Chapter 240

Chapter 240 – The Magic Tower is Rich

Once the genuine intent of the young patriarch was verified, the discussion advanced without a hitch.

“Very well. Under those circumstances, Lortel will accommodate them if necessary.”

“The abandoned youths are welcome among us as well. Should any demonstrate genuine capability, a profound connection with Lortel might even be established.”

Following those words, the knight commander lapsed into silence.

I then shifted my attention toward Myselrn-senior.

Promptly, Myselrn-senior began to speak.

“Should any youngsters choose to join my side, I am capable of housing quite a few. My personal savings are quite substantial, so… managing roughly fifty wouldn’t pose an issue.”

“Will you be instructing them in spirit arts as well?”

“Not my confidential techniques, of course, but provided they possess some natural aptitude, the fundamentals can be imparted. If our compatibility proves exceptional, perhaps even further teachings.”

“I see.”

“Was that the response you intended to draw out?”

Caught red-handed.

“True… but granted that we will eventually depart from this existence, shouldn’t we pass down knowledge that could prove useful to it?”

“Like I mentioned before, there is no predetermined schedule for leaving.”

“That makes sense. Moving on to the next person…”

My focus then landed upon Shine.

However, an anomaly presented itself.

Throughout the entirety of the gathering, Shine had remained completely silent. Although his features were concealed by his mask, his body language felt distinctively strange.

“Do you have no thoughts on the matter?”

“The issue is rather delicate. Nonetheless, there are a handful of youths I have selected.”

His surprising remark caused me to incline my head in curiosity.

“You already have specific ones in mind?”

My interest was not the only one piqued.

“Indeed, could you elaborate on who they are? If their master has shown an interest, their capabilities must surely surpass the norm.”

An expression of eagerness washed over the knight commander.

It appeared he assumed Shine’s fascination stemmed from their potential… yet my own suspicions ran in a different direction.

‘What is he up to?’

Without exaggerating, Shine possessed absolute genius.

His criteria for excellence were vastly elevated, meaning that children—let alone several of them—satisfying those demands seemed highly unlikely.

As I knitted my brows with perplexity, Shine gave a slight shake of his head.

“Their gifts are by no means remarkable. This is a matter I wish to review with the tower lord in private at another time.”

“Very well.”

Recognizing the courteous dismissal to avoid further prying, the knight commander instantly suppressed his curiosity.

Despite his scheming nature, he understood exactly when it was prudent to retreat.

I decided to suppress my own inquisitiveness for the time being as well.

“In that case, I shall speak.”

Since Lortel, Myselrn-senior, and Shine had already defined their stances regarding the apprentices and orphans, it was time for my input. What was my perspective?

“Whosoever wishes to join us will encounter no objection from me. Housing the entire group of four hundred is certainly a monumental task, but it remains manageable.”

The reason?

I possessed a highly efficient subordinate named Evelyn.

Furthermore, the asylum currently being constructed within the secondary sector of the Black-White Slums was slated to receive backing from Svetlana alongside the remaining syndicates.

‘Should they refuse to cooperate… I will force their hand.’

Nurturing the future generation of the Black-White Slums meant that those rising factions had best contribute their share.

Nevertheless, my declaration seemed to catch them off guard.

A brow twitched on the knight commander’s face out of sheer surprise.

“Interesting. Is the Magic Tower possessed of sufficient capital to fund such an endeavor? I find myself quite inquisitive.”

“The Magic Tower is wealthy.”

“Is that so?”

Shine added his voice to the exchange.

I gave a firm nod.

“Naturally.”

Admittedly, finances could currently be described as slightly constrained.

Yet, should we experience a deficit… so be it. I could simply liquidate some of the literary volumes obtained from Baharmut.

Evelyn had pointed out that while ancient artifacts commanded high prices, literature fetched even greater sums. By parting with those items, providing for four hundred children would easily be within reach.

Besides, this assistance wouldn’t last indefinitely—only until they achieved independence.

‘Those texts, what a loss… what an absolute waste…’

…The thought brought immense distress.

Still, alternative options were lacking.

Reflecting on the core objective behind establishing the Magic Tower, sacrificing a handful of volumes seemed a negligible toll.

In the worst scenario, retaining them might simply provoke a descent into fiendish insanity and cost me my life.

At that moment, Myselrn-senior broke the silence.

“Will you be providing them with magical instruction as well?”

How typical of him.

Myselrn-senior posed this inquiry accompanied by a sly smirk—intentionally turning my prior reasoning right back upon me.

“Hmph, sorcery. Sorcery, is it…”

I had overlooked that aspect entirely.

In reality, I was hardly in a position to act as an instructor.

My foundational rings lacked theoretical stability, and the mastery of mana required an inherent intuition, without which one would quickly encounter a ceiling.

‘Moreover, there is absolutely no way I will pass down the esoteric arts of the Troubleshooter.’

While it lay within my power to do so, the desire was absent.

I was already strongly inclined to dismantle every piece of knowledge I had acquired up to this point—why would I refine it for their benefit?

While I contemplated these thoughts, someone spoke.

“What is the point of worrying over a profound legacy when your departure could occur at any moment… goodness, honestly.”

Myselrn-senior made a clicking sound with his tongue while shaking his head in mock disappointment.

The knight commander joined in the criticism.

“The Magic Tower hoards its knowledge rather strictly. We are not even requesting that you select a closing apprentice.”

“That is incorrect…”

Pardon? Hoarding knowledge?

Hearing this from an individual whose renowned lineage maintained such extreme secrecy that assessing the relative strength of its members was impossible?

“Knight commander.”

“I am listening, tower lord.”

“Describe what you see here.”

“The palm of your hand.”

