NOVEL NEXT Chapter 71
I arrived at the 30th floor and knocked on the door of the office.
Knock knock.
BAM!
Before I could even touch the doorknob, a hand made of dirt shot up from the ground, flung the door open, and then disappeared.
“You’re here! Come on in!”
A deep voice from inside called out, and we stepped in without hesitation.
The interior was surprisingly spacious for an office; surely, there must be space magic at play here.
‘A dwarf magician? No. Is he even a magician to begin with?’
The master of the Earth School, standing in the center with his arms crossed, captured my attention to the point where I hardly noticed the rest of the office.
Despite his dwarf stature, he was impressively muscular, his face adorned with a well-groomed mustache, and his eyes resembled firm minerals.
Hmm. Everything about him made me mistakenly think of a warrior rather than a magician.
“Thanks for agreeing to my unreasonable request. Heins, you can head back now.”
Heins, having heard this, responded carefully with a voice that quivered slightly.
“Although I might sound presumptuous as a mere lieutenant magician⋯ he’s my comrade who has stood with me in life-and-death battles, a contractor for personal requests, and a guest at my research lab.”
“Hmm. I did say I was grateful for your cooperation, but what exactly do you want to say? This preamble is a bit lengthy.”
“Please promise that no harm will come to him while he is here. I beg you.”
Heins bowed his head.
“How disrespectful. Quite disrespectful, indeed.”
SWISH!!!
In that instant, an astonishing aura erupted from the master as he stroked his mustache.
Gah!
Despite being an intangible aura, the ground around him was visibly being carved away.
Crack. Crackle.
THUD.
“…But! I don’t dislike that spirited attitude.”
With those words, the aura dissipated in an instant.
Huff. Huff.
I shook my head to clear my thoughts and saw Heins, who had been bowing, exhaling a sigh of relief and staring straight ahead.
Seeing us, the master placed both hands on his hips and laughed heartily as if nothing had happened.
“Hahaha! Where’s that usual dull demeanor? You can change like this when the need arises? Alright! I will promise as you requested. I’m not a dwarf who says one thing and means another.”
SNAP!
He flicked his fingers at Heins.
“Oh, one more thing. I liked your spirit, Heins. It stirs the fire in this old man’s heart! I’ll soon increase support for your research lab, so keep that in mind.”
“Th-thank you. Then I will take my leave. Aren, please return to the personal research lab after your business is done.”
“Of course.”
After making eye contact with Heins, who bowed deeply to the master, we exited the office.
“…”
Awkward.
In the space left for just the two of us, the master was staring intently at me.
‘While I’m at it, I might as well check my status window.’
────
[Gardan Turgrun]
[Strength: A] [Agility: B+] [Durability: A+]
[Health: A+] [Magic: A+] [Luck: A-]
[Traits] (Collapse)
Deepening Earth Magic
Deepening Martial Arts
Exceptional Handiness
Ore Detection
Magic Affinity
Robust Physique
Little Giant
Ancient Dwarven Sturdy
Mana Absorption
Single-minded Attack
Berserk Locomotive
Armor Wrapped in Evil
────
────
[Little Giant (A)] [P]
Though he is a small dwarf by birth, a giant resides within him larger than anyone else.
His unyielding spirit, forged through a life of hardship, keeps him grounded, supported by a body trained through grueling training and hardship, leaving no reason to fear.
─Provides strong resistance to constant mental attacks.
─Grants resistance to being trampled and fear when battling larger foes.
─Reduces physical damage incrementally the more damage taken, up to a certain limit.
─Allows entry into a ‘Giantification’ state for a limited time after accumulating damage.
────
So, this is the Elder of the Magic Tower.
To think there was someone this powerful after the gatekeeper, Vincent Zordik.
Surely, there must be more than one elder; there must be First Elder, Second Elder, and so forth, right?
I now realize anew how formidable the Magic Tower is, capable of consuming territories and dominating the surrounding areas.
‘Anyway, if you’ve called for me, you should put your business on the table. Why are you just staring at me without saying anything? Is this some kind of silent pressure tactic?’
“You. You said your name was Aren─.”
“I’m s-sorry for being late!”
CRASH!
As Gardan finally opened his mouth to break the silence, a woman barged into the office and tumbled clumsily.
THUD.
Hands made of dirt emerged from the ground and quickly lifted her up, relocating her next to me before disappearing.
“Ahko⋯ that hurt. Elder, I’m a little late, right?”
“Indeed. Not just a little, but too late that I was thinking of going back.”
“Eek! If so, then it’s not gonna end well for me. Please bear with me.”
“Uh, excuse me. What’s going on here?”
The woman, dressed in a robe with a thick pair of glasses and having braided hair, straightened her clothes and looked at me.
“I’ll explain… huff.”
As she tried to say something, she inhaled sharply and gave me a strange look.
‘Is she having an attack or something? Is she unwell?’
