°Project: Sunflower¡±. It was most suitable to decide whether Helios'' magic would work on a being that was once a disaster, and if not, how to formte countermeasures. It was Reed who suggested it, and everyone agreed with the idea, so there was no conflict of opinions. (T/N: Bringing someone who is a disaster¡¯s target to his home, so much for Rosaria love) The wizards of the tower used all the magic they had to create arge spacepletely isted from the outside. It took only 8 hours. It wasn''t difficult for the 13 leaders of the tower to create a superrge sealed room. The next thing to do was to supplement the manpower to study the dragon. It was a worrying part, but it went smoother than expected. ''Applicants are overflowing.'' Among those who received the proposal, not a single person refused. Seeing the dragon with their own eyes was a research worth the risk for the wizards who thirsted for knowledge. Would they even work as a janitor if they fail? A wizard in the empire''s robe cautiously stood in front of Astrophe. "Um, excuse me..." -Hmm? "I''m thinking of drawing blood..." -Ah, I apologize, mortal. Astrophe turned his arm outward to show the scale-less part, and the blood collection was carried out. Despite being the easiest task, all the wizards participating in the blood collection were soaked in cold sweat. ''I want to get out of here quickly.'' ''Does it feel like the urge to survive is prating even through magic resistance?'' The wizards involved in the research of Astrophe were all wearing artifacts that resist mental attacks. That''s because it was difficult to look at Astrophe with the naked eye otherwise. Even with a resistance of over 50%, they couldn''t make eye contact with Astrophe, and if he stared at a human, that person would faint immediately. Being a being that was no different from mental magic just by its existence, it was quite a challenge for even wizards obsessed with research to approach it. ''I''m lucky to have aplete immunity artifact.'' Reed fiddled with the bracelet on his right arm. It was a gift from Dolores who heard about the current situation. She asked the university professors and had it made in just one day. ''It''s amazing how she has those professors wrapped around her finger.'' With the dean''s favor, the professors also had no choice but to be fond of her. Although he was in apletely immune state, he couldn''t block the tension rising from within his heart. As Reed walked up to him, Astrophe, sensing his presence, opened his eyes and looked at Reed. -You must be Reed Adeleheights Roton, the master of the Silence Tower. "Yes, proud one." -It''s embarrassing to be called by such a title even when you see me in this state. Astrophe chuckled. Reed looked at Astrophe with serious eyes. ''This is a real dragon...'' asionally, dragons appeared as dungeon boss monsters, but they were all children of the originals. Unlike the immortal dragons, they age and be no different from other creatures that decline as they pass their prime. ''But this dragon lives forever.'' Immortality! The truth that the great and emperors who adorned a page in history sought. But it was a concept that remained only as a legend because no one could possess it. ''There will undoubtedly be those who are after that among the people who participated in this research.'' -Don''t worry, young tower master. No one will reach our immortality. Reed was taken aback. He wondered if it had leaked out of his mouth, but his lips didn''t move at all. ''You''re reading my thoughts.'' -It''s one of my insignificant abilities. I can see through the hearts of humans. This ability will be known only to you for now. Reed looked around. He checked that everyone was absorbed in their research and then asked. ''Since you''re reading my thoughts, I''ll tell you. I don''t trust you.'' -Even though I put my name on the line, it seems that my sincerity doesn''t get through to humans. Since it''se to this, let me tell you one thing. I hate you so much that I want to kill you. It wasn''t surprising, perhaps because it was such an unfiltered truth. ''I''d like to hear the reason.'' -Because you are the greatest enemy of our master. Our ns were ruined because you changed fate. ''You must be very angry.'' -Anger? It''s a natural emotion. If someone like a thief secretly touches my stuff and I don''t get angry, wouldn''t that be strange? But don''t worry. I won''t do anything stupid enough to ruin your ns. Astrophe curled his tail and made his whole body round. It was a gesture that he would not move at all. -By the way, there is a half-dragon with dragon blood in your tower, right? ''Yes.'' -Is that child noting here? Reed narrowed his eyebrows and showed an unpleasant expression. ''If the child wants to, I can send her down, but she probably won''t want to meet you.'' -Why is that? ''Because she said she doesn''t want to do anything that might threaten us even a little.'' -It seems that something happened. Astrophe didn''t ask any more about Phoebe. -It would be a shame if I couldn''t meet her... but it seems that I won''t have to feel that regret. ''What do you mean?'' The answer to that question was the sound of someone running from behind. "Dad!" "Miss!" A dragging voice chased a naive voice. As Reed turned his head, he was taken aback. Rosaria and Phoebe had entered. ''What is this...'' -Isn''t the god of fate really mean? It doesn''t follow as you think. Astrophe''s mocking voice echoed in his head. He wanted to grind his teeth, but Reed greeted her with a smile. "How did you get in here? You didn''t break the barrier again, did you?" "No! I snuck in when another wizard entered!" Reed was surprised that she could get in that way, even though she was small. Reed looked up at Phoebe. "Why didn''t you catch her andete?" "There were too many people... and they said we had to go through all the verification procedures, so I was a bitte." The entry process was made cumbersome as it was top-secret information throughout the entire continent. ''Ignore that when the child sneaks in.'' Reed didn''t mention that anymore. He also took measures so that the master of the Silence Tower couldn''t enter without going through that cumbersome process. -You must be Rosaria Adeleheights Roton, the daughter of the master of the Silent Tower? "Yes, that''s right!" -And you must be the daughter of Astheria, Phoebe Astheria Roton. "Yes, that''s correct." Rosaria nodded, staring into Astrophe''s eyes. While Phoebe was avoiding his eyes uneasily, Rosaria stared at hisrge eyes as if nothing was wrong. The wizards who were watching this began to whisper. "Is she really the daughter of the Silent Tower Master?" "It seems that the genius with the Eternal Hole doesn''t care about dragons either." "She''s a scary prodigy...!" The wizards began to evaluate Rosaria, making various spections. While they exaggerated and inted, Reed saw it differently. ''She just looks like a fearless kid...'' An immature girl who loves fairy tales and adventures. She still seemed like a child who hadn''t yet left her father''s side. "A dragon...!" For Rosaria, who couldn''t see a real dragon, it was one of the few opportunities to satisfy her curiosity. Astrophe didn''t look at Rosaria but stared clearly at Phoebe. -I wanted to see you once, a child who inherited the blood of my friend. "Are, are you talking to me?" Phoebe looked around in confusion, but there was no one else. -Who else would there be in here who inherited the blood of a dragon? "That''s right..." -It brings back old memories. That guy never knew when to stop when he started fighting. I said that one day that trait would catch up to him, and in the end... He snorted. -He died at the hands of the humans he despised. "I''m, I''m sorry..." Reed was surprised, but when Phoebe bowed her head and apologized, Astrophe stared at her quietly. -As I thought... I''m d I got to see you. He sounded satisfied. -I''d like to have a little chat. "A chat?" -A personal conversation. It''s not something good for too many people to hear. Astrophe''s eyes turned to Reed. -The master of the Silence Tower should probably listen to this too. "Do you mean me?" -Having you here will make the decision-making process faster after listening to this story. Reed couldn''t understand what he meant. However, he didn''t know what Astrophe was going to talk to Phoebe about, and if there was a need to listen, there was no reason to refuse. Reed sent Rosaria back for a moment. A private space was created as the white space expanded around Astrophe. When Astrophe confirmed that it waspletely sealed, he started with a rather serious tone. -It would be best to listen to my words. This moment may nevere again. "What do you mean by ''nevere again''?" -I will die. Right here in this ce. The one who reacted to that was Reed. "You''re going to die even though we hid you and helped you?" -It''s not a matter of sess or failure. It''s a matter of cause and effect. The moment my other brothers faced death, I must also meet my end. It''s a predetermined event. Even if you create a perfectly sealed space, that fate is still watching me. I will undoubtedly be one with my brothers. "Did you ask for this space to be created just to buy time?" -It''s about doing what I can to correct a misguided situation. To the best of my ability. They didn''t ask any more about that issue and moved on to the main point. "So, what is the story you want to tell?" -The origin of the dragon cannot be killed. No matter what you humans create, it''s the power of the gods, and it cannot be stopped. The only ones who can reach the origin of the dragon are the dragons themselves, and by eliminating the one who possesses that origin, they be a new vessel. "What does it mean to be a vessel...?" -It means literally having the power to control dragons. You will break free from the human shackles and be immortal. Phoebe wasn''t the brightest, but what she heard didn''t sound pleasant. She wondered if she was misunderstanding something. "That means..." Phoebe asked if her guess was correct. "Are you saying... I will be a dragon?" Astrophe answered her question. -Yes, you willpletely break away from being human. Not a half-dragon, but a dragon. One side will disappear, and only one side will remain. Chapter 178 Phoebe stared quietly at the ceiling in her room. She had been looking at the ceiling for 30 minutes already. ''Bing the origin of the dragon.'' She asked what would happen if she became the origin of the dragon. And Astrophe answered like this: - It''s escaping the constraints of humanity and living a new life. Bing an immortal like us. "Does that mean my size will also increase?" - Yes. Phoebe looked at Astrophe''s body. A giant body over 70 meters in size, standing tall. A being worthy of being looked up to, reigning supreme over all creatures. However, if that bes her, the story changes. Phoebe didn''t want to be a dragon. Rather, she hated her power. She had the blood of the most skilled in battle, but once she fought, she couldn''t stop. When her siblings were resurrected, she barely managed to suppress her power and prevent her sanity from copsing. ''Bing the ck Dragon.'' What would happen if she became the ck Dragon? Phoebe opened the illustrated book and looked up information about the ck Dragon. The ck Dragon had been killed by humans, so there was a lot of information about it. It was a well-known fact that the ck Dragon had been brutally tormenting humans, so the contents were simr to her memories. What about the appearance? ¡®82 meters long, 12 meters tall... What''s tall? Is it the best typo?'' She looked up another dictionary and found out it meant height. Anyway, she knew it was even bigger and taller than Astrophe. ''I''ll grow a lot.'' She tried to think positively and smile, but it wasn''t easy. As she turned the page, a sketch of the ck Dragon''s face caught her eye. Three pairs of threatening horns and sharp teeth. Even the simple drawing seemed fierce. ''I... be this.'' Phoebe leaned her body against the backrest and looked up at the ceiling. ''I can ept... a change like this.'' Even if she bes a giant lizard, she is still herself. She might have tried to bear it like that. Maybe, at least, it could be an opportunity to get rid of the distracting thoughts in her head. But it wasn''t just that. - And it won''t be the same as before. Everything you''ve seen will be seen through our eyes. "That means..." - The bnce of the continent. You could help your enemies, or you could hurt the ones you love. That was the decisive factor that obstructed her choice. The conversation ended there. Reed got angry, saying that it was no different than dying, and refused to talk further. Astrophe didn''t force her. She had already killed someone precious to her. However, they had already been dead, and it was only to protect even more precious people. ''Master of the Tower...'' She had imagined countless times in the past about killing him, but now she didn''t even dream about it. There was only one way to stop it. - If you don''t want that, you can fall into eternal sleep. Just like we did. It was about disappearing, biding time like they had when they hid after ruling the continent. ''What should I do...'' Unable to find an answer on her own, Phoebe stood up from her seat. It was a reflexive action that had be a habit long ago. There was always someone who would give her the answer in times like this. She took steps to find that person. *** * * * Dream big tl dot *** Knock knock-. Reed, who had finished showering and was about to fall asleep, opened the door at the sound of the knock. Standing on the other side was Phoebe. "Phoebe?" "Uhm..." She had walked up to the door and knocked, but still seemed hesitant. Seeing that she didn''t speak for a while, Reed opened the door wide and said, "Would you like toe in?" "..." Phoebe entered without saying a word. She sat quietly on the opposite side of Reed. "You came because of what Astrophe said, right? It''s difficult to make a decision on your own because of that." "Yes..." Phoebe nodded her head. "You don''t have to bear it." Reed preempted the conversation Phoebe was about to bring up. Flustered for a moment, Phoebe continued the conversation. "Is there an alternative?" "Do you remember Dolores'' case? Removing the magic seed after transferring it to an artificial body. We might be able to find a way like that again." "Is that... possible?" "It might be possible." "Please don''t just tell me hopeful stories. I want to hear the truth now." "..." At Phoebe''s words, Reed pondered for a moment and then gave her an answer. "Honestly, it''s going to be difficult. We need to create a state simr to that of a half-dragon, and it''s not easy to create that state." "I guess so, huh?" Phoebe smiled. Her face seemed refreshed, as she didn''t have to hold onto unnecessary hope. Back then, they had barely found a solution in a pressing situation. Reed could guess that Phoebe would think the same way. "If you don''t want to, you could also tell your siblings about the current situation..." "I don''t want that." Phoebe cut her off decisively. "I don''t want to involve Gorgon and Saul." She didn''t want to do it, but she also didn''t want to pass the burden onto others. That was Phoebe''s dilemma regarding the current situation. "I''m sorry. Lately... I keep getting agitated..." "No, I can understand that it''s a sensitive issue since it''s about family." He could understand, but it was a headache since he couldn''t find an answer. "So, do you want to be that?" "I... I have to be that." "If you can make that decision, then why did youe to me to talk about it?" Her hands, which were politely folded together, tensed up. "That''s... right." Phoebe''s voice trembled. "Why did Ie here... to talk about this...?" Phoebe seemed confused, as if she didn''t even know herself. Reed put both his hands on her shoulders. Phoebe''s shoulders seemed to ascend, reaching for the sky. Her body stiffened as if she had been electrocuted, but soon softened. "Master of the Tower?" A strange atmosphere flowed. Reed wrapped his arms around Phoebe, hugging her close to his chest so she couldn''t escape. Poof! "Cough!" Reed choked. He had forgotten one thing. The fact that Phoebe''s horns were pointing forward. He could be stabbed if he hugged her too hard. "Master of the Tower!" Phoebe, who btedly realized the situation, made a fuss. Her horn pierced through Reed''s shirt and embedded itself into his flesh. Although the tip was blunt, it hit his chest, so he couldn''t help but clutch his chest. Phoebe gently patted Reed''s back to calm him down. "Why would you do such a foolish thing!?" "That''s... right." The romantic atmosphere and embarrassment were all shattered. Reed rubbed his chest and exined his impulsive action. "I realized I had never hugged you even once." "Didn''t you hug me once because of the Hupper Kingdom incident?" "Well, that''s true, but the purpose was different then." Phoebe swallowed the words that it didn''t matter. An awkward atmosphere flowed. She wanted to get out of it right away. "So, then...!" Phoebe gathered her courage and spread her arms wide. Her flushed cheeks were exposed without any filter. "Let''s... try it again...!" At her words, Reed stood in front of Phoebe again. And they hugged each other again. This time, Phoebe lifted her head so her horns wouldn''t touch his chest. Reed wrapped his arms around Phoebe''s shoulders. Phoebe ced her hand on Reed''s shoulder. She gently ced it, like a butterflynding. ''I must not rx. I must not rx...'' If she rxed and lost control, Reed''s waist could break. Her strength was more than enough to do that. It was so resentful that she had to restrain herself even when it came to love. After about a minute, Phoebe carefully pushed him away, and the hug ended. "Thank you." Phoebe said her farewell and left the room as she was. It was unclear whether it had helped her decision. However, she decided to be grateful that at least she didn''t have to worry about a problem that didn''t need to be solved right now. *** In the basement where Astrophe was trapped. Magicians immersed in research day and night studied the dragon''s weaknesses in various ces. Since his conversation with Reed, Astrophe had been sitting still with his eyes closed. Except for the asional twitching of his body to show that he was alive, he remained motionless, almost indistinguishable from a corpse. -Hmm? "Eek!" Astrophe opened his eyes and raised his head. The researchers who had been examining the dragon''s scales were startled and retreated. Astrophe looked down at the researchers he had frightened. Although he only nced at them wondering what was going on, they were sweating profusely, thinking they might have disturbed Astrophe''s nap. "Did we, by any chance, disturb you?" - No, that''s not it. It''s because a guest ising. "A guest?" Astrophe raised his front paw and spoke. - Sorry, but you guys should sleep for a while. "What is this...?" Magic circles appeared from his ws, and pink gas spewed out, filling the enclosed space. "Huh, what?" "Why am I sleepy..." The magicians who inhaled the gas began to copse one by one. It was Astrophe''s sleep magic. After confirming all the magicians had fallen asleep, Astrophe withdrew his magic. Then, with a mischievous face, he sat still, staring at the gate. A momentter, the door opened and a guest entered. "It seems everyone is asleep here. Strange, isn''t it?" -Meow. "They said we shouldn''t sleep during work, but they''re all sleeping. Should I tell Dad?" -Meow. "Um... I guess I''ll let it slide just once since we came secretly too!" -Meow. The Princess of Silence Tower, Rosaria, and her contracted spirit, Meowmeow, came down to the secret area together. -Can youmunicate with that child? "Ah!" At Astrophe''s question, Rosaria shrugged her shoulders. She was so preupied with talking to Meowmeow that she didn''t notice Astrophe watching her. Rosaria answered his question. "I don''t know if we canmunicate! But Meowmeow always listens to my stories well!" -Is Meowmeow the name of that peculiar spirit? How unusual. "Meowmeo is happy!" -Meow. Meowmeow responded with its mouth wide open. The dragon quietly watched Meowmeow. Whether it resembled its owner or not, it didn''t show any signs of nervousness or sweating like other humans. -What brings you here, little girl? "I came here to be friends with you!" The ruler of the old continent, an absolute being whose status still continues. But when the little girl called him, she called him ''mister''. There was no confusion or anger. She was so pure that he could only respond to her innocence. -How will we be friends? "I''ll give you what I like the most." -What you like the most? Rosaria took something out of the bag she was carrying on her back. It was a sandwich wrapped in paper. "This is my favorite! It must be delicious, right?" -It''s been a long time since I''ve felt the taste of something delicious. "Do you eat tasteless things every day?" -I don''t know because I have no reason to eat. "Why don''t you eat? Aren''t you hungry?" -Immortals do not feel hunger. Desire clouds reason and kills the senses. "Really? I thought you would eat a lot..." -If this body felt hunger, half of this continent would have be a desert. "Wow, that sounds terrifying." -Yes, terrible things would happen. Astropheughed. Seeing his heartyughter, Rosaria spoke as she looked at Astrophe. "You don''t seem like a vicious dragon." -What is viciousness? "Vicious creatures are those monsters that torment people." -We don''t torment humans. We simply rule. "What is ruling?" Rosaria tilted her head and asked. -It''s maintaining the bnce of this continent. Making itfortable for all living beings to live. Thanks to that kind of rule, there wasn''t a single war during the hundreds of years we reigned. Rosaria blinked her eyes and innocently argued. "But that''s because you guys were tormenting people." Chapter 179 Then, Astropheughed softly and said. -You pretend to be naive, but you know what you need to know, girl. That''s right, absolute rule is all about suppressing conflicts through fear. Astrophe looked at Rosaria and asked. -Isn''t that the ultimate peace you want? At Astrophe''s question, Rosaria closed her eyes and tilted her head. Rosaria opened her eyes wide and said to Astrophe. "I don''t know." -Why don''t you know? "Because I''m 11 years old. And I''m a fool!" -Is that something to be proud of? "I get angry when Yuria teases me for being a fool. But that''s who I am!" She has ambitions, but she doesn''t deny herself. Saying so, Rosaria unwrapped the sandwich and showed it to him. "I don''t know what a truly happy world is like, but I want to create a world like this sandwich!" -A world like a sandwich? "You see, you can''t eat a sandwich separately. If you eat the bread alone, your mouth gets dry. If you eat lettuce separately, it''s tasteless. If you eat ham separately, it''s very salty! But when they alle together, they be a delicious sandwich!" -A world like a sandwich... Astrophe could understand what she meant by a sandwich-like world. But would everyone be happy when such a worldes? Isn''t the happiness of this continent to control everything under absolute power and rule? Astrophe was curious. What kind of world was the sandwich-like world she talked about? He felt that he could quench his thirst only if he tasted it a little. -The moment hase when I have to change my mind for the first andst time. Astrophe dropped his head next to Rosaria and said. -Can I take back the sandwich you said you''d give me? "Mister, you said it wouldn''t even fill your stomach?" -Even if my body is this big, I can at least taste it. "Rosaria wanted to eat it all by myself..." Rosaria hid the sandwich in her arms with a yful smile. Then, as if reluctantly, she unwrapped the sandwich and handed it to Astrophe, who was standing in front of her. The huge tongue, bigger than Rosaria''s body, wrapped around the small sandwich. Astrophe closed his eyes and tasted the sandwich, rolling it on his tongue. -A world like a sandwich... Astrophe felt like he could understand what that world would be like. -It''s a shame I can''t see it with my own