Chapter 276

Chapter 276 – For a New Spring

A short time after Evelin officially joined the magic tower, an emissary from the Kalia Mercenary Corps paid a visit.

“It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance. I serve as the second-in-command for the Kalia Mercenary Corps, going by the name Contrata.”

“The second-in-command?”

“Correct. I was informed of the situation. You rescued our commander, did you not? Both as the representative of our mercenaries and on a personal level, you have my deepest gratitude.”

Our meeting took place within the confines of Svetlana’s office. It turned out that Contrata had personally spearheaded the extraction operation.

He had received the emergency dispatch while en route to the front lines and immediately doubled back.

This explained why Contrata’s features still showed the heavy exhaustion of a long, hurried journey. Skipping any further superficial pleasantries, he pivoted directly to the core matter.

“As we agreed, here is the property title. I request that you review it.”

I gazed idly at the stack of paperwork he pushed forward, then turned my head slightly to the side.

“Allow me to oversee this.”

Perfect.

I offered an approving nod to Evelin, who was already stepping seamlessly into her responsibilities as our chief financial officer.

From that point onward, my active participation wasn’t really required.

Evelin meticulously examined the document to confirm its validity, ensuring the transfer rights were legally sound and checking every minor clause.

As the primary negotiations drew to a close:

“We should conclude our session for today. Finalizing everything will require a few additional days—does that align with your availability?”

“It does, Duke. I have cleared my schedule for this.”

“Excellent. We shall reconvene tomorrow morning after breakfast.”

Contrata offered a respectful bow before making his exit.

“Tower Lord, you have my gratitude once more.”

His flawless decorum served as an excellent standard for the rest of our organization’s members.

I tracked his departure with my eyes for a brief moment before turning my attention back to Evelin.

“Is there an overwhelming amount to verify?”

“Naturally, yes. Given that this isn’t a straightforward monetary transaction, there are numerous variables to weigh. Furthermore, because we cannot physically audit the territory at this moment, the documentation demands rigorous inspection. Even so, its geographical positioning on the chart appears quite promising.”

“Promising?”

“Indeed. Its proximity to the Arafurgin Mountains is ideal—close but not excessively so. Furthermore, if you observe this particular section of the chart…”

She launched into an intricate breakdown of the terrain, though truth be told, I only grasped roughly half of her explanation.

I had no prior realization that authenticating a solitary tract of land demanded the calculation of so many distinct elements.

Nevertheless, one specific comparison caught my attention:

“To put it simply, it bears a strong resemblance to Green Town located within the Hamern Great Forest. While it lacks that scale, you are familiar with Green Town, correct? The settlement situated on the fringes of the Hamern…”

Evelin possessed firsthand familiarity with the region from her days managing commercial transport caravans.

At any rate, drawing a parallel to Green Town indicated that the property was of high quality.

Following her lengthy exposition, she took a brief drink of tea, then spoke as though a fresh realization had struck her.

“Ah, yes—regarding the title registration.”

“Ah, the deed’s title.”

“How do you wish to proceed? Should it be registered under your personal name, Aster? Or should we place it under the tower’s name?”

“Does the distinction carry much weight?”

She gave an affirmative nod at my inquiry.

“A significant amount. Were it to be held as personal property, utilizing it for the expansion of the tower’s territory later on could result in highly rigorous bureaucratic hurdles. Conversely, if it is registered under the collective organization…”

Another round of complicated administrative breakdowns followed.

I paid attention in silence, distilling her words down to a core concept:

‘Is personal title holding superior for commercial liquidation or leasing?’

For an established organization to execute the sale or lease of real estate, the regulatory frameworks were manifold times more punishing. It apparently stemmed from historical precedents involving the aristocracy, who consolidated their authority via territorial grants.

Whether held individually or collectively felt identical to me in practice, but from a statutory perspective, individual title holding made commercial transactions vastly more straightforward.

On the flip side, organizational title holding offered different avenues…

“An association typically registers property under its collective name for highly specialized objectives. Procuring development authorizations becomes significantly smoother under that framework.”

Given that context, wasn’t the path forward clear from the very beginning?

“In that case, it makes the most sense to register it under the tower.”

Our fundamental motive for obtaining this territory was to establish a magic tower, after all.

I wanted the process to be as legally unassailable as possible—ensuring that not a single flaw could be uncovered if our adversaries ever scrutinized our records—meaning we had to operate strictly within statutory boundaries.

