Chapter 100: The Tower’s Secrets

“Rain, can you give Seris a tour of the tower’s interior?”

“What about you, Master?”

“I have to take care of the backlog of paperwork. And resolve Seris’s matter as well.”

“Alright.”

After finishing his conversation with Rain, Haven waved at me before vanishing in an instant.

Only a faint afterimage of mana remained where he had stood.

“Amazing, right? Master can move anywhere inside the tower.”

Rain spoke proudly as she watched the scene unfold.

I simply nodded absentmindedly at her words.

How exactly did that magic work? Even though I had witnessed it three times already, I still couldn’t grasp its principle.

“Shall we put our things down first?”

Following Rain’s lead, we arrived at a rather spacious room.

However, before I could even take a look around, Rain pulled me away right after I set my belongings down.

Our next stop was Nightmare’s room. It was a small chamber right next to mine.

Since hay wasn’t available inside the magic tower, several layers of soft blankets were spread across the floor instead.

Seemingly pleased with the cozy texture, Nightmare rolled around playfully.

“Looks like Nightmare likes it here.”

“He does seem comfortable.”

After settling Nightmare in his room, the official tour of the tower began.

Rain led me around, eagerly introducing various places.

We passed a large storage room where essential supplies for missions were distributed, then moved through a workshop where enchanted items were crafted.

“See that? Those are called magic scrolls—”

I nodded absentmindedly at Rain’s words while observing the tower’s structure in detail.

Though the building’s design wasn’t particularly unique, the flow of mana within its walls was remarkable.

Unintentionally, I found myself tuning Rain out. It wasn’t deliberate, but everything around me felt like an inspiration.

My senses, heightened beyond human limits, reacted sensitively to everything—the breathing of the mages, the mana they exuded, and the currents of energy within the tower. My mind was overwhelmed with stimuli.

“This place…”

The moment I became aware of it, what once felt familiar now seemed entirely new.

Naturally, Haven’s words resurfaced in my mind.

The way one perceives the world.

I wasn’t certain, but for a fleeting moment, I felt like I had glimpsed the world through Haven’s eyes.

Lost in thought, I placed my hand against the tower’s pale wall.

In an instant, a small burst of light flared before my eyes.

No sound accompanied it—it was a vision only I could see.

It felt as though my consciousness was being pulled in, a sensation eerily similar to when I first awakened my mana.

When I came to my senses, I found myself standing in an unfamiliar land. And at that very moment, I understood.

The long path before me symbolized the passage of countless years, and at its end stood something forged through time and experience.

Whose world is this…?

As I marveled at the scene, a peculiar gaze fell upon me from the highest point of the tower.

I instinctively knew it.

The owner of that gaze ruled this world.

Though their form was obscured by a hazy light, I could vaguely tell—it was a woman.

But the moment she acknowledged my presence, my consciousness was forcefully expelled.

Fwoosh!

“So, this place is…”

“Gasp…!”

A faint flicker of light remained in my vision. I staggered, hastily pulling my hand away from the wall.

“Seris?”

“Ah, yes?”

“Are you okay? Do you feel unwell?”

“No, I’m fine.”

“Really? Then—”

“Rain.”

“Hm?”

“Is the tower master a woman?”

“Huh? How do you know that? Have you met her before?”

Rain looked at me in surprise, her question catching me off guard. I awkwardly smiled and shook my head.

It seemed that what I had just seen was indeed the tower’s master.

I glanced between my hand and the tower’s walls, a strange feeling lingering within me.

The next morning, I was officially recognized as a mage.

However, there was still one unresolved matter.

It was related to Leonis—the mage I had encountered before joining the tower.

According to Haven, Leonis had officially requested an investigation.

He suspected that the magic I used was similar to that of the Battle Mage school.

“It’s not a big deal. All you need to do is reveal a glimpse of your inner world, and the matter will be settled.”

And so, I followed Rain and Haven as we left the Tower of Dawn.

Our destination was another tower, one bathed in a murky twilight hue.

The robe I received upon becoming a full-fledged mage was noticeably large for my frame.

While the oversized fit looked somewhat endearing, it was undeniably cumbersome.

“What is this tower called?”