eyes. "Why can''t you?" -Because when that timees, I won''t be here. "That''s not true! You can live a long life and see it together!" -Do you want me to live? "Of course! If you die, someone will definitely be sad." At those words, Astrophe''s face hardened. Feeling the cold atmosphere, Rosaria looked up at him. -Someone would be sad... There''s no one left like that now. People who would be sad. If there were any, it would have been his brothers. But they were all killed by Roderick, so there was no one left. Astrophe was alone. Hisst fate was to be a subject of research for other magicians in a blocked space. Rosaria could feel Astrophe''s loneliness. The emotion was so heartbreaking that she became solemn as well. And with a determined, energetic gaze, she looked up at him and shouted. "I''ll be sad for you!" -You''re serious? "Yes! If you die, I''ll be sad for you. So you have to live a long life!" -Hahahaha! You''re a funny child. Everyone hated me, but you''re willing to be sad for me. What kind ofedy is this? After a burst ofughter, Rosaria looked up at Astrophe with a sheepish expression. -Thank you. It''s an honor to have someone cry for me. "Hmph! I won''t do it again." Even if he wanted it again, that day wouldn''te. Astrophe knew that fact. Death is an inevitable fate. It''s not something that can be changed or resisted because it is an absolute destiny. *** * * * Dream big tl dot *** The middle-aged man felt as if he was dreaming, even with his eyes open. The moment unfolding before him right now His broken house. The messy floor. And the unidentified boy standing in the middle of it all. That boy was the one who had made his house like this. The middle-aged man looked up at the boy as he crouched down, and the boy looked down at him. "What on earth is going on? Who are you to do such a thing in my house?" When he asked, the boy chuckled. "Roderick Astheria. Or is ''Shadow'' more familiar to you?" "Shadow? That nickname is... Don''t tell me, from the Academy...!!" There was only one ssmate he called that. "Do you get it now?" "But you... You should have been dead!" "Is that important? It''s important that I''m alive and seeing you now." Roderick smiled. Seeing that smile, the middle-aged man felt ufortable. "I heard youmitted suicide while studying dragons... So that was just a cover. You had already let your soul inhabit apleted body?" "There''s no need to talk about it now. That''s not important anyway." "Then what is important?" Roderick raised his hand and scratched his cheek. His hand, with white scales and sharp nails, couldn''t be called a human hand. "They say personal emotions disappear when you be a dragon. You be a rational being with a single purpose, right?" "So what?" "But my personal emotions didn''t disappear. The first thing that boiled up was the suppressed desire for revenge." "Do you still remember that time?" The middle-aged man looked up at Roderick, surprised. Roderick''s expression became distorted as if the memory of that time was revived. "So you want me to apologize?" The middle-aged man asked Roderick. "No. You should have apologized a long time ago." "So... this is revenge." At that, the middle-aged man''s face lost its confusion. Now that he heard it was all for revenge, he calmed down. "It''s truly pathetic." At the middle-aged man''s words, Roderick''s eyebrows twitched. "What?" "Although I did torment you, I also helped you as a fellow magician and ssmate. I provided whatever you needed for your research. What did you do for me in return? Did you evere to me and talk about that day?" "Back then, you treated me like an insect! I remember it clearly with my own eyes!" "Did I? I never looked down on you even once. I didn''t admire you either, I just treated you as a fellow ssmate. But you didn''t think so. In the end, you hid your true feelings and only now, after so much time has passed, do you explode like this? It''s truly pathetic. I thought you had grown up, but just like your body, you were an immature child." "Shut up." "Show me your face." The middle-aged man''s gaze changed. Roderick''s expression distorted. "This is the look of contempt for you." Crack-. The floor shattered, and the walls cracked. Soon, the middle-aged man''s face broke too. Snap! With an exploding sound, only a bloodstain remained where the middle-aged man had been sitting. It didn''t even take 0.1 seconds for his body to disappear. "...Damn." Roderick btedly realized he had made a mistake. Originally, he nned to use the man''s wife and son for revenge. He intended to make the man beg for mercy, but unknowingly killed him in one blow. There was nothing he could do since not even a single piece of flesh was left to use necromancy. Roderick''s face changed to emotionless in an instant. His burning emotions turned into an ice-cold state. "There''s nothing I can do." Roderick pointed at a part of the mansion that had not yet copsed. The cracks spread like spiderwebs, and the room copsed in an instant. A faint scream buried in the rubble. Roderick''s childhood revenge ended there. ''But why did Ie here in the first ce?'' Roderick thought about the starting point of this revenge y. And he realized he was doing this to find thest remaining dragon. ''Where is the Green Dragon, Astrophe?'' He had tried to gather information to find his whereabouts, and in the process, past events hade to mind. Roderick had thought, ''Might as well get it all out while I''m at it,'' and acted on his thoughts. ''It didn''t go as nned, but it''s refreshing.'' Roderick thought so. He didn''t doubt that he had apletely different nature from the rational dragons. Roderickpletely destroyed the broken mansion. After turning the mansion into ruins in one breath, Roderick disappeared without a trace. *** Silence Tower, in front of the office. While working as a secretary, Phoebe received an unexpected call. -Imperial Communication Officer, Ivan Hux. "Silence Tower, Deputy Tower Master Phoebe Astheria Roton. What can I do for you?" Phoebe asked with her usual drawn-out voice. -The officer would like to have a video call, is that possible? "Tower Master is not here right now. If you could tell me who is requesting the call, I can pass it on..." -It''s not for the Tower Master. It''s a request for the Deputy Tower Master. "For me?" Did a high-ranking officer have a reason to call her? Phoebe tilted her head in confusion and replied. "Yes. I can take the call now. Would you connect it, please?" -Understood. Please excuse the noise during the call, as the line is quite difficult to connect. Phoebe checked her appearance once more and waited for the video call to connect. Shortly after, the call connected, and Phoebe''s face lit up brightly. -Phoebe. "Gorgon, what brings you to call like this?" The one who requested to talk to her was her younger brother, Gorgon. Phoebe smiled naturally, but Gorgon spoke with a nk expression. -I heard about Astrophe from the Tower Master. "..." Phoebe''s excitement faded. -Isn''t it our fate that one of the three of us has to be a dragon? "Did you call me just to talk about that?" -Yes. What do you want to do? "I..." She couldn''t answer. She couldn''t expose her desire to escape. After a long silence, Gorgon said. -I''ll do it. Phoebe shouted in panic. "No! You can''t! You mustn''t!" -Why not? "Because if you do, the empire''s forces will be too powerful. There''s no doubt there will be problems!" -My blood of the Golden Dragon won''t pose a threat to anyone. I n to leave the empire when I be a dragon. "What? What do you mean..." -I made a promise to the emperor. If Saul or I be a dragon, we won''t be restrained. At least then, the situation you''re worried about won''t happen. Gorgon offered a solution to the reason for Phoebe''s objection, but Phoebe didn''t ept it. She vigorously shook her head like a child. "I hate that even more!" -Isn''t it a good thing, considering the empire is weakening? "I don''t care about the empire! I just can''t stand the thought of you bing a dragon!" Phoebe couldn''t help but reveal her true feelings. Gorgon knew her true feelings from the start. He had known about Phoebe''s love for her family for a long time. "I can''t bear to see you or Saul leave so sadly! You both deserve to live happily there. You should get married, have children, and have that right." -That''s not my happiness, and it''s not Saul''s either. "Don''t you know how precious family is? Even if you don''t think so now, there will undoubtedly be partners for Saul and Gorgon. So..." -Then! Phoebe was startled and leaned back as Gorgon suddenly shouted. His expression, which had been emotionless no matter what he said, was now distorted. -Why do you worry about our future but not think about your own?! Chapter 180 "I also want to secure my future¡­" -Don''t make meugh. Phoebe, why do you worry so much about us but don''t ept that we worry about you? Phoebe closed her mouth. Gorgon, full of emotion, stared at Phoebe. -Phoebe, I''m a man too. Gorgon said. -Before inheriting the blood of the Yellow Dragon, before being the vanguard of the empire, before being an experimental subject of the Astheria family, I was a man. Do you know what kind of creature a man is? "I-I don''t know..." -They say that men live and die by their pride. At first, I found that saying strange. But... now I can understand it. Gorgon''s gaze deepened. His eyes looking at Phoebe became more affectionate. -I also... want to keep my pride in front of the person I love and die trying. He wanted to tell her that he loved her with thest memory of his life. That''s why Gorgon chose to die instead of Phoebe. But Phoebe didn''t fully understand his words. No matter what, he was talking about dying, so Phoebe wanted to stop him. Thinking of a good excuse, she racked her brain and replied to Gorgon like this. "But, but I... Yes! I''m the eldest! It''s only right that the eldest should lead the way!" -...I''ve told you many times, I''m the same age as you, Phoebe. "But since I''m number one in the hierarchy, I''m the older sister..." Phoebe hesitated, fiddling with her fingers. Seeing Phoebe trying toe up with another excuse, Gorgon sighed. -Why don''t you just say it''s because you''re the captain? "Th-that''s it!" Phoebe''s eyes widened, and she pped her hands. "I''m the captain, so I''m responsible for everyone!" Seeing Phoebe like this, Gorgon covered his face with his right hand. It seemed as if he was hiding his face in shame, but it was actually to hide hisughter. Seeing Gorgon''s reaction, Phoebe fiddled with her fingers again. Suppressing his emotions once more, Gorgon spoke to Phoebe. -Let me say it again: I don''t want to raise a child or get married. My life is about fighting and dying on the battlefield. That''s just what you wish for. "I am..." She tried to argue but closed her mouth again. Gorgon was right. Getting married, having a child, and living happily was Phoebe''s dream. She just forced that on Gorgon and Saul. -So you''ll live like that. This time, either I or Saul will bear the burden. "Will it be okay?" Thest question she asked. There was no hesitation on Gorgon''s face. -It''ll be fine. "I understand." Phoebe didn''t insist anymore. Having seeded in persuading her, Gorgon sighed and tried to end the conversation. "But Gorgon." -Huh? "Did you find a girl you like?" Phoebe smiled brightly, fiddling with her fingers. Gorgon''s face showed confusion. -Wh-what are you talking about? "Listening to what Gorgon just said, it seems like it has something to do with a girl you like." -That... was just a mistake because I was excited. Just let it go. "No! Gorgon, when you''re flustered, your true feelings oftene out. If you''re stammering, it''s definitely true." Phoebe smirked mischievously. Gorgon blushed and avoided her gaze. Seeing his flustered figure, Phoebe was sure and shook her hips. "Who is it? Tell me quickly. If you don''t, I''ll sneak in!" -...I don''t really want to talk about it. "Just whisper it to me! My lips are sealed! They''re really heavy!" -I know very well that you can easily be tricked when you''re interrogated since we''ve been together, so there''s no need to introduce yourself. Phoebe''s face suddenly became serious. "Is it an action a member should take to hide something from the leader?" -It''s useless even if you try to act weighty for nothing. "Ugh... That''s too mean." Phoebe pressed her lips tightly and thought about Gorgon''s lover. Gorgon just stared at her. The innocent girl beyond the screen. Would she ever know? That she, Phoebe, was the one he loved. ''She''ll never know even if I die.'' He was different from Phoebe, who thought of everyone in the Astheria family as her family. Gorgon didn''t think of Phoebe as family. To him, Phoebe was just a woman pretending to be a leader. ''I''ve fallen for her so pathetically.'' He couldn''t remember the exact moment. By the time he realized it, his feelings for her had grown uncontrobly. He could barely suppress his adolescent passion through training and battle, but the more he suppressed it, the more it grew like a bomb. That''s why he wanted to make up for what Phoebecked. ''I wanted to make herugh...'' Phoebe was always either chubby or expressionless. He rememberedughing more than her since she couldn''tugh. Until the Astheria extinction event, Gorgon couldn''t make Phoebeugh. It was an outsider who aplished that difficult task. And it was an outsider who opened her heart. ''And...'' Phoebe is in love with that outsider. Reed Adeleheights Roton. The current master of the Silence Tower. ''She''s truly hateful.'' Seeing her smile kindly, his heart was filled with anger, but his mouth tried to smile. Either way, it was a difficult situation for Gorgon. "Anyway, Gorgon." -Huh? Gorgon raised his head at Phoebe''s call. "Thank you for considering me too. As Gorgon said, I... I don''t think I''ve thought about myself for others." It sounded a bit strange, but he could understand. -So Phoebe, leave this matter to me. I''ll make sure you can''t make that choice. "I understand, Gorgon. Really... Thank you." The conversation ended there. Phoebe''s face, which had been smiling while talking with Gorgon, calmed down after the conversation ended. "Thinking for others... my thoughts." Phoebe knew what she had to do. Courage was needed to face the ufortable truth. Phoebe made up her mind. *** * * * Dream big tl dot *** The west was swept away by a disaster that no one could stop. The eyewitness information varied depending on who was asked. Sometimes it was a small boy, and sometimes it was a dragonrger than a castle. He had the ability to freely control his body. No magic or weapon could affect him. ''He escaped unscathed.'' Some ces tried to trap him with self-destructive magic, but he escaped without a scratch, as ifughing at such magic. -The origin of the dragon has returned. People called it the origin of the dragon because, in addition to being able to change its appearance, it could use magic that was only recorded in legends. The origin of the dragon was different from the hero; it didn''t even bestow mercy. It tore everything it saw with its ws and burned it. Sometimes it let them go with a sneer, but they died soon after from suffocating in fear. -Nothing works. Swords, spears, traps, magic... nothing works at all. Not only the masters but also kings of medium size orrger couldn''t stop the rampaging origin of the dragon. Unable to trace its whereabouts as it destroyed the west, they had no choice but to abandon their homnd. When people face despair they can''t ovee alone, they tend to lean on someone. Their savior was not the order but in the Silence Tower. The wide open space around the Silence Tower was quickly filled with refugees. Not only were theremoners who had lost their homes andnd, but also the majority were nobles with tents and attendants. That''s why the situation was even more difficult. Especially during a time like now, when a secret project was underway, it was not a good thing for people to gather around the tower. The tower''s owner, Reed, personally went out to mediate with the refugees. "I''m sorry, but there is a high concentration of mana in our tower area, so non-mages cannot stay here." "Didn''t many soldiers used to gather here and keep watch?" "Even if there''s a lot of mana concentrated, there''s no difference for ordinary people, right? We all know that." If they were justmoners, Reed could warn them and send them away, but nobles were more difficult to handle. Not only did they know a lot, but their pride and dignity were the main reasons. Reed couldn''t speak ill of them easily and had to talk in a roundabout way, so dealing with them was very stressful. "How about going to the Hupper Kingdom? They said they could amodate refugees temporarily." "Even if you cling to this ce, there is no one here who can save you, poor littlembs." A young woman''s voice echoed through the crowd. "What young girl...ugh!" The raging energy cooled down instantly. A crown with the emblem of the God of Light, the Althea Order. And the woman, her eyes covered with a ck cloth. Just by those features, all the nobles knew who she was. "The Saintess!" "May Althea''s protection be with you..." Non-believers quietly retreated, and the believers made a sign of respect to her, drawing a holy symbol. It was the Saint of Meditation, Isel. "Have you lost your way?" "Magic cannot provide the answer. Relying on them can only solve human problems, but it can''t avoid the punishment from the gods." "What do you mean...!" "Do you know that this is all a punishment from the gods, Saintess?" At their desperate questions, Isel nodded her head. "Yes. Everything is God''s punishment to test humanity. Those who cannot ovee this moment are destined to be unsaved and perish." Isel walked up to King Bradley and grabbed his hand. The once passionate Bradley stiffened at her touch. Her lips moved, and she breathed out a gentle warmth. "Do not abandon your faith. Althea is watching over you. He will surely give you the strength to ovee even this ordeal." Isel''s words calmed the crowd, and they looked to her for guidance and hope in the face of the terrifying disaster that had befallen them. The power of the Saintess and the faith they held in their hearts would be their only chance to face the mysterious and unstoppable force that threatened their world. Chapter 181 The nobles looked at each other and moved on. They thought it would be better to find answers from the church rather than staying in the Silence Tower, where there was no solution. Together with Isel, they received guidance from the Holy Knights who had moved inrge numbers and began to pack up the tents and leave one by one. "Thank you foring on time." "You''re wee. Isn''t this something we''re doing for each other''s benefit?" Isel''s lips curved like a crescent moon. The reason Isel came here was to help drive away the nobles who set up tents and requested protection. As expected, the secret could be less leaked with the tolerance of the Althea Church. "Recently, the western and southern churches have been disappointing, so it''s a great pleasure for them toe to me like this. It''s truly a revtion from Lord Althea." "Is this situation a trial of Alte?" "This is just a disaster. We are just con artists who package it and deceive people." Reed let out a hollowugh. It was truly ironic that she, the second-inmand of the Althea Church, openly called herself a con artist. "Does the Althea Church have any measures?" "How could we? We are also in a difficult situation because we don''t have a proper solution." Isel sighed. "In the end, it''s up to humans to solve this matter." "Yet you shamelessly say to rely on God." "Of course. They are pitiful people who can''t get up again if they have nowhere to lean on. Even if it''s a lie, we have to create a ce for them to lean on. " "It sounds nice, but in the end, it''s just a scam, right?" Instead of answering, Ishel showed a smile. "It seems like the end is approaching." "The end?" "The end of the long and difficult journey that surrounds you, the Tower Master." "Ah." Seven Disasters. Four of them had been reversed, and now three remained. "What do you n to do?" "I don''t know." "It''s always good to keep the end in mind. If the ending is sloppy, you won''t be able to hear a good story." For a while, the he wondered why she was trying to teach him, but then he realized that their minds were no different from those of elderly people over 100 years old. ''It feels like grandmothers worrying about their grandchildren.'' "Did you just have some reckless thoughts?" Isel sharply questioned. Reed reflexively shook his head. "How could I?" "Why are you suddenly using honorifics?" "It slipped out." The atmosphere felt like a murder might happen if he were caught in the act any further. Reed cleared his throat to smooth things over. "Anyway, I''ll make sure to wrap things up on my own. Don''t worry." "Hehe, it seems I''ve interfered too much. I''m sorry, Tower Master." Isel chuckled and looked outside after putting down her teacup. The blue sky and the greenndscape spread out beneath it. There was a ce that was dyed ck as if a barrier had been set up. It was the smoke that rose, burning everything that existed indiscriminately. "I hope this situation is resolved as soon as possible." *** * * * Dream big tl dot *** Research on the dragon''s weaknesses was ongoing, but no significant results were seen yet. It was a desperate situation, with more understated parts than the exaggerated ones in the legend. The only thing that worked was Helios'' magic. However, it also had the disadvantage that if it was not a high-grade magic stone, the railgun could be reflected and cause danger to allies. All they could do was pray as much as possible for good news to reach them. "Astrope wants to see you, Tower Master." A staff member in charge of the magicians'' meals ryed the message to Reed. Reed hadn''t visited Astrope since hearing the story with Phoebe. He didn''t think of visiting unless it was important, as it seemed that confusion would only deepen rather than help. ''It''s the first time he''s looking for me first.'' It wouldn''t be just for a casual conversation. That''s why he went down to the basement and responded to his call. "What did you call me for?" At that question, the mana detection stones around Astrope began to react. It was an item the magicians had installed after she had arbitrarily cast sleep magic and put all the magicians to sleep. -Don''t worry. I''m just creating a space for a private conversation. He spoke softly, looking at the wary magicians, but their vignce didn''t fade. A white curtainpletely enveloped Astrope and Reed, creating a space for just the two of them. "What is the reason you called me?" -It seems like it''s time to prepare for war. Reed thought for a moment that he had misheard. "Right now?" -There''s not much time left. There''s a deadline that you humans can stop with your ns. It was a startling situation for Reed, as he had been quiet and suddenly asked him to prepare for war. "Why do you say we should prepare for war when there doesn''t seem to be any misunderstanding about you being discovered?" -The time of destiny is approaching. The moment he finishes his game, the Tower Master of Silence, neither you nor the tower reaching up to the sky will be safe. Come to think of it, it was strange. Reed was the one who made Phoebe that way and dealt the most damage to his arm. He didn''t do anything to Reed, who should have been the target of his deepest resentment. ''He''s trying to resolve everything that has built up from his past.'' Knowing that Roderick was going back in time from the past, Reed knew his movements. ''Why is he doing that?'' -The reason is simple. He intends to vent all his personal emotions beforepletely abandoning them. If even the feeling of revenge disappears, he will think it''s empty. ''I forgot that you read minds.'' It wasn''t pleasant, but at least one concern was resolved after hearing the reason. "So, he''ll try to eliminate me, hisst resentment, soon." -That''s right. "But we haven''t finished analyzing the weaknesses yet, and the development of weapons hasn''t