“I-it’s more than I imagined. She must be at least this good to match that person!”
Muttering under her breath, her voice was too low for me to catch.
“Are you alright? You seem unwell. Would you like me to take you to a place to rest?”
“Yes! Then to my research lab! No, no! Please pretend you didn’t hear that! I’m not hurt at all!”
“Well, I’m glad to hear that. By the way, I feel like you have something to tell me. What were you just explaining?”
After taking a deep breath and calming down, the wizard finally began to speak.
“I, please take this child and raise her! Her name is Eira! You can feed her magic instead of regular food, so it won’t cost you anything, and she’s obedient, cute, and smart! Here!”
“…?”
She rapidly spoke and reached out as if to hand me something.
This is… a bird?
You just mentioned something about feeding her magic, but is she not alive, just a doll?
SQUAWK!
“Suddenly and all, I-I just handed it to you, so hurry and activate it! Aah! For a single, out-casted old maid like me, this is too stimulating! Impossible to get close!”
As I absentmindedly inspected this creature that might be a living thing or a doll, I could hear her turning away and continuing a conversation with someone else.
Geez. Is she yet another eccentric magician like Scarlet?
“Excuse me. Is there, like, a spirit around? Or are you in telepathic communication with someone? Regardless, when having a conversation, it’s only polite to face the person you’re talking with.”
“After hanging out with pigs and skeletons in the lab, what is this! Ugh, I don’t know! Delivery completed, I’m hanging up!”
“Wait─!”
POOF!!!
“Ugh.”
“Eek!”
“Everyone, calm down now.”
Gardan’s roaring shout could even be described as a roar of a lion, and for a moment, my body was pushed back, and the commotion settled down.
“I will take my leave! I’m sorry for the spectacle!”
SWISH.
She dashed out of the office without warning, leaving behind only a perplexed-looking Gardan, who slapped his forehead in annoyance.
‘What the hell was that?’
[Chaos grimaces at the thought of being entangled with another strange woman.]
“I’m sorry. She’s an eccentric known even within the Fire School, yet I didn’t expect her to act like this while giving a theoretical presentation so clearly. Let me explain the current situation in her stead.”
“Yes. I would appreciate that.”
Then began Gardan’s lengthy explanation.
“So, to sum it up, this is a gift from an esteemed member of the Fire School who has been watching me closely, and it’s a magically created familiar, correct?”
“Beeep!”
I looked down, interrupted by a strange sound.
[Chaos says it’s a remarkably cute being.]
The doll that I had placed on the ground was gone, replaced by a tiny bird that nuzzled against my foot.
“Chirp? Chirp chirp!”
After tilting its head and then nuzzling me again, I carefully picked it up with both hands, pondering.
‘Damn. It’s too cute!’
It looked like a red and white-colored chick.
With its petite body and bright eyes, it was exhibiting an alarming degree of cuteness that felt dangerous to my heart.
Even though my status window didn’t appear when I focused on it, I could easily guess whose familiar this was.
‘An esteemed member of the Fire School? It must be Scarlet. I heard she was stuck on the top floor receiving direct education from the tower master and the elders, but I wonder how she managed to persuade Gardan. Was that woman a friend or subordinate?’
Totally bewitched by the chaos, I missed any further information regarding the wizard as she hastily left.
“That person asked for you to take care of this. Now, having this might enable you to enter and exit the Magic Tower freely, even if you don’t have any particular business.”
────
[Magic Tower Access Pass─Gardan Turgrun]
This is a seal that grants the human adventurer Aren permission to enter the Magic Tower, authorized by Gardan Turgrun, the master of the Earth School and an authority on Earth Magic, while also taking responsibility for any issues that might arise.
─Bound magic has been applied, ensuring that only adventurer Aren can possess this pass.
─Return magic has also been applied, so if lost, it will automatically return to adventurer Aren’s possession.
────
‘What was he thinking if I had refused to accept the familiar and the pass because I didn’t want to be manipulated by that esteemed figure, Scarlet? Isn’t that a glaring oversight?’
No. From the Elder’s perspective, they can just bulldoze me down with strength, so there’s probably no need to fuss over it.
From the moment I stepped into the office, I was already in a bind.
Should I just say I was relieved that I didn’t feel aversion toward this cute familiar?
Regardless, if I’m to enjoy the Master’s good name, it seems the only choice is to accept it willingly.
“While it includes a guarantee that I’ll take responsibility for any problems arising from your visits to the Magic Tower, you must ensure that there’s no malicious use. If you want to live long, that is.”
“I’ll keep that in mind every time I visit the Magic Tower.”
“Good. You don’t look like the type to do so, but do be cautious. This is a permanent access pass that others would envy.”
Indeed, recalling Vincent’s iron-fisted scrutiny, I could hardly grasp the value of this.
Seeing me nod, Gardan sighed.
“I had intended to have a good, lengthy chat with you to get to know you, but I’m a bit worn out now. Let’s meet again when I have time.”