As I reached that conclusion, Evelin’s expression shifted to one of concern.

“However, are you aware of the secondary consequence? Opting for that path prevents you from establishing a local settlement.”

“Pardon?”

“A proper community demands a civilian populace—commercial shops, public services, and standard infrastructure. Consequently, you would be forced to lease out tracts or structures, which legally reclassifies the venture into commercial rental operations.”

“Which implies…”

“It creates an administrative deadlock regardless of whether we choose individual or collective registration.”

Constructing a civilian settlement would deviate from our foundational charter, yet strictly adhering to that charter meant the strategic value of the land’s positioning would go to waste.

Even so, a particular contradiction bothered me.

“How do commercial syndicates navigate this issue? I am aware that various merchant guilds engage in property rentals…”

“What sort of naive inquiry is that? Through this method.”

“I see.”

I gestured understanding as she rubbed her index finger against her thumb.

In plain terms, corruption and payoffs.

“Sufficient capital allows one to bypass an immense number of regulatory phases. However, our current reserves do not accommodate that scale of expenditure. Nor can we realistically set aside funds dedicated solely to bureaucratic lubrication…”

While I respected the nonchalant manner with which she discussed illicit financial maneuvers, I felt compelled to press further.

“So, what is your actual conclusion?”

Evelin, an individual uniquely attuned to fiscal matters, appeared far too unbothered regarding the potential collapse of a community expansion project. It didn’t add up.

She undoubtedly possessed an alternative strategy.

Was my intuition accurate?

A subtle grin manifested on her features as she answered.

“Do we not possess an asset specifically designed for these circumstances?”

“…?”

An asset for these circumstances?

As I tilted my head in confusion, her lips formed distinct syllables.

The. Platinum. Badge.

“Surrender it to me. Utilizing that asset will permit us to circumvent just as many regulatory hurdles as an absolute fortune in payoffs.”

“…”

Of course.

Evelin’s true target from the very start had been that platinum badge.

“Are you withholding it?”

“…I will hand it over. I simply wonder…”

Would that object ever find its way back to my possession?

Preparations and Reflections

After surrendering the platinum badge to Evelin, I made my way toward my personal living quarters.

She would undoubtedly resolve the bureaucratic knot by utilizing the token effectively.

‘…What exact maneuvers does she intend to pull with it?’

She would inevitably deliver a full account once the dust settled, but inquiring at this moment would likely only grant me a severe migraine, so I chose to dismiss the thought for now.

Regardless.

‘It is nearly time to make my return to the institution.’

The midterm examinations had already concluded.

Evelin was remaining within the Second Black-White Slums to attend remedial instructional periods during the institutional recess, but my own timeline was growing incredibly tight.

My period of absence had already stretched to a full a fortnight.

In a sense, my self-allotted intermission was drawing to a close, and regular academic life was looming.

Prior to making my journey back, I methodically cataloged the objectives requiring my attention.

The absolute primary objective:

‘Formally log the magic tower with the grand association.’

Evelin had emphasized that true, actionable advancement would only commence once official registration was achieved, even with the leverage of the badge.

‘I must consult with Parun regarding this first.’

After all, the registration process demanded the submission of a comprehensive academic thesis.

His familiarity with those protocols would far exceed my own.

Following that…

‘Assess the current state of the relic analysis I assigned to Professor Pelina, and hold a brief audience with the senior headmaster.’

There was no requirement to disclose every intricacy regarding our magic tower to him, but basic professional courtesy demanded an update.

I had received word that Senior Riheim had convoked a assembly of the Bear-Eaten Moon. That development indirectly entangled the headmaster in these affairs.

‘Additionally, it is time to transition Rayleigh to this location.’

There was absolutely no scenario where my primary confidant would not be integrated into the magic tower.

A multitude of minor objectives remained as well, but as I turned these matters over in my mind, I finally arrived at my private chambers.

[A pleasant dusk to you, here are your moonlight stones.]

“Understood.”

I presented a trio of luminescent moonlight stones to the wyvern that welcomed me with genuine enthusiasm, before slumping back into the depths of my seat.

In all honesty, none of these impending tasks were insurmountable.

As had always been the case, complications tended to unravel themselves once direct action was taken.

If so, what was the true source of my unease?

‘Damian and Chenbi.’

The challenge lay in how I should explain the current situation to those two.