beenpleted either..." It was extremely daunting. They couldn''t even properly deal with ordinary dragons, let alone their king, who secured the essence of all remaining dragons. -Get rid ofcency. Fate is not always on the side of those who are prepared. Even if you are fully prepared, if you miss the right time, it will be useless. "..." There were only two months left. The research rate was barely half done. It was inevitable to be at a loss in such a situation where they had to prepare for war. Should they take the risk and increase thepletion rate? Or should they prepare as it is? It was a situation where a decision had to be made. ''I can see what decision paralysis feels like.'' Neither side could be chosen. Not right now. "I can''t make this decision alone, so I''ll discuss it and make a decision." Astrope nodded his head. Then the white curtain disappeared, and the space for the two of them was gone. After finishing his business, Reed went up from the basement and immediately contacted Helios. -What''s the matter? "This is the current situation." Reed exined the situation to Helios. His response was as follows. -What would happen if we use it now? "I can''t guarantee its stability. In the worst case, there is a risk of the Sky Chamber Tower copsing." -Is that so? Reed told the truth without exaggeration. There was no reason to lie when thinking about what wasing. Helios showed the same reaction after hearing Reed''s story. -You are the person in charge of this project, so we will follow your opinion. "My judgment is that the Sky Chamber Tower may be in danger." -I will take all responsibility. You just make the judgment. You are the one making the weapons. This is a problem that the maker must decide. In the end, it was a situation where he, who had authority over all development, had to choose. Reed was able to finallye to a conclusion after careful consideration. "We will prepare for war." -Understood. The conversation with Helios ended. With no more reason to dy, Reed sent messages to all the ces that were cooperating. The time hade to face the disaster. *** The final line of defense was the capital of the empire. It was the best ce to gain a strategic advantage because it had the most robust defense magic circle and fortresses built in preparation for the disaster. The soldiers of each kingdom took their ces inside the fortress, waving their national gs. Nearly 100,000 elite soldiers gathered. They came together to dig traps, inspect weapons such as ballistae, and the military leaders gathered to share strategies and inspect the locations where the dragons would attack. "Our defensive magic is stronger than anyone else''s." "Well, isn''t that something we''ll have to see?" "They say you can only see as much as you know. Stuck in a narrow tower, don''t you not even know the outside situation?" The magicians of the empire''s workshop, the magicians of the tower, and the magicians of the order were fighting a three-way battle, each keeping the others in check. In the tense atmosphere, the chief magician of the empireughed and mediated between them. "Now, now, everyone, step back. How can we show such animosity on a day like this?" The chief magician''s intervention ended the immediate psychological warfare, but they knew it was only a matter of time before the fire was rekindled. It was only natural. "With the tower and the workshop, and even the order joining together, it''s inevitable that control will be difficult." Reed went to the side of the chief magician and spoke to him. The chief magicianughed as if he didn''t care. "But how happy is it that such a moment hase when we have to join forces?" "Is this a happy asion?" "Isn''t it a sign that the future of humanity is still bright if we cane together to help each other as individuals?" "There are other races as well." Reed grinned and looked in one direction. Among the soldiers carrying equipment, there were bulky orcs. They were also participating in this war from the Barchan Alliance. Although they were barbarians, there were few who could match the orcs in terms of strength, so they were an important force. "Yes, with the orcs together, it''s truly... a strange event." At first, he thought he might hate orcs, but it was far from that kind of prejudice. "Sometimes, I tell you. When unexpected things happen, I get scared. As I''ve grown older, it''s not easy to ept these things." The chief magician shook his head and looked up at Reed. "I''ve heard you''re making a terrifying weapon with Helios to drop from the sky, is it okay to be down here?" "I''ll go back up. We need to raise thepletion level until the very end." Kaitlyn and the elite magicians were working on the weapons as they were deployed. The reason Reed came down was not just to see how the work was progressing below. Tower Master of Gag, Emperor of the Empire, Pope of Althea, Tower Master of Silence. He needed to obtain two of the four separated approvals. The first to visit was the Emperor of the Empire. "What do you need me to do, Tower Master of Silence?" "I will get the consent of both of you before the war breaks out. That is, as soon as our weapons are ready, we can use them immediately." "I understand." They let a drop of blood from their finger fall onto the ring. The grayish-purple ring turned bright red. Finally, they whispered ten words very softly to the ring. The red-stained ring turned golden and began to glow. The ability of the ring was fully activated. After obtaining the same approval code from Pope of Alte, Reed collected the two rings. Chapter 182 There was a man waiting for Reed, who had retrieved the Pope''s ring. As Reed was about to teleport and climb the tower again, the man approached and stopped him. "Master of the Silence Tower." Reed turned his head to look at the man. Blonde hair with yellow eyes, and impressive horns like branches. He was a half-dragon. "Sir Gorgon." "I apologize for disturbing you during your busy time, but may we have a brief conversation?" At Gorgon''s question, Reed nodded his head. Reed, guessing what he wanted to talk about, entered the tent Gorgon had guided him to. Tea had been prepared in advance, and it was appropriately cooled when Reed entered. "What have you decided to do with Phoebe?" "She''s with Astrophe, and Rosaria as well." In case Roderick took the worst-case scenario, not fighting and targeting Rosaria and Phoebe directly, they were already evacuated. Phoebe didn''t insist on staying, and she went inside with Rosaria, holding hands. Since he took them to the safest ce, he had already eliminated the variables. "How about you?" "I have also made my own preparations." Gorgon was also fully prepared. An artifact was hanging around his neck that suppressed his power so that the authority of the dragon did not reach him. He couldn''t use the unique power of the half-dragon that Gorgon possessed, but it was a countermeasure to allow him to cut off his breath at thest moment. "I finished talking to Phoebest time." Gorgon stared at Reed quietly. His face was expressionless, but it felt different than usual. It was a gaze that was enough to make him feel intimidated, but he epted it calmly. "Well, you''d know that since we''vee this far... what''s going on?" "What do you intend to do with Phoebe?" "What do you mean?" "That woman... as always, she doesn''t reveal her true feelings well. She''s always suffering inside, crushed by a sense of responsibility." "She seems like the type who would be the scariest when she explodes." A quiet child is the scariest when angry. As he brushed it off like that, Gorgon made a puzzled face. "That''s not the question I intended to ask." "Then..." "If you don''t give Phoebe a definitive answer even after this incident is over, I won''t stay still." Reed couldn''t help but be surprised by Gorgon''s remark. The rational sword of the empire was threatening the Silence Tower''s master. However, considering his words as a family member, it wasn''t such a strange issue. "Your family love is truly strong." "It''s not about family love." "Then...?" "When Phoebe and I met, it was a time when our heads had somewhat dried of blood. She and I were already strangers." Reed could understand what he meant. ''You liked Phoebe.'' In Reed''s mind, he recalled the gazes he had received from Gorgon. The reason he had been cautious of Reed was due to ''emotion,'' unrted to the empire. The atmosphere became more awkward. The air was so unfamiliar that he thought of running away. "Do you resent me?" Nevertheless, he asks what needs to be asked. Reed couldn''t help but ask, curious about Gorgon''s true feelings. Gorgon let out a sigh. "What would be left if I resented you? You saved Phoebe, and she has goodwill towards you. It''s just the words of someone ipetent." Gorgon leaned his body against the backrest. The knight of the empire, who had maintained his dignity, rarely showed such a disheveled appearance. "What''s most bitter is that I can''t be like you..." "Everyone feels that way. I also feel bitter at times because I can''t be like you." "When was that?" "It must have been when I fought the hero. When all the things I had made with various tricks didn''t even work against the geniuses, myck of talent was truly hateful." "If that''s the case, I''ve felt that emotion too." "When was that?" "It was when I was young, after I became a half-dragon." "Because of Phoebe?" "Yes." Gorgon nodded his head. His strangely smiling expression didn''t seem like a bad memory. "You have a good expression for someone talking about defeat. Are you the type not to dwell on such things?" "Would that be possible? I also have a strong desire to win. If I didn''t have that, I wouldn''t have been able to rise to the position of the empire''s vanguard." "Then, what''s the reason for the smile?" "I just remembered Phoebe back then. It makes meugh when I think about how different she waspared to now." Gorgon, who had lowered his head, stared at Reed again. "Please make Phoebe happy. This is a sacrifice for her." Reed felt sorry for Gorgon for no reason. He didn''t express it. Gorgon didn''t care about Reed''s reaction either. It wasn''t to gain sympathy, but to let go of a secret he couldn''t reveal before the end came. Rather, the fact that he didn''t sympathize with him made him feel lighter. "Don''t worry. I''ll tie the knot with that child after this matter is over." "Thank you. And..." "And?" "Please keep this conversation a secret until we die." Gorgon touched his face, and it was flushed as if he was drunk. Gorgon was not used to revealing his true feelings. "Of course, I''ll keep it a secret." "Saul, you too." Gorgon stared at the back of the tent and spoke. "..." "I know you''re there." "Really, you have a dog''s nose." Another half-dragon, Saul, appeared, scratching his head. Gorgon frowned and asked again. "Your answer?" "Well, I''ll keep my mouth shut." "If this story gets out, we''ll have a sword duel." "Gee, how scary." Gorgon responded indifferently, but it was different for Reed. With a more respectful and polite tone, he asked him. "If you get married to my sister, will you be my brother now?" "Brother-inw." "Brother-inw. It sounds a bit weird. Can''t we just call you brother?" "What''s wrong with that if we get close enough?" "So are we close?" "Now, be respectful, Saul." When Gorgon bluntly said it, Saul smacked his lips. "Anyway, I''ll make sure the conversation between the Silence Tower Master and the vanguard is not leaked. I''ll especially be careful not to let it reach the ears of the main character." Saul answered, pounding his chest, but Reed didn''t blink and turned his head towards Gorgon. "Can he be trusted?" "I will watch him closely." "In that case." Since Gorgon guaranteed it, Reed finally believed it. Reed looked up at Saul and said, "If Gorgon fails, you''ll be a dragon. Are you okay with that?" "There''s no shortage of regrets." "What?" "By any chance, I inherit the blood of the Azure Dragon, so I''ll transform into a Azure Dragon. When I looked up what a Azure Dragon was, it was said to smell like a rotting corpse." "...So that''s the reason?" "Isn''t that the most important reason?" Considering the greater good, it was an incredibly trivial reason. Thanks to that triviality, he gained confidence. The fact that even if Saul, not Gorgon, had to absorb the dragon''s origin, it would be no big deal. "I will take my leave now. It''s rude to leave before a guest, but I apologize as I need to check my weapons and refine my tactics onest time." "Go ahead. I''ll just finish this tea and leave." "Thank you for your understanding." Saul and Gorgon got up from their seats. As they crossed the tent, Saul tapped Gorgon''s shoulder and said, "By the way, is it true what you said inside? That you liked that woman?" "Keep your mouth shut. And Phoebe is not yet old enough to be called a middle-aged woman." "Even if she''s not a middle-aged woman, what''s so great about a woman who always wielded violence and frowned... Don''t tell me you fell for her because she''s now smiling andughing?" "......" "Hey, there are plenty of women on the streets. Even the widely spread nobledies can smile andugh brilliantly. If you fell for just that, you''re really stu..." Thump-. Something broke loudly, and Saul''s words were cut off. Then arge something was dragged away, making a sound that faded into the distance. What a brotherly conversation. Reed thought so as he drank his tea. *** * * * Dream big tl dot *** It was a day when the sky was unusually high. As autumn approached, the green forest began to change into colorful clothes. Who would know for sure? The fact that thousands of people would die today. "Hoo..." The magician holding the crystal ball nced sideways at the people around him. Everyone looked tense. With death taking them, who could be calm? "Let''s survive and see." "If possible, that is." The man injected mana into the crystal ball, ying back the record inside. Goooooooooo! A chilling sound echoed through the empty air. The knights outside the fortress seemed to receive a signal and formed a line. Soon after, a dot appeared in the clear sky above. "Chaaaarge!! Hold your positions!!!" At the shout of themanders leading the front, the knights raised their shields and watched the front. Shortly after, a giant monsternded in front of them. Kwoooong-!!! The earth shook. The vibration was so strong that even the people inside the fortress faltered. Length 100m, height 30m. Its size was on a different dimensionpared to the recorded dragons. Even though it was still far away, it was so huge that it was difficult to see it all at once. -Pathetic humans! Did you think I would be fooled by such a flimsy sound? The dragon, Roderick, sneered. -Your petty tricks won''t be able to stop this immortal body! Krooaaaaaa!!! The dragon''s roar resounded. Even in the deafening noise that seemed to tear the eardrums, themand continued calmly. "Magic Knights! Deploy the barrier!" "Children of Light! Glory of Alte!" At the shout of themanders, the priests and magicians cast magic and buffs on the knights standing at the front. Feeling their bodies strengthened, the knights maintained their formation and stood in front of Ruderick. To his eyes, which spanned tens of meters, they appeared as nothing more than a neatly lined-up group of ants. -You insignificant creatures. Do you think you can stand against me? You are destined to live in fear, you pitiful beings. I will show you that. Roderick''srge pupils contracted. At the same time, a sinister energy spread around him and began to envelop the soldiers one by one. Hands holding swords trembled, and heads held high gradually dropped. They tried to endure it somehow, but they couldn''t stop that fear. That''s when it happened. "Warriors of Baltan!!" With the shout of the orc warrior, they stomped their feet. The quiet fear was shattered. "What is our destiny!?" "The sky has determined it!" "What is our mission!?" "To send the impure ones back to the ground!" "Who are we!" "We are Baltan''s warriors!" "Baltan!" "Baltan!" The roaring voices and stomping feet resounded like the sound of drums. The knights'' trembling gradually subsided, and they sympathized with their courage. "Who are we!" "We are the knights guarding the emperor at the forefront of the empire!" "Let''s not forget that, too!" The knights who regained hope. Seeing their form, Ruderick''s face contorted. -What difference does it make if useless humans have hope? His long snout opened wide. The knights, without exception, were taken aback at the sight of the gathering inside the snout. "What in the world is that..." "Light is gathering in his mouth!" He didn''t have anything like the venom sac or me sac that other dragons had. Light began to gather and condense inside his mouth. "It''s magic! Switch to anti-magic!" The shape of the mages'' defensive magic changed, and the knights also gathered to concentrate their shields in one ce. With enough mana condensed, at the very moment when Ruderick was about to release the mana. -Hmm!! He closed his mouth and twisted his body. It was an agile movement that was hard to believe for such a giant. A momentter, a beam of light touched Ruderick''s face. Chapter 183 Card acquired! The beam of light aiming for Roderick''s mouth hit the white scales and flew into the air. It was arge railgun that used advanced magic stones as ammunition, which had been the only thing that worked when they had experimented by removing a whole piece of Astrophe¡¯sscales. Roderick''s scales couldn''t be prated, and the beam bounced off into the air. The magicians who had been waiting for the perfect moment with their presence concealed were taken by surprise. "The concealment was perfect, wasn''t it?" "How did he notice!?" The spot they had chosen was a blind spot that Roderick couldn''t see. It was the only ce tounch a surprise attack that could strike before the battle began. They had one mission. Just once. To deliver a fatal blow by piercing his vulnerability. They held their breath and waited for Roderick to open his mouth. The sniping had been perfect. He hadn''t noticed at all, their camouge was perfect, and even the double camouge they had set up just in case was perfect. But he dodged the attack before it even came. As if he had seen a glimpse of the future, even for a short moment. "The sniping failed. We need to move...." In the middle of reporting, the man''s body froze. Through a very narrow gap between the camouge and the bushes. He was staring down at them. -There was a fly. He turned his snout towards the direction of the sniping point. A halfpleted magic spell was fired. Two thin beams of light came from therge snout. They pierced through the railgun snipers'' bodies urately. Kwaaang! A bright red explosionpletely covered the fortress. The explosion was big enough to destroy the fortress just by its size. The red explosion scattered in the sky, and the fortress revealed itself intact. The structure had been designed to withstand even a meteorite falling, and the reinforced magic barrier made it sturdy. "Fire the ballistae! Block the dragon''s movement!" The ballistae inside the fortress were simultaneously loaded and fired with a rough sound, shooting iron bolts. The ballistae that tore through Roderick''srge wings spread out the wedge andpletely fixed the wings downward. He tried to shake off the dozens of ballistae with iron chains attached to their ends. He pushed with all his might, but they didn''t budge at all. It was as if they were firmly connected to the fortress, not budging at all. Roderick, infuriated, shouted. -I don''t need to rely on wings or anything like that! From today on, the era of you humans wille to an end! Roderick charged and collided with the soldiers in the front line. Kwoong! With a sound like a massive bomb had fallen, dust scattered. Although there was a clear difference in size, they didn''t get thrown away or fall like dead leaves in the wind. Strengthening magic, their trained bodies, and mental strength resisted the weight and ws. "Hold on! We must not fall!" "Let''s cut off his legs! We can''t die in vain, even if we have to sacrifice!" "History will remember us!" The knights boosted their morale, which was about to break, and moved forward. The orcs at the forefront did their job well. "Let''s go, brothers!" "Baltaaaan!" With a resounding roar matching the dragon''s, they charged, raising their spirits. *** Tower of the Sky Chamber. Kwoogwoogwoong. The dyed explosion sound came up with the vibration. The magicians working on the outermost part of the Tower of the Sky Chamber felt it most clearly. "The battle must be going on down there, right?" "It must be." The situation was obscured by clouds, and they couldn''t see what was happening below. They had no choice but to wait for the reports from the magicians monitoring the situation in the control room. ng! Reed shouted at the people who were taking a break while hitting a steel frame with a wrench. "Focus on your work! Remember that the reason they are stalling for time is for your sake." "Sorry, sorry!" Reed spoke more sharply than usual. As he said, the reason people had gathered was to buy time. They were constantly improving the unstable output, uracy, and aftermath to keep it from being fatal. There wasn''t enough manpower, so Reed was also helping with odd jobs. ''This is the final battle.'' Reed looked up at the creation he had made. A bizarre statue with the busts of three men and only the right arm. Spacing them at regr intervals around the circumference and pointing the right arm toward the center, it felt like creating a mythical building. What it was holding was a giant spear-shaped railgun. The name was . A weapon created in anticipation of a great disaster, a spear that was said to have killed a god. ''It has to work.'' Tens of thousands of people will die. His shoulders were weighed down with as many lives as those tens of thousands. *** * * * Dream big tl dot *** Meanwhile, in the basement of the Tower of the Sky Chamber. All the magicians had participated in the battle, leaving Astrophe alone in the istion space where he was confined. Astrophey down with her eyes closed, seemingly ustomed to the confinement. At that moment, when she was about to fall asleep, she felt someone enter. Astrophe didn''t react because she knew who it was. "All the magician uncles are gone?" "They all went outside. It''s just us in here, you know?" "So, can I y with magic?" "Um... I don''t think that''s a good idea..." It was a situation where they had to hide Rosaria. -It''s been quiet for a while, but now a noisy guest has arrived. "Who''s a noisy guest? Phoebe is quiet." "Lady..." Phoebe made a troubled face. Astrophe snorted and smiled. -A cheeky girl. So, what brings you here? "Phoebe said let''s go on a pic! This ce is big and full of interesting things, so let''se here." -I see. Astrophe rolled her eyes and looked at Phoebe. ''The war has begun.'' A gloomy voice rang out, contrasting with the smile she wore. Astrophe understood the situation and nodded. "Everyone who was here is gone, so were you alone, uncle?" -That''s right. "Then Uncle Dragon must be very lonely, right?" -Lonely? Are you talking about me? Astrophe blinked her eyes and asked. "There''s no one to talk to. It seems like it would be no fun to be alone in such a big ce." -Is that so? Contrary to Rosaria''s words, the dragon was far from the feeling of loneliness. Astrophe had been hiding in a deep dungeon for hundreds of years. There was no way she would feel lonely from something like this. Rosaria spoke while hitting her chest. "Don''t worry, Uncle Dragon. In the absence of people, Rosaria will make sure you don''t feel lonely!" -It seems like you''ll be bothering me, can I refuse? "I can make it fun without being a bother! I''vee up with a fun trick with me and the Meowmeow! Right!" -Meow! Meowmeow nodded its head vigorously, showing its confident appearance. -Hehehe. I''m really curious about what that is. Astrophe chuckled. Her eyes looking at Phoebe were different, yet fitting with the innocent atmosphere. -Are you sure you won''t regret it? She asked secretly so that Rosaria couldn''t hear. What he