Chapter 49

Chapter 49

Penia, the Vice-Tower Master of the Blue Mage’s Tower, was a genius, yet she was disliked by most wizards.

This was for three primary reasons: her manner was exceedingly impolite; she was remarkably discourteous; and she was intolerably ill-mannered.

Generally, wizards would congregate around those of higher station, irrespective of their personal traits, because their chief concern was the advancement of learning, not an individual’s character.

To put it another way, even someone with a dreadful disposition would still attract wizards seeking to glean some fragment of knowledge.

Yet, even these wizards found it difficult to endure Penia’s company.

Her genius was matched only by her unbearable conceit.

Consequently, Penia’s very existence was a source of constant disruption within the society.

She showed open contempt for anyone below the rank of Tower Master, making clashes inevitable.

This is why every wizard called Penia a “reckless nuisance” and held her in low regard.

Milan, a wizard from the Green Mage’s Tower, who had just argued with her, was no different.

He harbored a profound grudge against Penia.

So much so that for seven years, he had fantasized about using his magic to overpower her and force her to apologize for the endless stream of insults she directed at him.

From the time he had become a full wizard and could present his theories to the society, she had been a torment to him.

Therefore, Milan was completely unable to make sense of the scene unfolding before him.

“How long has it been? …Let me see, nearly over half a year, I should think.”
“Y-yes, that’s correct.”
“There’s no need for such formality. I believe I told you last time that you could address me informally.”
“Should I… use informal speech?”
“Oh, now that I remember, I did say you should just do what feels natural. Please, act as you wish.”
“…!”

Milan stared in astonishment at Penia, who let out a relieved sigh, visibly happy that she could continue using formal language.

‘Is this some kind of illusion?’
Fearing he might be under the effect of one of Penia’s vicious illusion spells, he even cast a dispelling charm, but the situation before him did not change.

“Anyway, it’s good to meet you here.”
“I-It’s good to meet you too!”

The sight of Penia, who never spoke with respect to anyone below a Tower Master, now acting like a meek puppy rolling onto its back, was a profound shock to all onlookers.

Even Milan’s own master, standing nearby, had cast a dispel spell more than five times, so great was his disbelief.

But the surprises were not yet over.
“By the way, did something occur?”
“Oh, well…”
“Not that it is my business to intervene, but shouldn’t wizards strive to maintain good relations?”

It wasn’t a scolding, merely a casual observation.
Yet, upon hearing it, Penia turned and looked directly at Milan.
“I apologize!”
She offered an apology.
“???”
Every wizard present wore a look of stunned incredulity.

The idea that Penia, the infamous nuisance who seemed to have no concept of an apology, would bow her head and say she was sorry felt too unbelievable to accept.

Even Milan, who had dreamed of this moment for seven long years, found himself unable to react now that the longed-for apology had finally come.

“How… how can this be?”
Liyan, standing beside Alon, was equally confounded, staring in shock between Penia and Milan.

A short time later…
“Well then, I will see you tomorrow.”
“Y-yes, sir…!”
Nodding eagerly at the man’s words, Penia hurried away as if making an escape, and the gaze of everyone present naturally shifted to one individual: Count Palatio, the man who had not only subdued the wild troublemaker but seemed to command her with effortless ease.

“…She seems more tense than the last time,” Alon thought to himself, watching Penia run into the distance.
“Huh?”
Noticing that the nearby wizards and Liyan were staring at him with their mouths open, Alon was perplexed.
‘Did I do something improper?’
Feeling a little self-conscious, he averted his eyes, trying to assess the circumstances.

***

After Penia had scurried off in a rush…
Likewise, the wizards observing Alon recognized him as Count Palatio, and after expressing their baffled admiration(?), they too departed.

“…Penia is called a troublemaker?”
“Yes.”
“How strange.”
Alon tilted his head, listening to Liyan describe Penia.

‘I knew Penia was quite arrogant in the game… but I hadn’t realized she was so notorious among the other wizards as to be labeled a troublemaker… Well, it wasn’t a vital part of the story, so it makes sense it was omitted.’
Considering that the protagonist would recruit Penia as a companion several years later, typically after half the kingdom lay in ruins, he gave a slight shrug.