Naturally, I possessed no strategy to unveil the entirety of the situation. Unlike my arrangement with Evelin, no justification existed for such transparency.

However.

‘…It remains a delicate matter.’

Why did it feel so delicate?

I found myself unable to articulate the reason.

Concealing the operational realities of the tower did not equate to a malicious deception, and even if it could be perceived as such, it harbored no ill intent.

If anything, insulating them from these developments served as a measure of protection for their own well-being.

Nonetheless, the thought continued to weigh on my conscience…

Aster lightly rapped his digits against the wooden surface of the desk, deeply lost in contemplation.

Crunch, crunch.

The ambient silence was broken only by the rhythmic sound of the wyvern consuming the moonlight stones, interspersed with the consistent, hollow thuds of my fingers.

Perhaps the hesitation stemmed from…

‘The inevitable conclusion.’

This anxiety wasn’t merely tied to the act of disclosing—or withholding—the reality of the magic tower, but rather the stark realization that a definitive parting of ways was unavoidable regardless of my choice.

Damian stood as the legitimate successor to the Blandoga line.

Meanwhile, I occupied the position of a magic tower master positioned in direct opposition to Decullan.

While the forces of Blandoga were not explicitly aligned with Decullan, their intricate political and economic webs meant they would never risk sabotaging their own standing to antagonize Decullan on my behalf.

Chenbi similarly stood to gain absolutely no advantage by entangling himself in conflicts involving Decullan.

As his train of thought reached that grim realization, Aster broke out of his revery and shifted his gaze toward the companion beast.

“…Are they to your liking?”

[I am not offering any to you.]

The wyvern promptly shifted its posture away from him, continuing to gnaw aggressively on its meal. Aster’s eyebrow twitched slightly in response.

I couldn’t even bring myself to discipline the creature.

‘…Tch.’

Clicking his tongue in mild irritation, Aster steered his focus back toward his internal deliberations.

To be perfectly candid, I remained uncertain of how my tenure at the academy would ultimately conclude.

Yet, one reality remained absolute.

‘A mere eighteen months.’

The remaining timeframe leading up to our formal graduation would never repeat itself.

Therefore, it was perhaps wisest to banish these anxieties for the time being.

The span of time was far too brief to squander on endless apprehensions regarding what lay ahead.

A cycle of spring, summer, autumn, winter, culminating once more in spring.

Aster’s subsequent spring was just beginning to unfold. The brilliant dawn of a period destined to paint the open landscapes with vibrant blossoms.

A Cold Return

…And precisely at that identical moment, within the royal palace grounds of the Adrian Empire.

“Stand down. State your identity and your organizational entitlement.”

A sentry intercepted an aged figure attempting to pass into the inner palace. Positioned directly behind the elder was a column exceeding a dozen spellcasters, their features entirely obscured beneath deep, shadowed hoods.

An acute sensation of dread rippled through the sentry at the ominous sight. The elder casually unfastened his outer vestment, which was promptly gathered by a spellcaster waiting immediately behind him.

The sentry’s complexion instantly drained of all color as he caught a glimpse beneath that specific spellcaster’s hood.

“…!”

There was a complete absence of facial features.

Nothing save an inanimate mask.

‘This cannot be real…’

Just as the horrific realization began to manifest, the elder’s deep tone resonated directly in his ears.

“Deliver a notification to the sovereign.”

“What name shall I…”

“Muspellun de Giggas Adrian. Tell him his short-sighted uncle has returned to the capital.”

Upon absorbing those words, the sentry grew entirely paralyzed with shock.

The legendary Mage of Conclusion.

The blood uncle to the ruling emperor, a mythical military icon of the empire who had brought the historic conflicts to a definitive close.

A figure long rumored to have perished from the world had unexpectedly materialized.

Furthermore…

“…”

“…”

He arrived accompanied by the enigmatic Moonless Mages, the very order that had vanished from existence alongside his departure.

“Why do you hesitate? Carry the message inside!”

The guard’s lips trembled as though he wished to voice further skepticism, but his knees buckled entirely beneath the oppressive pressure radiating from the Moonless Mages, prompting him to scramble into the interior corridors.

Muspellun tracked his frantic retreat for a moment before tilting his head toward the heavens.

…An individual’s winter, a season assumed to have reached its final breath, was in truth only just beginning.

All for the arrival of a new spring.