was asking was simple. Would it be okay for Phoebe not to be chosen, and for the other siblings to absorb the dragon''s origin instead? Phoebe nodded in response. -It''s your choice. There''s no reason for me to interfere any further. Astrophe didn''t ask any more. Phoebe was like a mother to Rosaria. She had taught her everything while in the tower, shared emotions together, and exchanged affection. Although they knew they were unrted by blood, they had always lived as a mother-daughter rtionship. And Phoebe thought it was time to break that rtionship. "Lady." "Why?" Phoebe squatted down to match Rosaria''s eye level. "Um... I might be Lady Rosaria''s mother now." "Be a mother?" "Yes. I''m going to tell the tower master that I love him." Rosaria''s eyes sparkled. Unable to contain her excitement, she asked Phoebe. "So, you''ll really be my mother?" "I think so." "Then... should I call you mother then? It sounds so weird." Rosaria couldn''t properly call anyone but her sister Dolores. "You don''t have to call me that. You''re still thedy, and that won''t change." Phoebe liked what wasfortable and familiar too. She would be happy if Rosaria treated her like this forever. ''My selfish thoughts for others.'' Phoebe, who had made up her mind, took a leave and headed to Escoleia Academy. To meet Dolores. *** Escolleia Academy, Dolores'' room. When someone knocked, Dolores stared at the door with sharp eyes and yelled. "Come backter. I''m busy now." -Should I, should Ie backter? At the sound of the distinctive dragging voice, Dolores was startled. It was as if someone who shouldn''t be there hade. "Phoebe? Is it you, Phoebe?" As Dolores asked, the door opened slightly, and the first thing that appeared was a pair of horns stretching forward. "Hello." Phoebe greeted with a bow. Seeing her usually cheerful face now calm with her eyes closed, Dolores couldn''t help but feel anxious. "If you''re busy... should Ie backter?" "No! I thought you were one of those annoying assistants! Come in!" Phoebe entered, and Dolores got up from her seat to greet her guest. She couldn''t figure out why she hade here. While boiling the tea, she nervously twisted her hair. ''Did something happen to oppa, so she came to me... No, no. That''s unlikely.'' There were many hypotheses, but it was difficult to pinpoint one. Dolores handed over the warm tea and sat down across from her. "What brings you here?" Phoebe answered Dolores'' question. "Well, actually, I have something to say to the tower master." "Call me Dolores. I call you Phoebe, so should we...drop the titles?" "Would that be... okay?" "¡­It doesn''t seem so." Dolores, who had suggested it, changed her words as well. The atmosphere would have be even more awkward instead of easing up. "So, it''s about my oppa, right?" "¡­Yes." "Did you hear something from oppa?" "Yes? What do you mean?" "Well, if both Phoebe and oppa are willing, you could get engaged." "Oh¡­" She hadn''t heard. It wasn''t a situation in which she could hear. Phoebe had told him not to do it because she pitied herself. As that memory came to mind, Phoebe fidgeted with her fingers. Dolores let out a deep sigh. "I don''t know why he''s so thorough about not doing things like this." "At that time¡­ I just made a mistake. The tower master is not at fault." "But you like oppa, don''t you?" "I, I¡­" Phoebe nced at Dolores and lowered her head again. Dolores held Phoebe''s hand. "Be honest. You came all the way here to talk about that, didn''t you?" "¡­Yes. That''s right." "Then... let''s be more confident. It seems like that would be better for our rtionship." At Dolores'' words, Phoebe nodded her head. Chapter 184 "I... I like the Tower Master. I couldn''t express this feeling until now... and now, it feels like I''m going crazy. So I wanted to... tell the Tower Master." Phoebe revealed her true feelings without holding back. Dolores slightly bit her lip and swallowed her saliva. ''It''s not easy to hear it directly from her.'' Even though she was somewhat prepared, epting it was not easy. It would be a lie if she said she didn''t feel any rivalry. In Dolores'' eyes, Phoebe was the perfect woman. Blonde hair, curvy figure. She had transformed from having the worst image in the Silence Tower to bing one of the most beautiful women. ''But I can''t let that happen.'' Dolores put strength in her eyes. It was an act to shake off her distracting thoughts, but Phoebe flinched when she saw her expression. "I-I''m sorry?" "Why are you suddenly apologizing?" "Because you were ring..." "Ah, I just wanted to snap out of it!" Unintentionally, Dolores ended up suppressing her. Dolores quickly changed the subject. "How did you end up falling for him?" "Well..." As Phoebe hesitated, Dolores waved her hand and said, "You don''t have to answer if it''s hard. I''m just curious. I have no other intention." Upon hearing that, Phoebe began to tell her story. From the beginning to the end, sheid out everything. Dolores tightly closed her eyes. She managed to suppress her emotions by wiping away the tears that welled up with a handkerchief. "Phoebe, you''ve been through a lot because of your parents." Phoebe had suffered under the control of her greedy parents, and found salvation through Reed. Dolores felt a sense of empathy. Perhaps because of that, Dolores wished for Phoebe''s happiness even more. "Do you think he pities you?" "If I ept that feeling... no one will be able to be happy." Dolores'' expression became even more serious. "So, assuming there is a feeling of pity, would that be the end of your feelings for him?" "Well..." "Could you give him up if it was simply out of pity?" Phoebe clenched her clothes. She knew that was impossible. Emotions are capricious children that y independently of reason. "I don''t know." "Is it not allowed even if I give permission?" "It''s not a matter of permission. I''m just... scared." Phoebe trembled. Her eyes became moist as if she was about to cry at any moment. "I''m not as smart or as pretty as Dolores, nor do I have a good style. Who would like a slow and stupid woman like me?" "..." As Phoebe lowered her head, Dolores looked down at her with a stunned expression. Is she really serious about what she''s saying? Feeling grateful for her consideration but also seeing Phoebe as an insurmountable wall, Dolores felt a strange mix of emotions. Putting her personal feelings aside, she focused on persuading Phoebe. "Why does that matter? Although you say you''re not smart, you handle your work as well as the Tower Masters, don''t you?" "I made a lot of mistakes at first. I caused the Tower Master trouble more than once." "That''s the same for me too. I was always afraid of making mistakes, and I made many small errors. But we overcame that, didn''t we? The management of the Wallin Tower went well too." Dolores massaged Phoebe''s hand to help her rx. Dolores honestly shared her feelings. "Also, every time I talk to Rosaria, I get jealous of you." At those words, Phoebe was startled. "Why, why? What did I do wrong...?" "It''s not that you did something wrong. It''s just that I''m envious." "Ah, I see." Not knowing how to respond, she nodded vacantly. Dolores continued. "Everyone has something they''re good at, but there are also people who can''t do it. Because people are different. Do you understand what I''m saying?" "..." Realizing her mistake as Phoebe''s head tilted like a leaning tower, Dolores immediately gave her an answer. "It means don''t think that you''re not suitable for him." "Yes..." Her answer was not very reassuring. Although the conversation could have ended there, Dolores wanted to make sure. If they remained in an awkward state, their feelings might pile up and cause a rift, and above all, Dolores wanted to be closer to Phoebe. "Then let''s do this." Doloresposed herself and made a suggestion to Phoebe. "Let''s talk about what we dislike about him." "Dislike?" Phoebe''s eyes widened at the unexpected proposal. "Honestly, it''s because he keeps not saying anything and hesitating, right? We are, strictly speaking, victims." "It''s just the timing..." "Ah!" Dolores covered Phoebe''s mouth. "Just say it, talk about the things you dislike about that yboy." "Well, I also..." "If you think about it, there are things that aren''t perfect, even though he''s good." "Uhm..." "Then I''ll go first. I''m annoyed that he keeps treating me like a child." "Recently... he seems to be a bit obsessed with cheeks." "Ah, that''s true. It''s so annoying. I don''t know why he has to touch my body like that, it makes me feel guilty!" It was difficult to start, but once they did, they began to pour out their dislikes like a broken dam. "He''s stubborn!" "He''s unnecessarily kind to women!" "The tests are really hard!" Phoebe and Dolores angrily spat out Reed''s ws. If he had been listening, he might have been shaken by the number of drawbacks that emerged. As they shouted at each other, they eventually caught their breath and silence followed. They looked at each other and burst intoughter. "Indeed, there''s nothing better for lightening the mood than talking bad about someone." "That''s true." "See? No one is perfect. Talking like this makes me realize he has a lot of ws too." "You''re right." Phoebe hadn''t imagined that so many ws woulde out. "So don''t say that you''re not worthy, Phoebe." "Th-thank you..." Dolores spread her arms, and Phoebe embraced her. At the moment they hugged, they felt it. ''It doesn''t seem like we''re at that stage yet...'' ''Is this... okay?'' As soon as they felt the anxiety, an awkward atmosphere flowed between Phoebe and Dolores. They couldn''t figure out when to end this hug. ''Looking back, it was awkward... but it was still nice.'' *** * * * Dream big tl dot *** "What should we do?" "First, we have no choice but to hold out with the fortress''s barrier. Let''se up with a strategy in the meantime." Even the tacticians, who were called the sages of each country, were too pressed for time toe up with a strategy. Larksper, who had been standing quietly in the dying silence, picked up his axe and spoke. "Larksper can fight." "You can''t. You are the leader of the Balten Alliance. You must lead the remaining orcs." Commanders have to endure. Larksper understood the feeling of enduring, but he hated it. He felt pathetic, unable to do anything as hisrades were dying. In sync with his mood, the ck-haired woman who had been lying down got up from her seat. "..." "Rachel, you can still feel the pain. You won''t be able to fight if you move." "..." At Isel''s dissuasion, Rachel reluctantlyy down again. She had fought in the front lines with the Knights of the Althea. She held out until the end, but she eventually fainted and was transported back to the fortress. "What on earth is the Silence Tower Master doing?!" They were buying time for him, but there was no news. They even thought that he might be leisurely carrying on without knowing their desperate feelings. "Don''t vent your anger in the wrong ce." "Shouldn''t we have waited for morepletion and then lured that damned dragon? We should have done that!" "Everything has its time. The Silence Tower Master said that now is the time, and we followed him, so there''s no reason to me." "What if that''s a lie too?" As opinions diverged, the fight escted. Bang! Someone mmed an axe on the table. "Stop whining like little girls." It was Larksper. "Can''t humans trust others?" "We can''t just trust when we''vee this far!" "We meet one of two people on the battlefield: an enemy or an ally. Is the Silence Tower Master our enemy?" "..." No one could answer Larksper''s question. Larksper pulled the axe out of the table and spoke. "I will buy more time with the orc warriors." "They are already injured. If you fight more, you will only die." "An orc''s honor is to die on the battlefield. Larksper knows. If I step forward, they will follow." Larksper didn''t hesitate any longer. He armed himself and prepared to go outside. "I will apany you." At that moment, one of themanders followed Larksper. It was Adonis, themander and ruler of the Hupper Kingdom. "Can you fight?" "I feel like I''ll start a fight inside if I just listen to theints, so I have to fight together." "For the same reason, then." Larksper grinned. Adonis and Larksper prepared to go outside the fortress. No othermanders followed them. "What a pathetic situation." The old man, who was the empire''s chief magician and a master craftsman, stroked his beard and said. "It''s a shame that young people throw away their lives in such a hot-blooded manner." "Indeed... it is." The chief magician smiled pleasantly. "I guess I should feel the rejuvenation after a long time." He got up from his seat and walked somewhere with short steps. The magicians who had been assisting him asked. "Where are you going, Master Craftsman?" "Where would I go? Does it look like this old body can run away?" The old manughed heartily. "With the young ones so full of energy to carry on the future, the elderly must do what they can." Chapter 185 -Hahaha! Is that all you''ve got? Is that the extent of your power? Roderick was filled with ecstasy. His eyes were fixed on the ground of the battlefield that he had swept. It was to cut off the breath of the wounded who had not yet died. "Hee, heeek! Spare me! I have a family." -I had one too. Roderick''s ws pierced through the soldier''s stomach. -But they betrayed me. The wounded soldier died on the spot. Roderick enjoyed the moans and pleas of the soldiers like music. There was no human who could stand against him. He was confident and indulgent in that fact. -Huh? At that moment, he saw humans walking out from the fortress. Roderick didn''t recognize most of the faces, but he could identify two people. -The Great Chieftain of the Barchan Alliance, Larksper, and the Regent of Hupper Kingdom, Adonis? They were people he couldn''t help but know. -I always heard about you from my master. He said you were the disaster that would bring despair to everyone, and he kept an eye on you. He sighed as if it were a shame, but he didn''t feel any such emotion. -Normally we wouldn''t have met, but I didn''t expect to face you like this. As Roderick continued talking, Larksper and Adonis nced at each other. "I don''t understand what he''s saying. Do you know, Great Chieftain?" "I don''t." Regardless of what Roderick knew, his mumbling sounded like nonsense. "Anyway, he''s our enemy. An enemy that we have to kill." "That''s right." Larksper looked back. Behind him were the orcs who had followed him for the battle with Baltan. From those with minor injuries to the orcs who could no longer be sustained... As long as they were not unconscious, all the orcs followed him. "There will be no regrets." Larksper swung his two axes in both hands. Adonis and the knights who followed her also drew their swords. "Follow Barchan!" "The goddess Althea is watching over us!!" With the orcs'' shouts, they moved forward. -Pitiful creatures! Do you think I will be yed by mere wounded beings! The orc warriors moved agilely to avoid the attack, but they couldn''t avoid being crushed by the huge body. ''Stall time.'' That was the purpose of gathering them in the first ce. These brave warriors were prepared to die for the Great Chieftain, and they were faithful to their roles. "For Barchanan!" "May there be light for Barchan!" The knights, encouraged by their bravery, followed the orcs. "Ugh! For the Empire!" "Glory to the Hupper Kingdom!" "Yumiyaa! I love you!" One by one, the shouts and battle cries faded away. Although they brought more than 500 soldiers, they only managed to hold on for 20 minutes. Only two were left. Adonis and Larksper. -Is that all you''ve got? The two of them were also covered in injuries from the shock of the exploding rocks and the sharp magical energy tearing through the surroundings. It wasn''t that they survived, but Roderick deliberately left only the two of them alive. -Were they just mere mortals after all, since they were the ones he was interested in? Roderick looked down at them with disdain and lifted his foot. -Rest in peace, in a world without pain. He pressed down on them. But they didn''t go all the way down to the ground. It felt as if he was caught on solid rocks. Adonis and Larksper were holding up his foot. -Useless resistance...!? It was strange while he was talking. No matter how much force he applied, they would not be crushed. Adonis, the giant yer, and Larksper, who had defeated a giant golem. Together, they were bearing the weight of the over 100-meter-tall Roderick. "Huaaaaaaa!!" "Woaaaaaaa!!" The barbaric warrior''s scream and the knight''s battle cry erupted, unleashing explosive power. They pushed Roderick''s front foot away, making him stagger. -How...! In the staggering moment, Larksper shouted. "I''ll jump!" Adonis understood his words and lowered her body. She then put her hands together to support Larksper''s foot. "Come on!" "Woaaaaaaaa!!" Larksper let out a cry and jumped. With Adonis''s strength and Larksper''s jumping ability, he leaped over Roderick''s swaying face in an instant. Larksper aimed at Roderick''s head with the axes he was holding. "For Barchanan!" Crack! But it was Larksper''s axe that broke. He had struck countless times, but in the end, he could not even scratch Roderick''s scales. -These insect-like creatures! Roderick swung his front foot. Exhausted, Larksper and Adonis couldn''t avoid the blow and took it with their bodies. "Cough!" "Kuak!" Both of them were thrown far away and rolled on the ground without priority. They had endured with their willpower, but they could no longer stand up again. -Huu... Roderick looked down at Larksper and Adonis as if he was going to kill them. He thought he was dominating. Though it was a result of being caught off guard, he was still not satisfied. Even if he was caught off guard, he should still overpower humans. He had be the dragon he had longed for, and it was uneptable to think that he could be pushed back by humans. ''Indeed, you are beings that should not exist.'' Roderick''s ws shone. Just as he was about to tear Larksper and Adonis to pieces... -!! Roderick felt a strong presence. A massive amount of mana was gathering. As if possessed, Roderick stopped killing Larksper and Adonis and flew toward the source. He flew to the top of the fortress. He grabbed the outer wall with his front foot and leaned in. The old man with white hair was the one gathering the mana. Roderick knew the old man. He was the second-tost person he had to exact his revenge on. Coincidentally, he had encountered him when his turn hade. As if it were fate. -So you''re the Imperial Workshop Master. You''re still alive? "Do you remember me?" -How could I forget you? Weren''t you the one who banished me from the Empire, saying I was studying heretical magic!? Thud! The fortress shook from his stomping, but the Mage Master never wavered. He calmly continued the conversation while gathering mana. "Hmm... I think I know who you are." -Do you remember me? "I think I know who you are. But it''s been a long time since I forgot your name." -Why is that? Roderick''s voice was full of excitement. * * * Dream big tl dot *** He took it as if he was being ignored. -Didn''t you banish me from the Empire? How can you forget that? "I carve the wrongs of others into sand and my own wrongs into stone. If you repent ande back to me, I will not remember that time." The old man with the long beard spoke. "But in the end, you didn''t admit your mistakes and swallowed the abyss." -You''re wrong. This research was a sess. I finally found a way to go beyond human. "Your youthful blood has not yet cooled down." The Mage Masterughed with a snort. "Look at yourself. You''ve be a huge disaster, consumed by ugly jealousy. Do you think anyone will love you for that?" -After all, no one has ever epted me. They mocked and despised me. That''s why I struggled. The Mage Master shook his head. "You didn''t struggle. You gave up on being human." Roderick found the Mage Master''s confident attitude repulsive. While continuing the conversation, the Mage Master''s body had gathered enough mana. Soon, the Mage Master''s magic would engulf him. He left him alone for three reasons: To see if the Mage Master knew him and if he regretted the moment he was driven out. And to plunge him into despair when he thought he had grasped a ray of hope. -But I think I should be grateful to you. Roderick lifted his front foot. -Thanks to you, I was able to advance one step further. He mmed down on the sitting Mage Master''s head. But there was nothing touching Roderick''s ws. The Mage Master''s figure appeared to be pierced by his ws but looked serene. What he had crushed was an illusion. -Tricks...! He was so excited that he couldn''t even realize that it was an illusion. The illusion disappeared and the real body appeared. As they say, it''s darkest under the streetlight. The real Mage Master was right below Roderick''s head, even closer than the illusion. "Ballista!" A shout came from below. The ballistae that had been put inside the fortress wereunched, binding Roderick''s wings once again. This time, it was firmly fixed without even a chance to exert strength. -You, you damned old man!!! Krowaaaaa!! The dragon''s roar was answered by the Mage Master. "Let''s end this battle." The magic circle drawn on the ground reacted to the mana and flowed back through the Mage Master''s body. A beam of light burst from his gnarled staff and enveloped Roderick. -Kuuk!! This is!! Roderick knew what it was. It was the magic that had tormented him terribly when it flew from the fortress. A magic that never stops until the target''s mana is depleted. It was a suicidal magic with a slim chance of survival. The Mage Master already knew the risk. He wasn''t afraid of the moment of death. Rather, the fact that he could do his best made him smile. Roderick''s front foot, fixed to the fortress, was pushed back. However, Roderick desperately resisted the magic. -This much...! I can''t be stopped! Even though they had drawn a magic circle to increase efficiency twice as much as a railgun, it was still impossible topletely stop Roderick. ''The Mage Master has a lot of magical power, but...'' ''With this alone, it can''t be stopped.'' It means that the Mage Master''s sacrifice would all be in vain. Mages are not afraid of death. They fear failure more than death. And what''s even scarier than failure is turning away from the truth they''ve realized. Their instinct as mages awakened. As if possessed, they rushed towards the Mage Master. Mana rapidly drained from their bodies, wrapped in a massive storm. Blood flowed from their eyes and ears as they died, but they endured it without escaping. 