“Actually, I am the one who should be asking. How is it that the troublemaker behaves so meekly in your presence, Count?”
At Liyan’s subsequent question, Alon was silent for a moment.
Amusingly, even Alon did not truly understand why Penia acted this way around him.
But simply confessing his ignorance seemed awkward, so he was pondering how to reply when Liyan’s voice recaptured his attention.
“We have arrived.”
Looking forward, he saw the structure ahead.
“This is…”
“It is the inter-floor transport.”
Before them stood a construction that reminded him of an elevator from his former world.
“You said you wished to visit the library on the 38th floor, correct?”
Nodding as he recalled the request he had made before coming to the mage tower, Alon answered.
“Yes, may I enter now?”
“Of course, but I have some preparations to make, so I will not be able to join you.”
“That is fine. I am merely curious about the library.”
In fact, considering his intentions for the library, it was more convenient for Alon if Liyan was not present.
As he nodded, Liyan pressed a button on the right side of the structure.
“And how exactly do you manage to handle Penia in that manner, Count?”
Just as Liyan repeated her question…

*Woooong!*

With a deep, resonant tone, the door to the inter-floor transport, which had been tightly sealed, slid open.
The smile on Liyan’s face vanished instantly, replaced by a twisted expression of displeasure.
Startled by her sudden shift in mood, Alon naturally turned his head to follow her gaze.
Walking toward them was a man who looked as if he had a grievance with the entire world.
And then—
“Oh, who is this? If it isn’t our dear little Liyan?”
“…Baruch.”
Liyan’s tone was openly hostile as she addressed the man, who smiled in a way that was distinctly unfriendly.
“Did you come to see me?”
“Hardly.”
“What a pity. I was hoping to see you.”
The man named Baruch gave a soft chuckle, then shifted his gaze from the glaring Liyan to look directly at Alon.
“Who is this? A new face.”
“This is Count Palatio.”
At Liyan’s words, Baruch gave Alon a swift, dismissive look that made his lack of regard perfectly clear.
After a brief moment of thought, Baruch seemed to recall something, letting out a small “Ah.”
“Oh, you are the one, aren’t you? The one who helped deal with the foreign invader after all these centuries?”
Baruch, smirking to himself, nodded slowly.
“A pleasure to meet you, Count Palatio. I am Baruch, a wizard of the Violet Mage’s Tower. I am certain we will meet again.”
With that, he gave Alon a slight nod and walked past him.

***

A short while later…
‘So, that is the son of the Violet Tower Master…’
As the inter-floor transport began to move, Alon felt a sensation of weightlessness and reflected on the conversation he had just had with Liyan.

‘He never made an appearance in the game, though.’
Alon did not believe in judging by appearances, but as he considered how Baruch’s behavior matched his disagreeable look, he decided to dismiss him from his thoughts.
From what Liyan had said, Baruch seemed to be the type to steal research and claim it as his own, or to disparage others behind their backs, but he was not someone who mattered to Alon.

After some time had passed, a deep resonating sound echoed.
“Wooong~!”
“Oh.”
As the great sound faded, the once-sealed door opened, and Alon could not suppress a soft gasp.
Before him was a space utterly filled with books, from the floor on which he stood all the way up to the ceiling.
The seemingly infinite expanse of bookshelves and volumes gave the entire area a surreal quality, worthy of the name “Mage’s Tower,” and Alon felt a momentary awe.

‘There are two items I need to find here.’
But only for a moment.
Alon quickly composed himself and began walking among the countless shelves.
Though impressed, he had been here dozens of times in the game, so he moved with a sense of familiarity. However, reality was not the same, so it took him a little longer than anticipated.
But soon, he located the book he was searching for.
A single volume with a particularly dark black cover, standing out from the rest.
‘This is the one.’
Satisfied, though his face remained neutral, he pulled the book from the shelf and inspected it.
There was no title or author written on the cover.
It was a book of unknown origin, but without pause, Alon opened it and began turning its blank pages, as dark and empty as the cover.
Unconcerned, he continued to flip through each vacant page, one after another.
Roughly a third of the way through the book, Alon finally discovered the hidden compartment.
‘Found it.’
Inside was a piece of finger jewelry, a ring-like object known as a “Ho Gaftu.”
Like his clothing, the Ho Gaftu was a profound, light-devouring pitch-black.
Alon instinctively slipped it into his pocket before returning the book to its place.
‘The first task is complete. The second will require more time, so I will just prepare for it now.’
Pleased with the feel of the Ho Gaftu in his pocket, Alon began making preparations to retrieve the second item.
‘That should do it. The rest… I will return in two days.’
After setting the broken, giant clock on the library’s left wall—no longer functional—to point to 12, ignoring the actual time, Alon fiddled with the Ho Gaftu once more.

‘I would like to use this immediately.’
Based on his predictions, this Ho Gaftu would greatly amplify his current magical abilities, and he was keen to try it out at once.
‘But it is not as if my time is limited to today.’
Remembering that the evening was already late, he shrugged and exited the library.

The following day, having obtained what he sought, the magic society gathering commenced.
And after the presentation from the Green Mage’s Tower, during the friendly contest that most wizards attended, Alon received a challenge.
“I would like to test my strength against the renowned Count Palatio, who handled the Northern outsiders after centuries. What do you say?”
It was a request for a duel.
The one making the request, with a sly grin, was none other than Baruch, the son of the Violet Tower Master, clearly harboring some ulterior motive.