“Correct. However, the instant it clenches into a fist, your life terminates. Mind your tongue.”

“Hmph.”

The threat had been explicitly delivered.

Any subsequent consequences would rest entirely on his own head.

It was at this juncture that Shine intervened.

“Tower lord.”

“Go on.”

“Imparting magical knowledge is actually a sound concept. It might truly be appropriate for you to choose a final successor.”

“Out of nowhere?”

I canted my head in bafflement, yet Shine offered a resolute nod.

As he resumed speaking, it became apparent that his words carried profound gravity rather than jest.

“To speak candidly, your survival hangs by a thread. Regardless of the power you accumulate, that reality remains constant. Decullan will show no leniency, and eventually, the pressure will close in on you. Surely this single victory hasn’t made you arrogant?”

Naturally, it had not.

Yet, Shine shifted his gaze toward the knight commander, as if to underscore his argument.

“Commander, imagine if a supreme warrior—one who has attained the absolute peak—decided to oppose Lortel. Would Lortel collapse under the threat?”

“It would not.”

“Is that owing to Lortel possessing numerous peak-level combatants?”

“Should your query concern the specific count of master knights residing within the primary estate, that information is restricted… however, regarding the scale of threat Lortel can withstand, individual power becomes irrelevant. Though a master knight is capable of annihilating entire legions, they remain a solitary person. Conflicts are never waged single-handedly.”

These words carried an immense weight.

I had never harbored the illusion that I could dismantle Decullan entirely on my own regardless.

Even so.

‘An undisclosed number of master knights within the central family…?’

What implications did that hold?

Publicly, Lortel only recognized the family head and a single elite blade as master knights.

Could there be absolute masters concealed among the remaining ten blades, or perhaps alternative covert assets?

While these considerations occupied my thoughts, Shine directed his gaze toward me.

“Do you understand now? Grand lineages possess reserves far exceeding your assumptions. This is precisely why securing a final disciple is imperative.”

“…For what purpose?”

“Do you intend for the legacy of the tower to expire when you do?”

“…”

Superficially, the statement appeared to emphasize maintaining the institution’s bloodline…

Yet, it resonated with an alternative significance for me.

—Should your path cut short, another individual must inherit your convictions, correct?

Thus, Shine was implying not merely the possibility of my falling short of fulfilling the tower’s destiny…

‘…but rather that the entire burden does not need to rest solely upon my shoulders.’

The clarity of this understanding washed over me.

At that instant, the motivation behind Shine’s emphasis on finding a final disciple became perfectly clear.

It did not concern an individual uncovering my private, specialized techniques. It was centered on…

‘The fundamental objective of the tower.’

An heir of the mind who would adopt that legacy.

The word “disciple” was merely a convenient label—anyone who comprehended and possessed the capacity to execute my aspirations for the institution would fit the role.

“Do you comprehend my meaning now, tower lord?”

“I do.”

I gave an affirmative nod.

An ominous notion drifted through my consciousness.

…Could it be that Shine’s time was drawing to a close?

What other explanation could there be for such a radical shift in personality?

In any event, the definitive resolutions of the assembly were established as follows:

1. The apprentices and vagrant youths retain complete autonomy to align themselves with Lortel, Myselrn-senior, or myself.

2. Every participating faction guarantees adequate assistance to facilitate their integration into society.

3. Each party maintains the right to conduct surprise evaluations of the others to verify that all responsibilities are being fulfilled.

The final stipulation had been introduced by me.

While I maintained faith in the integrity of Lortel’s young patriarch, the knight commander inspired zero confidence.

Consequent to these terms, Lortel, the Magic Tower, and Myselrn-senior suddenly found themselves bound within a tripartite coalition.

Shine committed to formalizing his entry into the agreement once he arranged affairs for his dependents.

With that, the formal gathering concluded.

I drew Shine away from the group to converse privately, given that outstanding matters remained between us.

“You mentioned earlier that there was a topic you wished to raise?”

“Correct. I appreciate your attentiveness. Follow me to a certain location first.”

“…?”

Shine walked ahead without providing further explanation, and I trailed along behind him without making a sound.

He guided me toward a specific pavilion.

“What place is…”

“Step inside.”

I made my way inside the modest enclosure.

Moving past Shine, I took a position next to him as he posed a question.

“How does this look to you?”

“…”

I remained silent.

I simply observed the interior environment.

The space was sized to accommodate roughly twelve individuals.

Gathered around a sputtering blaze, a number of children were resting, all of them appearing in poor physical condition.

One individual possessed a shattered arm, another was lacking a lower limb, and a third drawing labored breaths without displaying any obvious physical trauma.

My gaze shifted from the youths to Shine.

“Surely you do not intend to claim these specific children…”

“I am aware that you possess a highly effective restorative magic. Give me a straightforward reply: are you capable of curing them? Should your answer be affirmative, I shall step aside. Otherwise…”

Shine locked his gaze with mine.

“I intend to bring them into my bloodline.”

At that moment, the realization dawned on me.

The specific category of youths Shine had been observing became clear, as did his definition of lacking remarkable abilities.

I felt compelled to question him.

“…What is your reasoning?”

Shine had avoided establishing a household up until this point.

I had previously assumed his delay was meant to allow him to gather only the most exceptional individuals at a later date, but that was evidently incorrect.

Did the process of forming a lineage involve unique prerequisites?

Amidst the storm of inquiries in my mind, Shine cast a brief look toward the infirm youngsters and whispered.

“Is a specific justification required?”

It was merely that…

“Destiny crossed our paths.”

Though brief, the statement conveyed everything to me.

Shine was born to rule.

Fully capable—indeed, already operating as an authentic monarch—of commanding a following.

While I had grown into a genuine tower lord, Shine had ascended as a sovereign.