10 people, 20 people, 30 people. The Mage Master''s magic did not end. Eventually, the magic prated the melted scales, burned the flesh, and headed towards the heart. Krowaaaaa!! A painful scream. For a moment, all sounds stopped. The Mage Master''s mana waspletely depleted, and the magic ended. In Roderick''s chest, the scales and flesh were burned, and the heart inside was fully exposed. Thump Thump His heart, which had stopped, beats roughly. -Kuak! Roderick, whose breath had stopped for a moment, regained consciousness. -Damn it...! Damn old man!!! He red at the spot where the Mage Master had been, feeling like tearing him apart with his ws would make him feel better. Roderick''s pupils contracted. What was captured in his eyes was the old man, dead in his original position, and behind him were dozens of mages who had died hugging his body like moths to a me. It looked like a statue. It was the appearance of a mage and his followers who had made a noble sacrifice. -So, it''s a magic that stakes one''s life? Roderickughed. Even though it was such a destructive magic, it couldn''t cut off his life, so it was no different from his victory. That''s what he thought. But it was difficult to calm his anger. The very humans he had despised, the inferior creatures, had made him, who had be a dragon, so bewildered by just struggling. He couldn''t ept that truth. ''Don''t you know the reason?'' A familiar voice reached Roderick''s ears. It was one of the dragons he had killed. Whenever there was a chance, they would always speak like this. Roderick concentrated his mind to suppress the voice. He burst into loudughter and celebrated his victory. -Did you think there would be something that could stop me, Roderick!? These pathetic mortals!! Roderick opened his mouth wide. Mana gathered in his mouth. He intended to burn the Mage Master''s body without leaving any trace. That''s when it happened. The space in front of the Mage Master wavered. It was a sign of teleportation magic. It didn''t matter. He could just burn it as it was. He thought so and continued casting magic. The wavering space flipped, and a man stood in front of Roderick. -!! The moment he saw him, he unconsciously cut off his magic. Gray long hair with golden eyes. His tall stature and dignified movements were evident. The master of the Silence Tower, Reed Adeleheights Roton. A man who climbed to the position of tower master with the body of a vin. A key card that would sway the existence of the continent. And... Phoebe''s savior. The moment he saw him in person, Roderick''s body stiffened. Chapter 186 Roderick couldn''t understand the phenomenon happening to his body. ''Why?'' It was on a different level from the Mage Guild Master. As soon as he saw him, his body froze. It wasn''t a special aura either. He was a prodigy, and among prodigies, he was a man who reached the threshold of genius through painstaking effort. Considering his mediocre abilities, he alone had no power. However. Why couldn''t Roderick move against him? "You, who possess all power, also have something to fear." -...What? "Aren''t you afraid of me now?" Roderick couldn''t open his mouth, and couldn''t spit out words from his throat. ''I... I''m afraid?'' He only felt hatred towards those he met for revenge. But with Reed, the feeling of unknown fear was greater than the desire for revenge. Why is he afraid of his existence? Roderick possessed all power. The one who couldn''t be stopped by tens of thousands of people was now feeling fear towards a single human among tens of thousands. Why? ''Don''t you know the reason well?'' The dragon''s soul interfered once more. ''It''s because you are the one.'' ''He walked his path without giving in to any tragedy.'' ''He didn''t crave for power beyond his limits.'' ''He epted and gave up.'' ''And then he gained everything.'' Roderick was afraid of Reed because he had everything he couldn''t possess. It was an absurd story. He finally gained the power he longed for, but he was afraid of such a prodigy? -You... You were the cause of everything. From the moment all seven disasters broke away from their orbits and escaped, to Phoebe Astheria Roton defying him. It was all a work created by Reed alone. "Yes, I''m the cause." Reed said. "And now I''ll be the result." Reed reached out his hand. The engagement ring on his ring finger. On his index finger, a ring with an engraved seal was in ce. It was the same ring that the emperor, the pope, and the tower master of the Silence Tower were wearing. His ring was shining gold. All four rings were activated. The Longinus embedded inside the Silence Tower fired. Kugugug! The thunderous sound echoed through the sky. At that moment, the sound that filled the worldpletely disappeared. The world went dark. A light brighter than the sun fell from the sky to the ground. It fell and pressed down on Roderick''s back. The wings fixed to the ballista were torn off, and the ground shattered. He was crushed along with the earth. Roderick had tracked the destructive magic with his eyes, but it was already toote to avoid it. The vanished light and sound returned to normal. -Kuuk! The moment Roderick carried the beam of light on his back, he tried to resist its power. -Is this...! The same magic that old man used?! The same magic, but the power was on a different level. Until then, he could resist, but his over 100-meter body was being overwhelmed by a single beam of light. -A mere human...! I can''t believe it!! Kwaaaa! He roared, but even that was gradually buried by the beam of light. After about five minutes, the bombardment of light ceased, and the world gradually returned to its original color. The people who had fled from the fortress all looked out the window. "Ah..." "Ahh..." Everyone was at a loss for words. The dragon that hadn''t flinched at any attack, the disaster that hadn''t left even a speck of hope, was sprawled on the ground. He had copsed with his chest pierced by a huge beam of light. "Wow!" "Thank you, Althea, for saving us." There was nothing more to say. The soldiers who had fallen into the abyss of despair shed tears as they each celebrated their victory. Those who believed in God prayed to God. Those who had lost hope embraced one another. Ishel and Rachel, who were looking down at the death of the dragon, sped their hands. "Rachel, it''s not just me, right?" "..." "Yes, when I was with the hero... I''m reminded of that time." Mixed with bitter emotions and longing, teardrops the size of chicken droppings fell from Rachel''s expressionless eyes. Isel wrapped Rachel''s head with a smile. *** * * * Dream big tl dot *** Although the atmosphere in the castle was filled with joyful cheers, Reed did not fit in. Those who knew the core of this operation knew that this was not the end yet. The origin of the dragon could only be killed by a dragon. Strictly speaking, it was closer to the concept of absorption rather than killing. Although the beam of light crushed and burned the flesh, it wasn''t over until the origin was absorbed. ''When the two of theme, it''s just the beginning...'' Just as he thought that, two lifeforms with huge wings unfolded from inside the empire approached. The half-dragons, Gorgan and Saul. "Master of the Silence Tower." "You came early." "As soon as we saw the Master of the Silence Tower, we set off immediately." It was fortunate that they didn''t have to waste time. Saul and Gorgan looked down at the spot where the beam of light hadnded. Saul eximed. "The ground is burnt ck. Isn''t the heart melted too?" "The only ones who can break the heart are you two. Now go down and finish it." "Let''s finish it quickly." The two grabbed the hilt of the sword fixed to the crossbow. "Lastly, I ask, who among you will it be?" "The n is the same. It will be me." Gorgan answered. They had already decided everything, and he was determined to be a dragon. They entered Roderick''s body. Entering a body over 100 meters long felt like exploring a dungeon. The treasure they sought was clear, and the path wasn''tplicated, but they couldn''t find what they were looking for. They dug through the remaining organs just in case, but it was as expected. ''The heart is not visible.'' After about 30 minutes of rummaging through the body, all they found were sagging organs and muscles. The source of power, the heart, was not visible. Saul looked down at the scorched ground and said. "It seems like the heart is really gone. Then, doesn''t that mean no one needs to be a dragon?" "I wish it were that simple..." Neither Reed nor Gorgan thought things would go so smoothly. The disappearance of the heart meant they were in the worst situation. "Could it be..." Reed thought of the worst-case scenario for himself. Once doubted, there was no turning back. He began to run to the ce he suspected. *** Rosaria held Phoebe''s hand tightly. When they went for a walk, they always held hands. Phoebe held Rosaria''s hand so she couldn''t go far, and Rosaria held Phoebe''s hand because she liked it. The two explored the interior of theboratory left by the mages, touching various things. Phoebe''s face still showed concern. ''Is everything going well outside?'' Since they werepletely cut off from the outside, they couldn''t even guess. ''Master of the Tower... and the Lord.'' The two she loved turned against her. One of them had to disappear. She didn''t want Reed to die, but she didn''t want Roderick to die either. She still had feelings for the Lord. She couldn''t easily shake it off. ''I''m very emotional, aren''t I?'' She believed she would be calm in such a situation, but the more she thought about it, the deeper she sank into a quagmire. "Unii, are you worried?" "Huh?" Phoebe looked down at Rosaria in surprise. It was as if she had read her thoughts. Rosaria fiddled with the hand she held and said. "When you''re worried, your hand always gets mmy." "Is, is that so? I''m sorry for having mmy hands..." At Rosaria''s words, Phoebe let go of her hand and wiped it on her clothes. "Is there no one here because Rosaria has to hide?" "......Yes." Phoebe couldn''t lie and nodded. "I see." Rosaria sat on a folding chair. Her face became gloomy. "When will Rosaria be strong?" "Miss, you are already strong enough." Phoebe knelt in front of her and looked up at her. "But! Rosaria hasn''t done anything yet! Rosaria wants to defeat the bad viins too." "Why?" "Because they''re tormenting my father." Hearing that, Phoebe''s face spread into a smile. "It''s because you have such a beautiful heart that I have to protect you even more." She shyly held both of her hands with her dry hands. "You see, flowers are vulnerable before they bloom. If they are shaken by the wind and rain, the buds may fall off before the petals even bloom." "Is that so?" "You are strong, Miss. We are just protecting you until the flower bud blooms firmly. Someday, the Master of the Tower and I will need your help. When that timees, please help us. You understand, right?" "Yes." It wasn''t a clear answer, but Rosaria seemed to ept it in her own way. Kugugug-. Just when they thought it was over, the undergroundboratory shook as a whole. "The building shook!" She replied as if it was fascinating, but Phoebe''s expression wasn''t good. Being immune to external shocks, shaking meant that someone remaining had caused a big shake. Or someone had invaded. "Miss, this way." Phoebe picked up Rosaria and moved. There was no need to check what had happened. If they asked who could cause such a thing, they could easily guess. Either on the surface or deep within. *** "Kuuk...!" Roderick groaned. His body was a mess with tattered scales and burn marks. When the light struck Roderick''s body, he barely managed to escape. ''That was close.'' He discarded the giant dragon''s body like a lizard shedding its skin and returned to human form to escape. In the process, he couldn''t avoid taking damage. Transforming from a dragon''s body to a human meant bing weaker. Roderick, who harbored the dragon''s origin, became weak enough to take on the appearance of a half-dragon. ''Damn it.'' Roderick looked at his corpse from a distance. The ultimate physical form created by gathering all the features of six dragons. An absolute being that wouldn''t be strange to subdue humans and rule the world, that''s what he was. But he failed. ''Why is that?'' Was it my fault for not anticipating that magic would fall from the sky? No, that''s not it. The ultimate mistake was due to emotions. Roderick tried to take revenge on all those who had humiliated him before he became aplete dragon. Why did he try to take revenge before those emotions intensified? As he asked himself that question. -If you still have emotions, when you have great power, you can be swayed by that power. -That''s the price of having great power. -The words of someone who doesn''t pay the price. Voices overwhelmed Roderick''s mind. The dragons he had met and absorbed. They continued to speak in Roderick''s ear, pouring curses like a torrent. ''Don''t nag in my ears.'' -You never admit your mistakes. -It''s all as nned. "Shut up! All of you, shut up!" Roderick couldn''t control his emotions and yelled. But the voices didn''t subside. When his power was strong, he could somehow ignore them. But now he was weakened. The sound grew louder, and the emotions became more agitated. "Damn it. Damn it. Damn it." Curses never stoppeding from his mouth. -If you started something, you should see it through. -Astrophe, it''s time to go to that guy. "Who the hell are these bastards mocking!? I''ve been begging to find that kid all this time!!" -No, you know. The voices said. -You were just ignoring it. Chapter 187 "You say I didn''t look for it?" Roderick thought it was nonsense. - You don''t even know yourself. - If you gain power, you must intensify your emotions. That was ourst piece of advice. - However, since you did not ept that advice, your purpose has been blurred as well. "Now that you guys are great, just shut up." Roderick held his head and thought. Thest dragon''s location that he had been ignoring so far. He recalls that location. "Ha ha..." Roderick let out a hollowugh. It was as they said. Roderick already knew. He just pretended not to know. Roderick spread his wings and flew into the sky. Silence Tower. He looked up at the ce and then looked down. Roderick clenched his fist. He put all his remaining strength into it and mmed the ground. Koo-woong!! The ground breaks and the buried space below is revealed. Roderick fell inside and was able to find the giant hidden dragon. "So... you were here." He stared at Astrophe. Astrophe looked down at him indifferently. Although weakened, it was Roderick who could instantly take his life. - It''s pathetic. You wanted to be more than human, but you ended up being like the humans you despised so much. Astrope sneered at his downfall. "Isn''t the fate of immortals dying even more ridiculous?" - If there is something, there is also something that disappears. Although immortal, we were destined to die eventually. As Roderick was about to absorb his essence, he felt a subtle strangeness. "You''re strangely weak. What have you done?" - Haven''t I told you? I sensed my death. That''s why I weakened my body here. "You helped humans?" - It was a promise I made with my fellow dragons. If there is a moment when a mistake is made, a moment when someone falls, we would protect them by choosing any means or methods. Roderickughed bitterly. "Anyway, if I had your power, this damned wound would heal." - That kind of wound will heal. But the moment you absorb me, all the remaining emotions will disappear. The moment you give up being human, you will bear our fate. Roderick furrowed his eyebrows and reached out towards him. Astrope''s essence gathered in his hand. Astrope slowly lowered his head as if falling asleep. The light of lifepletely went out. "You talk too much." Roderick looked at the object in his right hand. It was much smaller than the other dragons, but it was still a dragon''s essence. So he absorbed thest essence. "Phew..." The vitality swirling inside him subsided. As Astrope said, his essence was much weaker than the other dragons. Even so, it was the power of an immortal dragon. As soon as he absorbed Astrope''s power, his wounds began to heal. Finally, his body waspletely restored. It wasn''t enough power to return to being a dragon, but it was enough to maintain a human body. Roderick opened his eyes. His face, which had been cursing and excited, was surprisingly calm. Atst, his emotions intensified, and only reason remained. Was it because of that? His role became clear. He thought he could hide and recover once his wounds were healed. But Roderick, who had gained reason, did not do that. He will eventually die. The n will fail. The way to break it is to make a decision right now. Roderick turned his eyes and looked towards the inside of theb. "Phoebe." He softly called the name he knew. "I know everything that''s in there. With that little girl of yours. I don''t want to be rough. Show yourself right now." After a moment, the hiding Phoebe revealed herself. The situation was exactly the same as before. Roderick looked at her with cold eyes and softly called her name. "Phoebe." At the same time as the word, Phoebe''s body trembled. She felt as if her body would be taken away by Roderick if she let her guard down. Roderick''s eyes quickly dropped diagonally downward. "And the child of destiny." Rosaria. When Roderick first saw her, she looked just like a child, but now she looked definitely different. A monster wearing the disguise of a child. She looked like a destroyer of bnce that would remain a headache if she existed in this world. Roderick took a step forward. Then Phoebe lowered her body slightly and warned. "If youe any closer, I will attack." "You had a bad head then and now." Roderick replied to Phoebe''s warning. "Do you think you can win against me if you confront me? Thousands have already lost their lives. Famous knights and great magicians. The so-called elites have fallen at my feet. Can you defeat me?" "You say that, but you are exhausted right now. That''s probably why you are in human form." "Am I exhausted? So you think we''re equal?" Phoebe, who had been trained in battle, knew how tired his body was. If they fought, the odds were in Phoebe''s favor. "And even if... you were not exhausted, I still cannot retreat." Phoebe replied with determined eyes. "Protecting the youngdy is my mission now." Roderick stared at Phoebe quietly. "Because you have human emotions, you betray. Yes, I can understand." "I was betrayed, not you. Why are you talking as if you were the victim?" "Then you should kill me. Will you hesitate again this time?" Phoebe lowered her head. "Then let''s make a decision." Roderick stroked his chin. And after a moment. "There''s only one way to stop me. It''s to kill me. But you don''t want to be a ck dragon. Because you have a man you love." "..." "Love is such an emotion. It''s irrational and can''t help but be controlled. You''ve already been betrayed by it, so you know." Phoebe clenched her fist. Trembling came over her. "Do you know what happens when you be a ck dragon?" "I know." "Then, you won''t be able to control your power. The excitement you felt through dragonization will always be maintained, and you will be a violent ck dragon, destroying everything around you. Even forgetting what''s precious." Phoebe knew how terrifying that excitement was in battle. That''s why she didn''t want to be a ck dragon. ''If I be a ck dragon...'' She would have to leave Reed''s side. Because that was her power. "Then let''s do this." She wanted to say there would be no negotiations, but her lips couldn''t part. Roderick continued. "If you love that man so much, I''ll let you live with him. There will be no more harm to you." Phoebe was not happy at all. She sensed that such a proposal would require something absurd. "What do you want from me?" "I just have to kill the root cause of everything, that child." "The youngdy?" "That woman loved humans as she pleased and helped them as she pleased. She made humans greedy and brought about this situation where they im to be the masters of this continent. I cannot just watch that child live." "..." Phoebepletely covered Rosaria with her left hand. "I won''t interfere with you any further out of old loyalty. Whether you live with that man or struggle to clear my name, I''ll disappear as if I''m dead." A small sacrifice for the greater good. If she dies, everything will end. "Step over my dead body. I have no intention of harming the youngdy." "If not, this continent and that man will be even more miserable. It''s impossible to collect all seven disasters he''s chasing." "Don''t think I''ll be swayed by that." "Phoebe, you don''t know how this is going. The reason you''re unhappy and that man is unhappy is all because of that little girl. She has woven the threads of fate as she pleases, and you could only be unhappy!" "..." "That child must die. I''m doing this to make your destiny a better ce." Phoebe didn''t want to ept that. Thinking rationally, if Phoebe and Roderick fought each other, neither side would be sessful, without a doubt. ''I don''t want to be... a dragon.'' A pair of wings attached to arge lizard. Bing a dragon, a creature that instills fear in all humans. She didn''t want to be such a creature. Phoebe wished Roderick would disappear forever, but he didn''t seem to have any intention of doing so. * * * Dream big tl dot *** Then he must be killed. By her own hands. The pain that remained in her heart had only healed after meeting Reed, and it seemed as if the tip of a knife had touched that wound again. She couldn''t ept the fate of bing unhappy by killing the person she loved. Confused, Phoebe turned her body. She looked down at Rosaria with a sad smile. Rosaria instinctively felt repulsed and took a step back. "Youngdy." Phoebe reached out with both hands. Heading towards Rosaria''s slender neck. "Do you remember what I told you before? Phoebe has two precious people." The first light, Lord Roderick Astheria. The second light, Tower Master, Reed Adeleheights Roton. Phoebe closed her eyes. Her hand, aimed at the neck, lightly brushed Rosaria''s cheek. "But there''s one thing I didn''t tell you. There was something I couldn''t tell you because I was too shy." Rosaria knew what that repulsion was. It was farewell. "You, youngdy, are Phoebe''s third light." Phoebe''s figure disappeared. A bted gust of wind. Rosaria blinked her eyelids. She was standing where Roderick was. She had already pierced through the exhausted Roderick''s chest with her own hands. Squish! What was heard was a dull pration sound. Her fingernails, sharpened by dragonization, pierced through the fragile boy''s body. Roderick vomited blood along with his breath. "Ugh... Hah..." He had no strength to even hold Phoebe''s pierced hand. He smiled weakly. "...You''ve made a choice." It was not heard what choice was made. As Roderick''s heart was pierced, strength began to surge in Phoebe''s body. The essence that came out from absorbing all the power of the dragons made Phoebe''s iplete bloodplete. "Ugh... Eugh..." She felt her clothes tightening. Her body was swelling. "Unni..." "Youngdy, get away..." Phoebe, sweating coldly, tried to smile. Rosaria, who felt something was wrong, backed away with a frightened face. Phoebe walked to the spacious ce where Astrope had been. In that ce, her clothes tore apart and she grew explosively. Her body waspletely covered in ck scales, and a tail sprouted. ck Dragon. The strongest and most ferocious dragon. At the same time, it was the first dragon to face death by humans. -Grrrr... A beastly sound was heard from just a simple breath. There is no way to return voluntarily. Phoebe will now live an eternal life in the form she hates the most. ''When the battle begins... I''ll be consumed by that pleasure.'' A dragon destined to die while seeking battles like Asura. In the end, she won''t even be able to identify her own blood, and she will harm even the precious people. Despair and confusion. "Unni." A cute voice reached Phoebe''s ears, trapped in the storm. Phoebe rolled her eyes to look at Rosaria. "Uh, unni? Is it you, unni?" Rosaria, who had been watching Phoebe''s transformation, asked. Chapter 188 As Rosaria stepped forward, Phoebe reflexively eximed. - You can''te! At Phoebe''s words, Rosaria stopped. Of course, Rosaria was surprised, and even Phoebe herself was taken aback. What would have been an urgent tone in her voice now sounded threatening to her. - You shouldn''t...e. Even her gentle manner of speaking was lowered to a deep tone. Strength flowed into Rosaria''s hand gripping the hem of her dress. It wasn''t the tone of voice or the dragon''s appearance that frightened her. It was the fact that Phoebe had uncharacteristically tried to stop her so desperately that scared her. - Miss, Phoebe needs to leave now. "Why? Where are you going?" - To a ce where there are no people... I need to go to a space where I can be alone. At Phoebe''s words, Rosaria fiddled with her fingers. "When will youe back?" Rosaria could understand what Phoebe was trying to say. But she denied it. Not wanting to ept what she understood, she asked her a question. At her desperate question, Phoebe couldn''t find the courage to answer. But she had to gather her courage. - I can''te back now. Phoebe is... no longer human. At Phoebe''s words, Rosaria shook her head in denial. "No! Even if you''re not human, you''re still my unni. Even if you''re not human, you''re still Phoebe!" - I''m sorry. Phoebe moved her front foot. As she took one