I adjusted the robe draped over me and turned to Rain with curiosity.

“It’s the Tower of Twilight.”

“The Tower of Twilight?”

Rain nodded but soon made a face, realizing her mistake.

It had slipped her mind that I knew almost nothing about the magic towers.

“Um… Oh, remember Leonis?”

“Yes.”

“This is where people like him gather.”

I swallowed dryly at Rain’s words before stepping inside.

The Tower of Twilight.

The gathering place of the Battle Mage school.

The mages here gave off the impression of well-trained soldiers rather than scholars.

Though their robes concealed their physiques, it was clear that beneath them lay bodies sculpted with muscle.

I nodded as I watched a mage pass by.

Haven headed straight for the top floor of the tower. It seemed teleportation magic couldn’t be used here, so we had to take the stairs.

As we ascended, I ran my hand along the inner walls, just in case.

Like the Tower of Dawn, the Twilight Tower also had traces of peculiar magic.

However, this was merely a defensive magic circle activated to protect the tower.

It lacked the unique presence I had felt in the Tower of Dawn.

When we reached the top floor, a wide hallway stretched before us, leading to a massive door at the end.

Haven stepped forward. The old mage’s pace was neither fast nor slow.

Step, step—

The faint sound of footsteps echoed through the hall.

Then, the firmly closed door swung open, revealing a middle-aged man clad in a deep navy robe.

His straight posture and broad shoulders gave a glimpse into his lifestyle.

Even the thick robe couldn’t hide his massive, muscular frame.

Nodding, the middle-aged man spoke.

“I’ve been expecting you.”

Haven frowned at the sight but responded nonetheless.

“So, you need confirmation?”

“With an Imperial mage’s qualifications in question, official verification is necessary. Even if it’s unpleasant, it can’t be helped.”

At those words, Haven nodded before glancing at me, signaling for me to step forward.

As I approached, my robe billowing slightly, the middle-aged mage’s gaze locked onto me.

“You must be Seris.”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“I’m Leo, the Vice Tower Master of Twilight.”

“Nice to meet you.”

“You have quite a well-trained body.”

“You can tell just by looking?”

“Of course.”

I looked up at Leo, unimpressed.

He merely gazed down at me, his expression unreadable.

“Do I just need to reveal my inner world?”

“That’s right. It’s a hassle, but I must ask you to do it.”

I nodded and focused inward.

I had done this before, back when I first awakened my mana, so it wasn’t difficult.

Kiing—!

As soon as I closed my eyes and concentrated, mana began flowing out around me. I let it flow freely.

The mana shimmered like starlight, resembling the Milky Way I had seen in the desert.

Even with my eyes closed, I could see everything clearly.

The mana streaming from my body acted as my vision.

As my consciousness sank deeper, something began to emerge.

A ring of fire flared into existence above the glimmering stars.

As it spun rapidly, it absorbed the surrounding mana, trapping it within.

Then, another ring emerged.

When the ring of cold encased the sphere of starlight, I opened my eyes and looked around.

“This is…”

Leo’s eyes widened in astonishment. His usually expressionless face was now frozen in shock.

I reached toward the sphere of starlight floating before me.

Each tiny star gathered within the fiery ring represented a world I perceived.

Worlds too small for others to recognize constantly unfolded their own stories.

Suddenly, I wanted to share these worlds with others.

I gripped the rings of fire and ice tightly.

Fwoosh—!

The tiny stars rapidly expanded. In the blink of an eye, hundreds of worlds flashed past.

Then, in what felt like both an instant and eternity, I clapped my hands.

Snap—!

The shining stars came to a halt, their brilliance marking the conclusion of their stories.

Standing amidst the softly fading mana, I spoke.

“How was it?”

“Was there any issue?”

Leo’s brow twitched at my question.

Releasing the breath he had been holding, he let out a long sigh and responded in a voice tinged with awe.

“…No. No issues at all.”

Late that evening, upon returning to the magic tower, Leonis found a single document waiting for him.

As he entered his quarters, he frowned and picked up the paper.

[Disciplinary Action Notice]

“What is this…?”

The document stated that he had been placed on probation for thirty days.

Reading the notice in silence, Leonis took a sip of his drink.