Clearly a dismissal.
I felt a bit uneasy as it all seemed to pass in a flash, but I had no choice but to leave it as is.
I could only silently head back to Heins’ private research lab.
“Well then, I’ll take my leave.”
I left Gardan’s office and made my way to the 27th floor.
*
Click.
As I opened the door quietly, I was greeted by Heins, who was sitting at a table and tapping it.
“Aren! Did everything go well? What did the Elder say, huh?”
Beep!
My shoulder was interrupted by Eira, who perched there and started making chirping sounds, breaking Heins’ train of thought.
He looked like he had just witnessed something unexpected as he blubbered without finishing his sentence.
“What. What is this small bird? Did the Elder give you a pet or something?”
“Haha. It’s not the Elder’s pet; it seems to be a familiar from someone, and I ended up taking care of it.”
“Ah, I see. Indeed, looking closely, I can see traces of magic residue. Wow⋯ It’s obvious this is a mage from the Fire School.”
Heins shook his head in disdain, saying that magic like this was rare, regardless of its strength.
From just a brief glance, I could tell it had a disruptive yet tenacious temper.
“Anyway, I’m glad to hear you made it through without any troubles over there. Calling us up on a whim was surprising. Usually, a master of a school isn’t someone you can just meet easily.”
Heins adjusted his glasses and looked at Eira.
“Chirp?”
“I can tell from the bird’s eyes that it likes you a lot. Well, it seems you won’t have to worry about being bored anymore.”
Pet pet.
“Chirp chirp.”
How cute.
Eira looked drowsy and leaned in, asking for more pets.
I petted its soft fur as much as it desired and then spoke.
“Well, now that we’ve caught up and everything is dealt with, we just need to decide what item to apply the enchantment reward to, right?”
“Ah, right. Speaking of which, the crystal orb rang just before I could mention that. Tell me if you have something in mind, though I should warn you, it won’t work on high-grade gear like A-rank.”
When I heard about the options and examples, one thing immediately came to mind.
‘How about applying an enchantment to the armor currently being made for Huuton?’
Even if it’s armor that far exceeds the four gold coins I paid for, it wouldn’t have an A or S grade performance when produced by a city blacksmith over three weeks.
It was quite ambiguous to choose from my weapons or other gear.
Wouldn’t adding an attack option to the Rehagen, which I usually use against small monsters or as a shield substitute, feel like money wasted?
“Just to check, could an enchantment be applied to unique items as well?”
Heins pondered for a moment, rolling his eyes, and then responded.
“We could give it a try, but I can’t guarantee success. There wouldn’t be penalties for failure, but losing the opportunity would hurt quite a bit.”
He coughed awkwardly and followed up.
“With my current level, it’s successful up to C grade. Even if I use some contributions to get help, my limit is only up to B grade. So please choose carefully.”
My earrings are A grade. Gloves and one-handed sword are unique.
The great sword and the Frost Flower, which is merely a pretty ring for now, are also out of the question.
I asked Heins if it would be possible to enchant the armor that will be completed in about 28 days from now.
“Hmm. That should be fine. Since we decided to take a month off after hitting it big this time.”
‘Right. He said something about cleaning up special species earlier, right?’
Heins adjusted his outfit, smoothing out the wrinkles, and began preparing to leave the lab.
“Then I’ll keep the 28th to the 30th open, so don’t forget to come then. Now that we’ve got the important stuff out of the way, how about we grab a bite to eat before heading out?”
He shot me a playful smile.
“Hehe. I distinctly remember you saying you’d take me out for a lavish meal after taking down the Layered Ruler. Surely that wasn’t just empty talk?”
Looks like he remembered well.
Great! Let’s spend a little and feast today. What could go wrong with one expensive meal, right?
“Ha! Of course. Let’s go! Let’s fill our bellies with gourmet food today!”
DING!
He teased me, calling it a joke, and led me to a restaurant within the Magic Tower designated for wizards.
The quality of food served was incomparably higher than the amount I had paid at the inn I recently visited.
‘Whoa. Living in the Magic Tower would mean I could enjoy meals like this without envy. The fact that mages are high class shows even in places like this.’
We enjoyed a satisfying meal brimming with light banter, shared farewells, and then exited the Magic Tower.
“We’re going to take a carriage, right? It’s going to take half a day, isn’t it? What should we do? I mentioned I’d be staying out, so I guess I need to find an inn?”
Chirp! Chirp!
Eira flew up and rubbed her cheek against mine, as she pointed a wing in one direction.
“This cute little one is telling me to head that way? Alright. No sleeping on the carriage; let’s have a pleasant overnight stay before heading back.”
Chirp!
I followed Eira as we made our way onward.
*
Creek─
“You’re here.”
The next day, as we arrived at the inn by carriage, it was already nearing noon.
The problem was that Lumia didn’t look so well.
⋯It seemed like we would need to go out for a bit.