step, Rosaria, who had to run dozens of steps to stop her, did something very simple. She stood in front of her and spread her arms. "You can''t! You can''t go! You have to stay here! You must!" Her body trembled. She stood with her small body and arms outstretched. It was an insurmountable wall. - Miss... Phoebe closed her eyes tightly. With a painful step, she passed over Rosaria''s head. "I''ll sever our ties!" Phoebe''s footsteps stopped. Severing ties was the word Rosaria hated the most. For the first time, she, who believed that she could be friends with anyone, brought up the word severing ties to someone. Rosaria''s face turned bright red. "Liar. You said you wouldn''t leave... Hup, you said if I missed you, you wouldn''t leave... I told you not to go..." Moisture rises in her voice. "I hate liars. I hate Rosaria too. I don''t even want to see you! So I''m going to sever our ties. Just go! Waaahh!!" Rosaria eventually burst into tears. Her loud sobbing echoed through the empty space. Phoebe stood still as if she had been hit hard on the head. It hurt. Her words felt like they were stabbing into her heart. It was Phoebe who had promised to always be by her side. It was also Phoebe who had said she would be there until she didn''t want to see her anymore. So, what should she do? She must keep her promise. ''What about the future?'' Who knows? Who can tell what will happen? Even prophets often get it wrong on the appointed day, so who can know the future? All she can rely on is the faith in her heart. She must resist the power trying to consume her and stand in front of Rosaria. Phoebe had made up her mind to be with Rosaria with that mindset. Somehow, it would work out. What if she fails? That won''t happen. She knew it well because she was not smart. Phoebe repented for her mistake and turned her steps around. She looked down at Rosaria, who was crouching and crying. - Miss, I''m sorry. Please don''t cry. Phoebe was wrong. Rosaria''s crying didn''t stop. Feeling so guilty for making her so sad, Phoebe was crushed. She wanted to hug her, but she couldn''t with this body. Even without that, Phoebe knew how tofort Rosaria. She closed her eyes and stretched her tone as much as possible. - Miss, Missy... She cautiously leaned her face towards her. - Do you want to touch my horn? Rosaria lifted her head. A pair of sharp and huge horns were in front of her. Rosaria hugged the horns. Rough and rugged, but like embracing a soft pillow, Rosaria fell asleep as she was. *** The area in front of the Silence Tower was incredibly noisy. The magicians of the Silence Tower tried hard to control it, but it was difficult to disperse the gathered crowd. Most of them were nobles,manders, and even tower lords. "Is that the ck dragon...!" "Isn''t it dangerous?" "If it were dangerous, it would be rampant now. Don''t make unnecessary trouble because it''s not dangerous." They all kept their mouths shut and carefully avoided offending Phoebe, who had turned into a ck dragon. Reed alternately looked at the paper he had spread out and the ck dragon in the closest proximity to him. "It''s just like the illustration." That''s why Reed couldn''t help but ask cautiously even though he knew. "Is it really... Phoebe?" - Yes, it is. This was the second question. If he asked a third time, Phoebe might get upset, so he didn''t bring up any more questions. "Was this fate...?" - I guess so. "How''s your body?" - Surprisingly, it''s okay. It''s just strange that my body has grown and I have to walk on four legs, but I guess I''ve adapted to it? "What about your mood?" - It''s not great... but it''s manageable. "That''s good." It didn''t seem like her emotions had disappeared and she had be rational. Her body had grown, but inside, she was undoubtedly the same Phoebe Reed knew. - I... "Uh-huh?" - I had something I wanted to say... but I think I can''t do it now. "Really?" - Because my body... has be so big that it''s only going to cause trouble. Her unconfident tone was unlike Phoebe. It made sense. Her body had grown and she had be a dragon, so everything would change. Reed absentmindedly put his hand on her head. Phoebe closed her eyes tightly, feeling his touch. - Hehe, don''t worry. I''ll find out if there''s something I can do even with this body. Always be positive. She must have been trying to smile weakly, but to Reed, her eyes were starting to fill with moisture. He couldn''t even dare to look at her. Phoebe had chosen to sacrifice herself for Rosaria, and he hadn''t been able to ept her feelings, leaving her in this predicament. "I..." As Reed was trying to decide what to say, "I don''t know what you''re talking about, but it looks like you''re breaking up. Can I interrupt?" An old man approached and interrupted them. He was one of the university professors who came with Dolores from Escolleia. Reed asked him angrily. "What do you mean?" "After examining this ck dragon''s body and consulting with several schrs, it turns out that you, the deputy tower lord of the Silence Tower, don''t need to part ways." "...Really?" -What, what do you mean? Reed and Phoebe widened their eyes and asked. "Do you know what it means when mana is leaking from your body?" "What do you mean, mana is leaking?" "If it''s not intentionally released, it means that the deputy tower lord''s mana vessel is gradually shrinking, and the overflowing mana is being naturally discharged." "So the mana vessel is shrinking... that means it''s returning to its original state?" "That''s right." The old man nodded. "I measured the size and height just in case, and there was a 50cm error. The range was toorge for it to be a mistake, so I was sure. It''s certain that her size is gradually shrinking. By my estimate, she''ll probably return to her original state or be human again." "I see." Reed''s face, which seemed like it would shed tears at any moment, became somewhat rxed. Seeing his expression, Phoebe also felt at ease. - So, am I going back to my original state? "Yes, it seems so." - I see. Back to my original state... my original state... Phoebe covered her face with both hands. She wanted to hide and cry somewhere, but there was no way she could hide in this form. Reed hugged Phoebe''s head. "I''m d... I''m d." - Yes, I''m d. Reed held her until she calmed down. Although it had a counterproductive effect in calming her down, Phoebe let Reed hold her close. She wanted to be closer, even in this body. *** * * * Dream big tl dot *** ''Phoebe is returning to her original state...'' Although it was good news, Reed couldn''t easily ept it. It meant that the origin of the dragon had disappeared, and it wasn''t an item that could naturally disappear. It had to exist and someone had to bear it. "Then who on earth has taken the origin of the dragon?" "I''m not sure about that either." The schrs only knew about Phoebe''s condition. Reed checked Gorgan and Saul''s conditions just in case, but there were no signs of anything unusual with them. ''Are there any other half-dragons left... or in the worst case, if Roderick is actually alive...'' It was the most likely hypothesis, but if it were true, it would be quite a headache. There''s nothing more annoying than having a decisive moment prolonged. Reed prayed that it wasn''t the case and tried to find other possibilities. However, the truth was closer than he thought. -Meow. Reed looked down at the sensation of something tapping his foot. It was a small creature that was attracting attention by headbutting him lightly. It was Rosaria''s elemental, Meowmeow. Despite its name, Meowmeow was a smander in the shape of a lizard. ''Thinking about dragons, it feels like it''s somehow a cousin of a dragon.'' Reed thought so and spoke to Meowmeow, who was headbutting him. "Meowmeow, daddy is busy right now... Huh?" Reed stopped talking and picked up Meowmeow. It was more to confirm what he saw rather than wanting to hug him. "Huh?" Reed doubted his eyes even after looking several times. Something was attached to Meowmeow''s tiny four legs. "Scales?" -Meow. Although it looked like a lizard, it was purely an elemental. It could freely change ording to the attributes that Rosaria could handle, such as light or water, but it was impossible to have the characteristics of a real lizard. "Could this be..." -It is what you''re thinking. The one who answered him was Orneptos. "This small elemental... an elemental..." -It bears the power of that blonde fool. He didn''t ask how or why it was possible. For Rosaria, having such power was enough. Of course, no one could prove or solve it. "..." -Meow? As he looked with mixed feelings, Meowmeow tilted its head. Reed gently stroked Meowmeow¡¯s head. A skillful touch that knew the pleasing points. Meowmeow swayed and wagged its tail. ''Is this one going to be a dragon?'' He inadvertently recalled the story Rosaria had told him before. When they entered thebyrinth, Meowmeow had turned into a huge dragon, and she rode on top of it. ''Could that have been a possible future?'' Whether it would be a cute little dragon or really grow into a dragon. -Meow. Meow. Meowmeow, who had been listening, suddenly began to cry. It nced around cautiously, showing signs of anxiety. "Are you listening well to Rosaria?" -Meow. Meowmeow nodded its head. "You have to listen well." -Meow~. Perhaps because it was more gentle than other elementals? It didn''t seem like it would do anything bad to Rosaria. As long as Meowmeow obeyed Rosaria and Rosaria didn''t have any ill intentions, there shouldn''t be any problems. Since the issue with the origin of the dragon was resolved, they could feel relieved in a way. "Go back to Rosaria." -Meow. Meowmeow nodded its head and began to crawl away again. Currently, Rosaria and Phoebe were in an awkward state. Rosaria felt sorry for cursing at Phoebe, and Phoebe felt sorry for not trying to keep her promise. ''It sounds like such a trivial matter...'' Especially when hearing Rosaria''s reason, it seemed so trivial. However, it was a serious matter for them, so Reed couldn''t dareugh or make fun of it. ''They can apologize and talk to each otherter.'' Their rtionship had deepened, so a small argument wouldn''tpletely ruin it. They both needed time to think, so Reed left them alone. Reed buried the ground that Roderick had dug up as it was, without restoring it. Hepletely removed the underground secret space where the dragon had been studied, leaving it in its broken state. After taking various measures to make the foundation sturdy again, the incident was temporarily resolved. The night was deep, and Reed looked up at Phoebe and asked. "I''d like to tell you to sleep inside, but you''re too big to bring inside." -That''s okay. It''s not cold, and being like this... somehow makes me feel stable, hehe. "Feeling stable outside?" -Somehow, thinking that I''m protecting this tower gives me strength. It feels like I''ve really be the watchdog of the Silence Tower." At those words, Reed chuckled. Her unnecessarily optimistic side was so adorable. Chapter 189 Disaster Turns into Peace (2) The day after her first report, it was clear that Phoebe''s body was gradually shrinking whenpared to her morning size. ''Phoebe is returning to her original state.'' It was said that it would take a week, but even that wait was not easy. Rumors spread that a dragon lived in front of the Silence Tower, and spectators flocked from all over. There was no distinction in types. Adventurers pretending to pass by, nobles visiting to see useless items they had no interest in,moners risking their lives for a lifetime of drinking stories, and curious children. Phoebe refused the idea of setting up a no-ess magic barrier. - If you make it so strict, it seems like I''m in danger... "That does seem likely." Her size grew, and her appearance became threatening, but deep down, she was an innocent child. Respecting her wishes, they left her alone, and Phoebe ignored anyone who approached. Even without any sanctions, ordinary people just briefly nced before returning home, so no worrisome situations urred. ''Can''t I do something for her?'' Although she imed to be fine, Reed couldn''t help but feel uneasy. She had been prepared to sacrifice herself for Rosaria and chose to suffer. However, there seemed to be nothing they could do for her immediately. The ce where they had imprisoned Astrophe could no longer be used and was buried, and they didn''t want her to be alone there. Phoebe really enjoyed guarding the tower''s side. ''But if I make a doghouse for her...'' It would look ridiculous, and she would only get ridiculed. As he was thinking about what to do for her, Phoebe spoke up. -Tower Master... "Hm?" Phoebe stammered, seemingly embarrassed. -I think I''m getting hungry... "Are you?" - Uh... With this body, I''ll undoubtedly have to eat a lot... Won''t that cause trouble? "It might." -Really??? "No, I meant don''t worry about it." He identally let his true feelings slip. Fortunately, Phoebe didn''t hear it properly, and they could brush it off. ''In fact, just one meal would be enormous.'' When Phoebe was human, the amount of food she ate in one meal was equivalent to what three people would eat in a day. When she first came to the Silence Tower, there was a conspiracy that Reed, the tower master, was trying to copse the tower by taking out 10% of the budget for food expenses. Although it was a joke, there were quite a few people who actually believed it. Anyway, since she had be a dragon, she would need food for three dragons. Roughly calcting based on her size, she needed a day''s worth of food for the tower. And that was just for one meal. ''There''s no problem, but...'' Something felt missing. What she really enjoyed was eating. "Sis, are you hungry?" -Yeah... I think my stomach is growling. "It sounds like your stomach is sinking!" -With this body, could I sink in the ocean? Phoebe and Rosariaughed while joking around. Then, as if something came to mind, Rosaria eximed, "Ah!" "I wish you could really eat a lot, sis." -Why is that? "There''s so much I want to eat! I can eat a lot of cake, a lot of snacks, isn''t that right? It would be so happy." Reed suddenly had a brilliant idea thanks to Rosaria''s words. "Rosaria." "Huh?" Reed grabbed Rosaria''s shoulder and praised her. "Thanks to you, I came up with a great idea." "Is it because of Rosaria?" "Yes." "Ahem!" Rosaria felt proud because she was credited. Reed asked her, just in case. "Phoebe." -Yes? "Do you have any preferences?" -Preferences? Um... I eat everything well, except for a few things I don''t like. Oh, are you talking about something else? "No, that''s what I meant." Phoebe blinked. She couldn''t understand the intention behind the question. -Why do you ask? "We''re going to have a festival centered around you." -A festival...? Phoebe''s huge head tilted. Reed chuckled and asked her. "Are you curious about what kind of festival it is?" -Yes, very much! "I''ll keep it a secret." -Aww... Phoebe sighed,ying her head on the ground like a deted puppy. Feeling guilty for her disappointed look, Reed asked once more. "Can''t you bear it or don''t like it...?" -Oh, no! If you don''t know about the gift, you can be surprised, right? If the Tower Master wants to surprise me, I''ll bear it. "Alright." -...Still, it would be nice if you could give me a little hint... "..." She tried to create a tiny gap with her fingernail, which was as big as her head. It''s hard to know what she''s expecting. "Not knowing will be more fun. I guarantee it." -Grr... Alright then... Phoebe nodded her head. -Just don''t overdo it, please. While she spoke cautiously, it wasn''t something to worry about. ''I don''t even need to push myself.'' All Reed had to do was light the fuse. People would move on their own, burning and exploding like a fire. Since it was an event that everyone would undoubtedly enjoy. *** * * * Dream big tl dot *** Reed carefully wrote and sent letters to each person. The great threat that had swept the continent had been ovee. And the dragon, which had once been a manifestation of disaster, was no longer a disaster. It was a festival to announce that it would be a symbol of protecting this continent. There were suitable ways to prove it. A childish story that in order to protect us, the dragon, once an evil deity, must be served with delicious food. It was a text that was both fit for a fairy tale and shamelessly filled with personal desires. -Show off the delicacies of each region and win the dragon''s favor. Those who please the ck Dragon will receive its blessings directly. Whether they believe it or not, people will gather. Everyone knew how meaningful this festival was, as the disaster that had made them tremble in fear had receded. It was significant that immediately after this event, people from all over the continent woulde together. Considering that everyone on the continent would gather for one of the rare opportunities to see a dragon with their own eyes. Reed foresaw that people would gather and had the surroundings under construction for two days. "Is it okay to do this construction even if people might note?" "You talk too much." "I''m sorry!" If the Tower Master says to do it, they must. Such doubts subsided the next day. Although they were long-winded, the letters contained replies that they would attend the festival, all summarized in one line. The letters filled the first-floor hall, and those who doubted could only admire Reed''s foresight. If the construction had startedter, there would have been a severe shortage of space. They prepared arge area for the two-day festival, and people began to gather. As soon as the morning of the promised day dawned, half of the prepared parking lot was filled in just three hours. The guests were kings and high-ranking nobles from various countries. "Greetings, Tower Master of Silence." "Wee, Your Majesty King Clen." "Not only did you clean up the chaos, but you also held this festival. We are truly grateful. We will dedicate our skills to this festival." "I look forward to it." The formal greetings were simple,sting about a minute. However, it was simple for those who greeted, but Reed could not leave the spot. Reed exchanged greetings with the nobles while standing there, and it still wasn''t over before nightfall. The nobles all gathered in one ce as if on a sightseeing tour. It was right next to the Silence Tower where Phoebe was. There was no particr line, but everyone maintained a certain distance while observing the ck Dragon. Their reactions were consistent. "My goodness..." "I never thought I''d see a dragon in my lifetime." Of course, not only adults attended the festival. High-ranking noble children also gathered to see the dragon. Phoebe sat still in that spot, looking down at them. "Is it really safe?" "Of course. She promised not to harm humans, so there''s no need to worry." "What if she suddenly shoots a breath..." "I''ll be able to block it, so don''t worry." "Hmm! I''m sorry for doubting the Tower Master of Silence, who has some reputation." As the leaders responsible for each country, many were particrly concerned about safety. Such concerns were for the stiff-minded adults, not the children. "Mom, it''s a dragon! An evil dragon!" The atmosphere turned cold in an instant with the blunt words. The child''s mother covered his mouth and repeatedly apologized. "Kid, you shouldn''t say that carelessly! I''m sorry. He''s still a thoughtless child..." The queen, who adored her rude son without any discipline, turned serious and apologized to Phoebe. Seeing her apologize, Phoebe blinked once. It wasn''t easy to show a smile in the form of a dragon, so that was her way of showing that it was alright. However, most people felt that it was a gesture to let it go just once, so even talking about it was difficult. -Tower Master... Phoebe sent a message to Reed. Even in the message, her trembling voice felt disheartened. "Why do you feel down?" -Should I just close my eyes and pretend to sleep? "Why? It''s not your fault." -Um... "You can be confident. I''ll see what I can do." Feeling that there was some truth in Reed''s words, Phoebe tried to be more confident. No matter how many times she spoke like a speech that she was not dangerous, trust did not seem to open so easily. What could she do to ease the vignce in the eyes looking at Phoebe? The answer to that question was thrown by Rosaria. Rosaria, who was mixed with her peers, looked up at Phoebe with the children. "Wow, a dragon!" "Cool, right? She''s our sister!" "A dragon is your sister?" "Yes!" In Rosaria''s brief exnation, the children seemed to think that she was definitely amazing, looking at her with eyes of admiration. "I even slid down her tail like a slide!" "Wow, that sounds fun." "Have you touched the tail when you slid down?" "Of course!" Rosaria nodded her head at the children''s questions. "Do you want to touch?" Then the children hesitated for a moment. "But mom said it''s dangerous." "They say dragons are evil." "It''s not dangerous! And it''s not evil!" Rosaria seemed determined and took the children''s hands and stepped forward. As someone stepped forward in the circle, attention naturally focused. "Oh my!" "Isn''t that little child the youngdy of the Adeleheights family?" The frightened adults began to whisper, holding their breath. The children who followed her hesitantly, but as the big dragon''s head approached, they started to get scared. "Now, you can touch, right?" Rosaria ced the sobbing child''s hand on Phoebe''s cheek. The fear of the giant being disappeared through that touch. "Right?" "Look, look, it''s not scary!" The child, who had been cautiously touching with one hand, began to touch without hesitation. The children who were watching from a little distance behind asked the child. "Is it okay?" "Yeah! It''s like a lizard!" "I want to touch it too." Thanks to Rosaria''s boldness, the children gradually let go of their guard towards Phoebe and approached her. Soon, they began to touch her as if she was a big, friendly dog rather than a scary dragon. "It seems like it''s not really dangerous, huh?" "That''s right. She''s staying still even when the children touch her like that..." "Mom, I want to touch it too." "Well, shall we go together with mom?" "Yes!" As the children closed the distance, the adults naturally closed the gap with Phoebe as well. However, instead of touching her boldly, they examined Phoebe''s body as if looking at a well-made piece of art. While the nobles were admiring her, the attendants who apanied them busily set up the equipment for the festival in the open space. The main day of the festival was tomorrow. The eve of the festival was held in amoner style with street vendors and festival-goers. There were some who said it was a lowlymoner''s way, but in their world, it was an exotic festival, so they participated despite the inconvenience. It was also an opportunity to get to know each other while experiencing the hard-to-reach foreign foods in a simple way. That''s why the festival focused on food and entertainment, which could showcase their kingdoms. "Oh, the ck Dragon is drooling!" "Hey! No matter what, you shouldn''t be rude!" Phoebe swallowed her saliva and watched them. Chapter 190 Phoebe drooled as she looked around. The appetizing scent of spices and meat mingled in the air, constantly stimting her appetite. She wanted to approach and ask for a piece, but Phoebe didn''t move an inch from her spot. "Smells good, right?" As Reed, standing next to her, asked, Phoebe deted and answered. -It''s agonizing. "How long has it been since you ate?" -Ah... Well... There''s a separate stomach for eating delicious food! That''s how dragons are! "What an interesting structure your body has." Reed chuckled and stroked her head. "We''ll eat our meal today, and you can eat to your heart''s content starting tomorrow." -Well... Okay. "You''re a good girl, so good." Reed gently tapped her cheek. She was determined to take in as much as she could with her eyes since she couldn''t eat. Phoebe''s exploration ignited the stalls surrounding the Silence Tower. "The Dragon Lord is watching us!" "Cooks! Hurry up and show your skills! The honor of the Eren Kingdom is at stake!" "We can''t lose either!" The kingdom''s chefs had strong pride. They became the kingdom''s chefs because they insisted on being the best, and they wanted to be the best even among the best. The chef who captivated the dragon''s taste buds! It was a once-in-a-lifetime title that no one else could obtain. They tried their best to win Phoebe''s favor by showing off their unique skills. However, ironically, Phoebe''s resentment and hatred grew as the chefs'' skills stimted her appetite. *** * * * Dream big tl dot *** As night deepened and the lights of the night market gradually went out. With the lights out, Phoebe fell asleep, and Reedid down next to her, reading a book. As a host, he waited as long as he could for the guest who had not yet arrived. Shortly after, a twinkling light approached from the sky. A sky carriage of iparable size to those of other kingdoms. It was as if an entire room had been detached and moved here. There was no doubt that it was actually used for such purposes. If they were nobles, they would know whose carriage it was. ''The Emperor of the Garcia Empire.'' Reed checked his attire nervously. The door opened, and the man inside revealed himself. The one who descended was the Crown Prince of the Garcia Empire. "Wee, Your Highness the Crown Prince." "Nice to meet you, Master of the Silence Tower." "I thought His Majesty the Emperor wasing with the carriage." "His Majesty cannot participate inrge events for the sake of preserving his health." "His health must not be good." "It''s natural given his age." After exchanging courtesies, the Crown Prince turned his head and looked up at Phoebe. "Is that vicious dragon the deputy of the Tower Master?" "Yes, that''s correct." "I heard she will return to being human soon." "That seems regrettable." "Wouldn''t it be stranger if it wasn''t regrettable? As the origin of dragons... If she had be the only dragon, she could have had a tremendous influence on this world." His tant honesty didn''t feel disgusting at all. The Crown Prince, who observed Reed''s reaction, soon apologized. "I apologize for my rudeness. I''ve been so preupied with policies that I keep thinking about the benefits the existence of a dragon could bring to our empire. We even made promises with the vanguards. It''s too much greed." "It''s alright. Isn''t that what humans are like?" The Crown Prince smiled and changed the subject. "In a month, there will be a memorial service. It''s a memorial service to send off the magician who has be a star. Would you please attend?" "I have no reason not to, as they devoted their life to protect this continent." "I''m d. The magicians who followed them will also be able to rest in peace." The conversation with the Crown Prince ended there. The Crown Prince moved to the prepared seat under the guidance. ''Did the empireete because they knew they would ruin the atmosphere?'' There would be those who have a good impression and those who have a bad impression of the empire due to its size. So, they entered a stepte to consider them. ''Come to think of it, there are still people who haven''t arrived yet.'' He thought everyone had arrived, but upon reconsideration, there were almost no familiar faces among Reed''s friends. That''s when it happened. Lights from the northeastern forest were heading this way. Upon closer inspection, thirty orcs carrying loads were walking towards this ce. ''The Barchan Union...'' The country was where the orcs, the only non-human nation recognized on the continent, gathered. In every aspect, they had superior physical strength and powerpared to the average human, but they were a race with lower intelligence. ''So did they walk to this important event?'' They would have arrived by sunset at thetest if they had taken a carriage. Reed went to greet them personally. He greeted Larksper, who was at the forefront. "You''re here?" "Brother, I''m quitete." "It''s not just a littlete. Shouldn''t you have at least borrowed a carriage?" "Walking is morefortable." He didn''t know what kind of stubbornness it was, but it seemed to be a pride unique to orcs. Larksper and hispanions went to their designated spot, set up tents, and unpacked their loads. In the meantime, Larksper and Reed moved to where Phoebe was. While Reed fetched drinks, Larksper looked up at the sleeping Phoebe and sighed. "Hmm..." "What''s wrong?" "Dragon. It reminds me of that battle." Larksper and Adonis. The two fought fiercely and stalled until the very end. They saw the recorded footage and knew how grateful they should be to them. "It felt like there was an insurmountable wall." "Were you frustrated?" "Of course." Larksper nodded his head calmly, admitting the embarrassing story. "I thought you wouldn''t admit that because of your strong pride?" "It was my clear defeat. Anyone could see that I was purely overwhelmed by power. So, if I don''t admit it, I can''t move forward." Larksper hit his chest. It resonated majestically like the sound of a drum on the battlefield. "Larksper must be an inspiration as the Great Chieftain." "It''s a good mindset." "Do you think orcs can grow as much as humans?" He asked a sensitive question. However, Reed knew the answer. "As long as you have the determination to prosper the kingdom, I believe it will be steadfast." "I see." Larksper''s desired kingdom will undoubtedly be realized. He knew how much effort he put in and how much the heavens helped him. As the conversation came to an end, someone else came to find Reed. Thete-night guest was one of the close people Reed hadn''t seen during the day. Adonis approached. "Chief of the Orc tribe, how are you?" "Deputy of Hupper, how are you?" It was a strangely stiff greeting that didn''t suit the two. When their swords shed, they were a perfect match, but when it came to social situations, they were more awkward than anyone. Leaving the awkwardness behind, Larksper returned to his area, and Adonis walked towards Reed. "I apologize for thete greeting, Tower Lord." "It''s alright. I''ve been receiving greetings all day, and I was getting tired. I thought I''d receive a perfunctory greeting from Adonis as well." "Are you okay now?" "Of course." "I see." Adonis said so and looked up at Reed. Reed nced at her and was momentarily surprised by her expression. "What made you so happy?" "No, not particrly." "Then why are you smiling like that?" Adonis was smiling. If it wasn''t due to excessive refraction, Adonis'' face, illuminated by the torchlight, was undoubtedly smiling. Adonis tilted her head. "Am I smiling?" "Yes. It seems so." "I see." The gentle smile didn''t disappear but deepened even more. She was a knight who roamed the rough battlefield, but her essence was still a pitifully beautiful woman. Seeing the charming beauty''s smile, Reed didn''t know where to look and quickly turned his head away. "It seems that I''m smiling because you''re sofortable, Tower Master." "What''s sofortable about me?" "You''re the only one who calls me Adonis, and the only one who opened my heart. I guess that''s why." "It''s hard to find someone like that when you''re in an important position like Adonis. But there will definitely be someone." "I wish there was someone asfortable as you..." Adonis decided to think positively. And she nced up at Reed again. "Tower Master." "Yes." "I wish you happiness." "Thank you." Adonis briefly greeted and disappeared into the darkness. She moved her steps lightly, not knowing if she was excited or thrilled, and disappeared into the darkness. ''Is that all the people I need to greet?'' Reed closed the book. "I was going toy down a makeshift bed and go to sleep until tomorrow." "It seems you''re going to sleep." "..." "I think it''s better to go and greet him tomorrow." "..." "He¡¯s tired. It can''t be helped. Humans need to sleep." They say that daytime talks are heard by birds and nighttime talks are heard by mice, but even small voices sounded noisy. How long did they n to whisper? Reed, on the other hand, was annoyed and yelled at them. "Juste over." Two women hidden in the darkness stepped forward and revealed themselves to Reed. As expected. The Silent Saintess, Rachel, and the Contemtive Saintess, Isel. "I didn''t intend to show myself like this. I''m sorry. Was my voice too loud?" "Weren''t you talking like that for me to hear?" "Oh my? We didn''t have such intentions. Right, Rachel?" "..." Rachel sighed in response. Iselughed brightly. It was a shameless grin. "I didn''t hear that the saintesses would attend this festival. Did you change your mind?" "No, we just came to greet you." Reed nced at their outfits. If they had intended to participate in the festival, they would have worn saintly clothes. Even if not formal attire, they would have at least worn practice clothes. But it wasn''t even that. Rachel wore light leather armor, and Isel wore a blind nun-like outfit. It was very simr to when they met in the Huper Kingdom during the demon disturbance. "That''s right. We didn''te here to attend this festival." "Then why?" "We came to say farewell." "Farewell?" Reed shuddered. He thought that the farewell might mean death. "Ah, it seems that the meaning was conveyed strangely. Don''t worry. It''s not about dying, but that we won''t meet often from now on." "Is that so? Will you exin why you''re saying farewell?" "As of yesterday, we officially stepped down from the position of saintess. It''s currently vacant." "You stepped down from the position of saints...?" Reed asked them as if he couldn''t understand. "Even now, the fragments of our hero''s past, left behind, still remain on this earth." Ghosts of the past. They are quiet these days, but there''s no doubt that the evil ones will cause trouble somewhere. Even if they were not such beings, they were already dead. Since their existence contradicted the teachings of the Alte Order, they believed that leading them to death was the right thing to do. "The task of resolving the hero''s issues is left to those who have a connection with the hero." "Am I not included in those who have a connection?" "Because you are his descendant? There''s no need. The hero is not attached to bloodlines." Isel added with a smile. "Of course, we were fed up with our order, and we wanted to deviate a bit. We n to wander around the continent and break free from our Althea." "You''re shamelessly saying something that would shock the people of the order." "You know the saying, ''marrying a god''? I''m sick of my husband''s face, what can I do?" Although Rachel tapped Isel''s shoulder and gave her a hint, Isel didn''t budge. Reed nced down at Rachel''s waist. The hero''s sword was firmly in her waist. "What do you n to do at the end of your journey?" "I don''t know." "..." Isel just smiled. Reed didn''t go any further either. Since it''s their life, all he can do is respect their decision and bless them. "I''ll pray for your journey to be safe." "I''d rather have a lot of trouble. That way, we can catch those things scattered by the hero." As he was about to answer Isel''s words, someone intercepted. -I''ll pray for you instead. Phoebe opened her eyes slightly and looked at Isel and Rachel. "Oh my, Deputy Tower Master, you''ve grown a lot, haven''t you?" -Right now, I''m a dragon. It was a threatening attempt to break the momentum. But Isel didn''t waver. "That''s right. But dragons are immortal beings who cannot feel desires, so this festival... wouldn''t it stimte your appetite? Over 100 kingdoms are offering sacrifices, can you eat all that?" -Of course. I saved this continent, so shouldn''t I have the right to receive that much? "Ha-ha, I see. I wonder if you can''t return to being human because you''ve eaten too much. No, could it be that you''ll turn into a cow?" Their faces were smiling, but a cold chill was swirling around them. They felt like they found a proper rival without even meeting a few times. "Stop fighting like children." Reed calmed Phoebe down by stroking her head. Phoebe obediently lowered her head as if nothing had happened. "Just watch the festival and go." "Thank you for your consideration, Tower Master. We don''t have the luxury to enjoy the festival." "In that case..." "We appreciate your concern, but you still have things to solve, don''t you?" Isel smiled at Reed. "Two more to go." What she was talking about was the seven disasters that would destroy the world. It''s not far from the end now. It''s time to think about themselves, as they said. "Do you think fate will go the right way?" "If it''s you, there''s no doubt you''ll do it." "Is that the future the saintess prophesied for me?" "Do you have to see it to know?" Reed lowered his head at Isel''s question. "There''s no need to see it, necessarily." Reed had a strong belief. A belief that he would be able to ovee any adversity that came his way. Isel showed a satisfied expression. "We will take our leave, Master of Silence Tower. May the protection of Althea be with you." "May the protection of Althea be with you both." Isel and Rachel greeted him and disappeared into the darkness. He waited under the torchlight, wondering if there were any more peopleing to greet him, but no one else came. The next day. The full-fledged festival began, and the chefs started to bustle about. Chapter 191 It was a festival to offer their food to the dragon, so they showed off their own strategies to satisfy all five senses. Phoebe savored various precious foods with herrge tongue. Creak- Creak-. As Phoebe snorted and made a blissful expression, the tension of the people sitting around her escted. Finally, the winner was decided. It was the southern city, Emoren. The strong scent and sweet taste were still lingering in her mouth. With the sincere wish for peace in the south, the offering ceremony ended with a kiss on the foreheads of Emoren''s children. After the offering ceremony, the human festival began. The murderous intent and fighting spirit felt during the preparation and judging for the offering ceremony were nowhere to be found, and everyone was busyughing. It was hard to believe that they had fiercely defended their pride against each other. Delicious food and alcohol, and the relief brought by peace made everyone brothers for today. "Master of the Silence Tower, you''re just over there!" The Master of the Monolith Tower waved his hand, drawing Reed''s attention. Other tower Masters were sitting there as well. "What''s going on?" "Come over here and sit down! These young ones here im to be the best drinkers!" The ones being referred to as young ones were the knights sitting on the opposite side. They usually wore full te armor and roamed the battlefield, but today they were dressed in light uniforms. "Magicians can¡¯t handle alcohol easily." "What''s the reason for that?" "It''s ridiculous to think that magicians who sit all day can beat swordsmen who undergo intense physical training." Then the magicians'' side countered. "Magicians'' training is a battle of endurance. We can handle any amount of alcohol because we must be rational in any situation." "Even if your mind endures, what use is it if your body can''t?" "Isn''t the opposite true as well? Without mental strength, the body is just an empty shell." "We''re not just muscle-bound warriors; we''re knights who stand at the front. Our physical and mental strength is perfect!" "What, what did you just say!?" As other professions were mentioned in the simple dispute between knights and magicians, it became a chaotic scene in just five minutes. Reed stood up and shouted. "Everyone, be quiet! If you don''t quiet down, the festival will stop!" The power of the organizer was so strong that everyone closed their mouths. The sudden silence made even the innocent people focus. "There''s no benefit to us just talking. Anyone can im to be a top swordsman or magician by just talking, right?" Reed raised his ss and said. "The answer is to prove it right here! Let the representatives of each professione forward and determine the exact pecking order!" Everyone was enthusiastic about Reed''s words. "Great! But, you can''t use magic to detoxify!" "Do you think we''d do such a cowardly thing!? We''ll sit down and drink until someone vomits, copses, or can''t drink anymore." "Kuku, the Master of the Silence Tower has a fiery spirit, indeed!" "Hey! Go get some more alcohol! We''re going to kill them all today!" As the alcohol showdown unfolded, the nobles cheered for someone, and some even gambled in the excited atmosphere. The women sneaked a nce with disdainful eyes, shook their heads, and went into the tents with their children to sleep. The incredibly ignorant alcohol showdown was won by the magicians. "Kua!" "As expected of the Master of the Silence Tower!" "Truly a worthy drinker who has drunk two sses of that hellish alcohol from Escolleia!" Reed raised his trembling hand to the overwhelming cheers from the magicians'' side. "Pitiful guy, falling apart." "Hehe, that guy is the weakest among us." "You swordsmen won''t admit defeat!" "Ugh, how disgraceful!" The losers demanded a second round, and the magicians mocked them with jeers. The night was long, and there was still plenty of alcohol left. They encouraged each other, made more alcohol bets, and cheers and jeers alternated between the two sides. In this way, they shared food and drank alcohol. Unaware of the deepening night, people enjoyed the festival. *** * * * Dream big tl dot *** The festival site at dawn. The once-busy campfire was now reduced to ashes, with only embers burning, and men who had fallen drunky sleeping around it. It was a frenzied festival where everyone could finally fall asleep at 4 in the morning. Reed was also asleep in the midst of the frenzied festival. At that moment, someone carefully poked Reed''s face. "Master of the Tower..." "Umm..." "Master of the Tower..." "Huh? Ugh!" As soon as he opened his eyes, he saw a threatening face and was startled without realizing it. Phoebe, who was surprised by his reaction, stepped back and apologized to Reed. "I''m sorry. Did I startle you a lot?" "No, no. It''s fine. Just that it happened so suddenly..." Reed slowly got up from his seat. He felt refreshed without any hangover, probably because he had drunk a lot of high-quality alcohol. Reed looked up at Phoebe, who was sitting quietly. He thought she was slowly returning to normal, but her height had decreased by about 10 meters overnight. Her heavy voice was also gradually getting higher and bing more like Phoebe''s. "You''ve gotten much smaller." "I think I''ll be back to being human soon." "I''m d." Just as he was relieved that this would be the end, Phoebe''s shoulders twitched. Reed realized that it was a gesture that she had something to say. "If you have something to say, say it now." "Well... I want to go somewhere before I be human." "Suddenly?" "Yes, with you, Master of the Tower." It would be a lie if he said he wasn''t surprised by her sudden proposal. But Reed nodded without any hesitation. "Alright, let''s go." He thought it was best to let her do what she wanted before she turned back into a human. Phoebe snorted happily like a horse when Reed gave her permission. "Then, please get on my neck." Phoebe lowered her head to make it easy for Reed to get on, and he climbed up. Her size had decreased significantly, so her neck felt like riding on a horse. As he held her tightly, Phoebe''s wings began to flutter. Leaving a small whirlwind behind, they soared up through the clouds. Countless stars were embroidered on the blue sky. Their color gradually faded to yellow. A fleeting twilight was approaching. Reed stared at the scenery as if he was lost in thought. "Dragon Rider." "Yes?" "I was just wondering if this is what it would feel like to be a Dragon Rider." "Oh, I should have given you a ride when I was bigger!" Reed chuckled when Phoebe expressed her regret. "If you had flown with that body, there would have been a storm." "But if it''s for fulfilling your romance, wouldn''t it be okay?" "Yeah, that much would be fine." Reed smiled pleasantly, and Phoebe also let out augh. They flew above the clouds with Phoebe, facing the twilight wind. The ce they arrived at was the summit of a mountain. It was a t, wide, and high mountain where the ground could be clearly seen. Reed knew where this ce was. It was the mountain of proof that many knights climbed, prepared for death, to challenge their limits. It was a meaningful ce for all knights, but Reed, as a magician, was different. Reading books while climbing the mountain was more beneficial. This ce would be meaningful to Phoebe. "Is there a reason you came here?" "Just because it''s the highest." Or maybe she didn''t have any particr thoughts. Feeling awkward for attributing unnecessary meaning, he turned his gaze elsewhere. The only thing worth seeing on the cloud-covered mountain was the rising sun in the east. Its colors blended so beautifully that he couldn''t help but be captivated. "Do you know, Master of the Tower, how beautiful the rising sun is?" "I don''t know... Ah." As soon as he answered, Reed could understand what she was saying. Twilight recedes, and dawn reveals itself. Reed saw the colors rising beyond the horizon-like clouds. "It''s beautiful." "Isn''t it?" Rather than a response to Phoebe, it was an exmation. Phoebe giggled and carefully moved her head to Reed''s side. Reed naturally stroked her head. "I''ve always... wanted to do this." "What do you mean?" "I wanted to show the person I love the things I''ve seen. And I wanted to be acknowledged. That what I saw was undoubtedly beautiful..." "Was it your lifelong wish?" "Yes!" Phoebe nodded energetically. However, Reed''s face wasn''t as bright. "That means, by making this choice, you almost couldn''t fulfill even the wish you had hoped for." "......Yeah." "The more you do that, the more pathetic I feel." "What are you talking about!?" Phoebe widened her eyes and asked. "When I see the love you give, I wonder if I''m a person worth receiving so much. I wasn''t an optimistic person, but I wasn''t that pessimistic either..." "You can ept it! Unconditionally! You must ept it!" Phoebe scratched the ground, timidly expressing her frustration. "Tower Master... You gave me a reason to live. You showed me how young and foolish I was back then." Phoebe pushed her head harder against Reed''s body. The horns, which wererger than her head, were gradually getting smaller. "You saved a beast like me who knew nothing but killing..." The sensation of her thick scales disappeared, and the soft feel of her feathers was felt. Soft skin with golden hair like fur. "I was able to endure bing a dragon because of that. For you, who gave me everything..." Tears welled up between her half-opened eyes. Phoebe, who had transformed into a human, hugged Reed. "So it''s not too much! You understand!?" "Y-yeah..." "Your answer is weird!" "If you see how you''re dressed right now, it''s understandable." "Huh? Oh no!" It was then that Phoebe realized she was naked. "Here, wear this." "You must be cold..." "Do you think my heart will be at ease if you stay like that?" Phoebe put on Reed''s clothes. There was a significant height difference, so there was no problem covering her entire body. However, the atmosphere that had been created awkwardly broke. "There''s one thing you don''t know." At Reed''s words, Phoebe tilted her head. "It''s not just because you were hurt that I took you in." "Then...?" "I thought you had some ability. I thought you would be useful." "Really?!" "And now you''ve been useful like this. When you''re gone, I''ll be in big trouble. Understand?" "Heh... you''re too much." She clenched her fist and tapped Reed''s arm. Although she said she was hitting him, it was no different from acting cute. "I was joking." "For me, it was serious." "Sorry. But if I don''t do this... It''s hard for me to bring it up." Reed cleared his throat and looked straight at Phoebe. Reed''s expression was rxed. Long gray hair, a tall stature. Golden eyes and a sculpted handsome face. He was a perfect man, hard to believe he was middle-aged, looking towards his 40s. Phoebe wasn''t the type to fall for a handsome man. It was just that the existence of Reed was overwhelmingly huge for her. She often avoided his gaze because it was hard to take in his entire appearance. This time was no different. But she didn''t avoid his gaze. She stared at him clearly, determined to fight an unbearably huge enemy. "Sooner orter... there wille a really tough day for you. A day so painful that you can''t ovee it like this time." "Yes..." "But if such a dayes, I will risk my life for you." "Yes... Yes? For me...?" Phoebe widened her eyes and stammered. "I can''t do that. I can''t create a situation where I have to bother you again..." "Isn''t life moreplicated? It''s not like thingse and go as we want, right? There''s now that says things happen every time." At Reed''s words, Phoebe''s smile gradually wavered. Reed held both her hands. "And there will inevitably be times when it has to happen." "Why?" "Because if we live together from now on, various things will happen." "Huh? What does that mean? Ah..." An exmation in the middle of the question. A brief silence. Phoebe btedly realized what he was referring to. "Ah... Aah!!" The information in her head couldn''t be epted easily. No, there was one answer in her mind. However, she was too afraid to voice her misconception. "Originally, I should have taken you to a nice ce and given it to you... But it seems like now is the right time." Chapter 192 Reed took out the item he had cautiously kept in his pocket and knelt down. Phoebe''s eyes widened. Her feet stepped back, and her body slowly moved away from Reed. Confused by her reaction, Reed asked, "Do you not like it? Is it too sudden?" "No, no, no! How could I not like it? I love the ring! I love diamonds too! And, and I really like the Tower Master as well!" "I can see how much you like it. Okay." Phoebe desperately denied it while spitting out all the words in her rambling. The reason it was difficult to ept right away was because of another reason. "I thought I might not be able to control my strength because I''m so flustered... I was worried I might break the ring..." "Well, that''s quite dangerous." It was surprising to think that the concept of identally breaking a ring with bare hands could exist. "Just hold out your hand. You can do that much, right?" "Yes, yes!" Phoebe tremblingly held out her right hand as if she was struggling with her strength. With her other hand, she hid her flushed face behind her hair. Every time their eyes met, she repeatedly bowed her head, not knowing where to look. "Phoebe Astheria Roton, will you spend the rest of your life with me?" "I will be with you for the rest of my life, even if I have to beat death into submission!" It was a slightly offbeat but refreshing eptance from her known repertoire. Phoebe looked down at the ring. It was small and beautiful. The sunlight reflected off of it, making it sparkle. A tiny light, as small as a fireflypared to the sunlight. But it was the little light she had wanted for a lifetime. Her own light. Phoebe raised her head. A bright smile shimmered in the golden light amidst the orange dawn. She looked up at Reed, forgetting her embarrassment in the tears that welled up. *** The festival ended sessfully. When everyone was drunk and asleep, the dragon left, and the continent regained its peace and tranquility. There were those who actually believed it, and those who didn''t. It was merely a guideline to make it easy to exin to children. Phoebe returned to the Silence Tower. Although she had seen enough of the dragon''s appearance, it was her first time returning as a human, so all the mages came out to wee her. Phoebe''s poprity was strong. She was the most terrifying existence but also the most familiar one. There were quite a few people who were fascinated by her ironic coexistence of these two aspects. Rosaria had personally made her a paper crown, and she had returned to her original state. "It''s tough, tough..." She had postponed her work for a few days while preparing for the festival. With more than twice the usual workload, working overtime was inevitable. As the night deepened, Reedy in bed trying to sleep. That''s when it happened. Creak-. At the sound of the hinge, Reed''s mind snapped awake. Someone had broken into Reed''s room. ''The most vulnerable time.'' Was someone trying to assassinate him at this moment? Reed quickly tried to use magic to subdue the intruder. He sat up abruptly in bed and recited a magic spell. "Paral... ugh!" The spell was notpleted. At the same time that his mouth was covered, both of his arms were pinned to the bed. The mana gathered in his hands scattered in the air. "Ugh... ugh?" Reed felt something strange while being subdued. He felt his arms being pressed down by two hands. So, what part of the body blocked the spell? At first, he thought it was a finger, but the softness and warmth that couldn''t be expressed by fingers were conveyed. Hebined the information and drew a conclusion. It was lips. The assant had pressed down on his arms and kissed Reed right away. He briefly thought that maybe the lips blocked the spell because both hands were sealed. Reed only realized what was happening after he separated his lips. "Phoebe?" The shadow flinched at his words. "How did you know?" "Your bright eyes tell me everything." "Ah..." There might be a mage with golden eyes, but there was no mage with such a gaze like Phoebe. The golden pupils were undoubtedly excited. "..." He couldn''t help but have strange thoughts about her excited state. ''No, it''s a situation where strange thoughts are allowed right now.'' It''s one thing to seal both arms, but why did she cover his mouth with her lips? It could have been a means to block the spell, but the intense sensation that came in was definitely not a tactical situation. The emotional feeling seemed to havee in uncontrobly. "What brings you here?" However, Reed teasingly asked the question. Upon hearing his words, Phoebe''s hand moved up to Reed''s shoulder. Her silhouette was caught in the moonlight that seeped in, only her eyes visible. "Well..." Reed waited for her to speak. But Phoebe kept hesitating, not saying anything. "Tell me what''s going on." "In the past... I used to do this, didn''t I? I often came in and crushed you..." "Right...?" Phoebe''s calm tone made Reed''s words trail off. He could guess roughly what she was trying to say. However, he didn''t say anything until she answered, making sure that it was certain. Phoebe''s words didn''t want toe out of her mouth. Her face, which should have been pale in the reflected moonlight, was colored. Bright red. Like a blush painted on the cheeks of a young girl. "I said I was going to get revenge or protest back then..." "So, it wasn''t that?" "Yes. And¡ª." "You just realized that now, right?" "Yes... How did you know?" It was obvious. "What else could it be when a young woman ignores a man''s words and keepsing in?" "Heh..." Reed had noticed it a long time ago. He wasn''t foolish enough to trip up a girl who didn''t even know her own feelings properly. Phoebe shrank her body. Embarrassed by the thoughts she had been captured by, she hid her face. Reed grabbed her arm, which had lost its strength. He stopped her, thinking she might run away out of embarrassment for what she had done. Reed carefully sat up andid her down on the other side. Feeling the reversal, Phoebe flinched and looked up at Reed. Just making eye contact made her heart pound as if it would burst. "Do you have any regrets?" "..." Instead of answering, Phoebe closed her eyes. She was foolish, but she already knew what would happen after this. And Reed knew it too. The night deepened, remaining as it was. *** * * * Dream big tl dot *** ck. It was the first color the girl saw as shey on the operating table. Was there no other color? The girl wanted to see something else, no matter what. With that longing, she learned the concept of movement. The girl sat up and looked down at her body. Pale hands, chest, belly, and feet. She grasped her own appearance, which was invisible to the eye, with her hands. That''s how she got a rough idea of what kind of being she was. Lips, nose, eyes, eyebrows, and ears. "What are you talking about, my lord!" Suddenly, she heard a loud cry and turned her head. There was a man with six arms and an iplete being with only half of its form left. The man knelt down and cried out in anguish, and the iplete being answered with a distorted voice. -I have nothing left, as I have lost even the origin of the dragon. I am nothing but an empty shell of a god. There is no reason to live any longer. "Don''t I exist? You have me, Maronie, your loyal servant!" -Yes, you still exist. You... The iplete being said so, but the girl felt something was off in his words. However, Maronie seemed to believe that he was purely trusting her, and his eyes sparkled. -Let me give you onestmand. "Yes, please tell me!" -You will survive to the end. At themand of the iplete being, Maronie asked with a face as if the sky had fallen. "What do you mean?" -Even if I disappear, you must... not harbor any emotions, and live quietly like a dead rat. You don''t even need to seek revenge. "You don''t even need to seek revenge? Those sphemers...! Are you saying to leave this world as it is, full of ugliness?" -This is thest will of the one you serve. Live as I say. "I can''t do that. I was born to save this world with you! Please! Take back your words!" Maronie cried out, but the figure did not respond. The form of the iplete being twisted more and more. It writhed heavily as if distorted by noise, and finally hid its appearance. "My lord, where have you gone!?" Maronie shouted, but there was no answer. It was gone. As he said, it hadpletely vanished. Maronie wrapped her face with her six hands and despaired. "Ah, my lord... my lord..." The girl stared at the crying man in agony. Why was he crying like that? What did he feel to make such a sorrowful sound? The girl instinctively knew what to do and ced her hand on Maronie''s back. Her small hand became a pathway for his thoughts and emotions to flow. Agony pierced her head. She clenched her chest as sorrow squeezed her heart. Tears flowed down both of her eyes. "Sniff... sniff..." Soon, the girl burst into tears. The first emotion she felt was sadness. Maronie turned his head to the sound of her crying, which was even more sorrowful than his own. The young daughter he had created. "My daughter, my daughter Rosemary." Maronie embraced her. It was enough to cover her naked body. "Do you feel it too? This father''s pain?" "Sniff...sniff... What is this... what is this?" "This is called despair." The word despair was engraved in the head of the girl called Rosemary. "Feel this father''s despair very well." The girl shook her head. "I don''t want to... it hurts. I don''t like pain." It was too difficult to contain this emotion. "But, without such emotions... living would be difficult for us. So, understand this father''s intention." Maronie reached out his six hands toward the girl. That''s when it happened. Maronie felt a force from the small girl. ''A line?'' A thin, sharp line like a thread appeared in front of Rosemary. The line pierced Maronie''s arm and soon tried to prate his neck. ''This is death!'' Maronie, sensing the smell of death, pulled his body away. But it was already toote. The sharp line severed all of Maronie''s arms. "Ugh..." Maronie groaned in pain. Swallowing the pain, he marveled at Rosemary''s magic. ''With such a small amount of mana... it could cut off my arms.'' Maronie''s expression became strangely twisted. Fear and awe. The sh of these two emotions made Maronie falter. He barely survived by not having his neck pierced, but that was only for now. "People who hurt me... I don''t need them." Rosemary looked up at Maronie, tears streaming down her face. At that moment, Maronie felt something heavy and immense pierce through his chest. The exact spot where his heart had been was now gaping open. "Cough..." Maronie bled and knelt on the spot. He was close to death, but his face was radiant. It was as if he had met his savior. "Ah, you''ve finally beplete." Maronie could feel it in her eyes. Deep hatred and power. Talenting from her instincts. Maronie, drawing strength from Rosemary, who killed him, spoke to her. "Rosemary, my daughter, there are humans out there who torment you." Rosemary''s body stopped. "Human...?" "We must take revenge. On the man who made us like this..." "Revenge...?" "Remember this name well. Reed Adele...heights Roton..." Maronie copsed on the spot. His head fell at Rosemary''s feet, and her gaze moved downward. There was no emotion in her eyes. "Reed Adeleheights... Roton..." She remembered Maronie''s words clearly. She repeated it dozens of times and engraved it in her mind so as not to forget. The girl stepped out of the darkness and into the world. Chapter 193 Rosemary (1) Humans dream. Some dream of bing an Archmage, while others vow to be the captain of a kingdom''s knights, shining the honor of their family. There are those who dream of the grandiose fantasy of bing a hero, and there are also young boys who humbly acknowledge their current situation and simply wish to inherit their family business. Freesia Vulcan''s very old wish was death. At that age, she longed for death more than anyone else when she was a small girl. What she saw was always the same. Dazzling light. A huge shadow surrounded by light. - It seems this calction is not working either. The subject''s body cannot handle it. - Damn. Wasn''t she called a genius? Can''t the genius who awakened her mana since she was 1 year old withstand this much? - She''s only 7 years old. She learned mana refining magic at 5, so it''s natural that she''s still far from enough. - But it''s not aplete failure. Her mana has expanded due to this shock. They looked down at the girl, with their backs to the bright light. Her restrained body shuddered and trembled as she convulsed. Foam filled her mouth, and she was trying to suffocate, mixing with the moans that poured out. They tried to wipe the foam, but they couldn''t easily touch her. - Why is that? - ...I''m sorry. Her gaze is too... - Is she just unconscious? - No. Look at her eyes. She''s staring at us, isn''t she? She''s moving with every word we say. The girl''s eyes were indeed moving as he said. It was incredibly ufortable to think that the eyes shining red were looking at themselves. It wasn''t easy with the red pupils called the eyes of a demon. Only the oldest magician among them was not afraid of those eyes. - Let''s try raising the output a bit more. The man and woman were startled by the decision. - What if the child dies because of that? - Hehe, she won''t die, look at those eyes. The old man pointed at the girl''s eyes with his finger. When the old man stared straight at her, the other magicians couldn''t bear to look and lowered their eyes. It was not the eyes of a child. What was in those eyes was a desire to kill. A hatred filled with the desire to kill, as if looking at a seasoned veteran who had harbored the desire for a lifetime, was contained in those eyes. - She doesn''t cry at all, she clenches her teeth and endures it. Her desire for life is already no less than that of adults. - They say humans adapt... it''s horrifying. At such a young age, enduring such torture... - It''s the way the cruel ones survive everywhere. This child will survive whatever we do. It must be her fate. The old man pushed the girl''s eyelids down with his index and middle fingers. Unable to resist the force, the girl lost consciousness. *** * * * Dream big tl dot *** "Ah." The girl let out a sigh as she woke up from her sleep. She felt around for where she was lying. It was afortable bed, not a cold operating table. Only then did she realize it was a dream and let out a sigh of relief. Despite the terribly long time that had passed, the events of that day tormented her mind as a nightmare. "¡­Damn it." The first word she uttered in the morning was a curse. A shadowy hand crept up from the darkness of the girl''s room and pulled back the nket. The girl got up from her bed as if ustomed to it, and the shadowy hand did not forget to neatly tidy the bed. The girl first looked at her reflection in the mirror. Her cursed ck hair, her piercing red eyes, and her body, which had not changed for over 100 years, were visible. "Freesia." She called her name softly. That name was Freesia, a name she had given herself. When she was living as ab rat, she had never been called by a name. It wasn''t even given to her in the first ce. That''s why hatred, an emotion, came to mind first. She resented her blood rtives who had even left her to name herself. However, the ones she hated were already dead. The hateful memories tormented her mind, but they did not die. She killed those who would be hated even before they were created. Thus, only one thing remained. Her insignificant childlike body. Her mind kept flowing with time, but her body had not changed since that day. The unchanging brought back the vicious memories vividly. "Damn it." Today, another hellish day began. *** Reed hadn''t been able to rest properly for a few days, so after finishing his work, he went on vacation. He didn''t have any ns to go anywhere specifically, he was thinking of resting and spending time within the tower. ''Should I go to the terrace and get some fresh air?'' The scenery that caught his eye wasforting, perfect for rxing with a warm cup of tea. It seemed that Reed wasn''t the only one who thought so, as there was someone who had already upied the terrace. Phoebe and Dolores, the two of them were sitting there. They seemed to be having a conversation between women, but instead of refreshments, documents were ced on the table. Curious about the conversation, Reed approached them. Dolores sensed his presence and greeted him first. "Good morning, oppa." "Wow, good morning." "It seems a bitte for a morning greeting. What are you two doing?" "This? Family nning." "Family nning?" Dolores looked down at the documents and spoke. "Since there are now two women in the Adelheights family, we can''t make decisions unterally. So, Phoebe and I are doing family nning." "For example?" "Inheritance of property, childcare, future career ns..." Reed listened carefully to Dolores'' words. However, it was more like pretending to listen. Dolores spoke earnestly, but it sounded like a foreignnguage to Reed. In any case, he thought it was undoubtedly important, and since his lovelydy came up with the idea, he just needed to express admiration. "¡­You don''t seem very interested, so I''ll put it simply. It''s about organizing traffic before it bes a mess." "I''m very interested, though?" "You have a certain expression when you lie." Busted. Phoebe grinned and nailed him, and he couldn''t deny it. Since she was good at catching one''s eye when it came to Reed, he couldn''t refute it. So, he tried to change the subject. "Is there anything I can help with?" "You just need to use your strength and stay healthy, okay?" "Alright¡­" nning for children is a big issue. As the conversation turned to using strength, Phoebe asked Dolores. "How is Dolores nning for her children?" "I want to have two daughters. That should be enough." "Really?" Phoebe raised the tone of her voice in surprise. Dolores looked puzzled by her reaction. "What''s wrong? Do you think it''s too many? Or should we just have one each...?" "No? No, I just think that''s... too few..." "¡­Too few?" "Too few?" Dolores blinked and asked. Reed also couldn''t understand Phoebe''s words. Feeling like she was living in a different world, Phoebe blushed. "How many are you thinking of, Phoebe?" "Well¡­" She stuttered as if embarrassed and blushed. After hesitating for a while, Phoebe answered by spreading her fingers. "Five?" "Yes¡­" "Five?" "At least, that''s the minimum¡­" Not only Dolores but also Reed looked at Phoebe with a surprised face. In a magician family, it would be considered quite unusual. Even a knight family would think that three is appropriate, and five would be considered too many like Phoebe. "Can''t we have just three?" "Is that not possible?" "Well, I don''t really mind, but, um¡­" Dolores scratched her head and nced at Reed. At first, her eyes seemed to express pity, but as time went by, they became more and more distorted as if she found it ridiculous. "It''s the path you chose, brother." "Yeah¡­" You reap what you sow. There''s no need to suffer. Let''s enjoy it. Enjoying life is what it''s all about, right. ''Two wives and seven children¡­'' Including Rosaria, it would be eight. The tower seemed to be too small to live in. ''Retiring would be a good idea, right?'' He had been thinking about it for quite a while. Once all seven disasters were gone, he nned to retire. He had already designated Kaitlyn, the representative of magical engineering, as the next tower master. Whenever there was a meeting in the tower, he asked how they felt about delegating to Kaitlyn, and everyone agreed. There was no problem with retiring anytime. ''After all, I didn''t have great abilities in the first ce.'' Reed didn''t intend to hold onto power all the time. ''Let''s go back to my hometown.'' If there was a ce for two wives and eight children, the mansion in his hometown was perfect. Renovate the neglected mansion, bring in the necessary furniture, and hire servants. ''That would be enough for a retired life.'' Reed unknowingly smiled as he imagined the scenery. "Why are you smiling?" "It''s nothing. I justughed because I thought about the house we''re going to live in." "The house we''re going to live in?" "¡­Are you going to quit being the Tower Master?" Dolores asked cautiously. "I''m not quitting today or tomorrow, but when the timees." "I see." Dolores showed a puzzled expression. Did she not like the idea of retiring? "Would you prefer it if I didn''t retire?" "I''m just worried that you might be thinking about it because of someone else¡­" "Me too." "No, it''s not like that. There''s no way it''s because of you guys, right?" "Are you sure?" "Of course, I just don''t see any reason for me to stay in that position any longer." "Hmm¡­" "In case the family''s status is a concern, should I just remain as the Tower Master?" Dolores shook her head. "No, there''s no need for that. I think I can raise the family''s status enough on my own." "That''s right! You were the Tower Master of the Wallin Tower and the future dean of Escoleia." "I''m not dean yet, but you''re giving me too much credit." "Dolores, you''re more than capable! I''m rooting for you!" "Heh, I suppose so?" Dolores epted her praise with a proud smile. Phoebe yfully touched Reed''s hand and said. "Then, I should retire following the Tower Master." "What do you n to do when you retire?" "Well, I don''t have any outstanding abilities¡­ Since Dolores will be busy outside, I should take care of the house. I''m confident in protecting the house!" Dolores nodded in agreement. "I think Phoebe would take good care of the children¡­ That should work. I''ll handle the outside affairs, and Phoebe will take care of the inside." "Alright." It seemed that their future roles had been roughly decided. ''Are there only two left now?'' The father of the monsters, Maronie, and his failed creation, the Iplete. If they find and eliminate their traces, all seven disasters will disappear. ''The world will no longer face destruction.'' That would be another ending to this game. Reed looked down at the family n they had written. ''I have to do well to make their dreamse true.'' Let''s regain focus and find a way to eliminate the remaining disasters. With that thought, Reed returned his vacation and went into his office. Standing in front of his office, Reed felt a chill just as he was about to touch the doorknob. He shouldn''t go inside. Why? Just don''t do it if you''re told not to. His intuition seemed to be having a dialogue like this. However, Reed was the Tower Master of this ce. The Tower Master was the person in charge of everything inside the tower, so he could go wherever he pleased. His stubbornness led him to open the door and then he found the answer. His ominous intuition was right. "Hello?" Freesia was sitting at the office desk, greeting Reed. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!