Chapter 98: To the Tower of Magic

Was it because the traces of Kashpa that existed on this continent had disappeared?

The knife-like wind, which had held chilling coldness, now held a cozy warmth.

The vast snow-covered plains had mostly melted, and green sprouts were emerging from beneath.

Thud- thud- thud-

The sound of Nightmare’s hooves slowly spread.

It had been several days of aimlessly wandering along the wide road, crossing borders again and again.

A paved road probably means there’s a city with people gathered ahead…

If I opened the map, I could see what’s ahead, but I was hoping for small joys that arise from unexpected encounters, so I didn’t bother opening it.

How long had I walked like that? The moment I crossed a small hill, I could see a city surrounded by a huge wall.

It was an impressive place with a large river running through the center of the city.

“Halt!”

As I led Nightmare to the entrance of the city, spears were naturally pointed at me.

I was already used to the guards’ sharp attitude. I smiled lightly and opened my mouth.

“Hello?”

My bright appearance and smile usually leave a good impression regardless of gender.

That’s an unchanging truth. This guard would be no different.

As expected, the guard who was pointing the spear hesitated for a moment and then stepped back.

“W-what business do you have? And that’s a horse… right?”

“It’s just a slightly larger Hyran breed. And my purpose is simple sightseeing.”

As I answered, I stroked Nightmare’s mane, and it wagged its tail as if it felt good.

Its innocent appearance seemed to melt the guards’ hearts.

“Y-you can pass…”

“Thank you~”

[Blue Weaver]

In front of the main gate. That was the name of the city written on the sign.

The peaceful scenery of the city diminished any special expectations, but a comfortable feeling made a pleasant smile appear.

Clatter- clatter- clatter-

The sound of Nightmare’s hooves echoed on the stone floor laid on the main street.

It seemed happy to be stepping on the stone floor after a long time, and it tapped out a strange rhythm.

It’s almost lunchtime. I sniffed and led Nightmare by the reins.

I walked along the long street and arrived in front of a large inn.

The savory smell wafting out as if to tempt me told me that the inn’s chef was quite skilled.

Judging by the number of customers, it seemed that the management was also paying close attention.

“W-welcome!”

Was it because I was hesitating at the entrance of the inn that I looked like a customer?

A girl wearing a bright sky-blue apron ran out to greet me.

The girl’s gaze passed Nightmare and reached me, then quickly fell.

She seemed fascinated by the full plate armor I was wearing.

“A room and a stable for this guy. Can I use them?”

“Ah, yes!”

“Is it possible to have a meal too?”

“Of course!”

I smiled brightly and flicked two gold coins at the girl, who nodded.

I had often imagined this while reading countless fantasy novels.

Me, flicking money without even asking the price.

How cool is that? I must have looked like a veteran adventurer with plenty of money.

“H-huh…! Customer! You have a lot of money!”

The girl, who received the two gold coins, looked up at me with a surprised expression.

I smiled lightly, jumped off Nightmare’s back, and handed her the reins.

“Please take care of him.”

“A-yes!”

Flutter-

The girl led Nightmare to the stable.

While waiting for her to return, I glanced inside the inn and found more people than I expected.

Travelers in light clothing, adventurers having lunch while wearing their armor, and even a minstrel with a lute in hand.

I watched the various people for a moment, and then the girl who had taken Nightmare away hurried back.

“L-let’s go!”

The girl led me to a small table in a corner. It seemed to be neatly maintained, and the table was clean.

“J-just wait a moment! I’ll bring the room key and the food!”

After the girl disappeared, the minstrel’s singing and the conversations of the people around me stimulated my ears.

I was resting my chin on the table, blankly letting time pass, when it happened.

“Really…! I told you it wasn’t this way!”

A woman’s irritated voice sounded strangely familiar. As if possessed, I turned my head in the direction of the voice.

“…The map must be wrong.”

“What kind of person carries a two-hundred-year-old map? You should get your belongings checked later.”

It looked like a young woman was scolding an old man. But the old man stubbornly refused to admit his mistake.

“A belongings check…? There’s nothing you can’t say to your master.”

“Umm…”

The woman shook her head, muttering as if this wasn’t the first time this had happened.

The end of the large witch hat she was wearing swayed back and forth.

Why… why is Rain here?

I stared at the magician I had parted ways with a long time ago with trembling eyes.

The moment Rain’s eyes met mine, I quickly turned my head away.

But that didn’t erase the fact that we had made eye contact.

Just as I recognized Rain, she seemed to have recognized me as well. A stinging gaze fell on my back.

“Could it be…?”

It was a voice filled with subtle anticipation. I curled up even more and turned away from Rain.

Now that I had a complicated relationship with the Magic Tower, I might end up confronting her. Just like Leonis, who came to find me.

I didn’t want to fight the benefactor who helped me awaken my mana and allowed me to enter the world of magic.

I prayed in a small voice.

‘Please just pass by.’

Scrape-

Thump thump.

Rain seemed determined to confirm my identity.

I heard the sound of a chair being dragged, and then small footsteps approached me.

“Excuse me.”

The other party, Rain, was already sure of my identity.

It was a situation I couldn’t ignore forever.

I smiled awkwardly and raised my head.

“Ah, ah, ah!”

“Hello…”

“Serise!”

“It’s been a while, Ms. Rain.”

There was a slight commotion because of Rain shouting after discovering me.

Until her master, the old magician, intervened.

In the end, I ended up joining the two magicians.

“You were looking for me…?”

Rain and the old magician nodded at my question.

I recalled Leonis’s appearance from their answer. Did they really come to find me for the same reason as him?

However, unlike Leonis, who was overbearing from the first meeting, these two were kind to me.

They didn’t seem to be trying to drag me to the Magic Tower by force.

“May I ask why?”

Suddenly, I felt the old magician’s gaze. He looked at me with dizzy eyes.

Inside his blue eyes, a strange shape was slowly rotating.

“We heard a rumor that you were impersonating a magician from the Magic Tower.”

I tensed my body at the old magician’s words.

My muscles repeatedly contracted and expanded, loosening my body, and at the same time as the circle in my heart rotated, I placed my hand on the tip of my sword.

It was a natural act that happened in an instant.

“Calm down. I’m not trying to blame you.”

The old magician tried to calm me down with a calm voice.

But I couldn’t easily calm down. Now that I had already clashed with a magician named Leonis sent from the Magic Tower, I couldn’t see the magicians belonging to the Magic Tower in a good light.

Of course, I was the one who impersonated a magician belonging to the Magic Tower first.

“Seris… was it?”

It was the old magician’s question. I nodded at the question and answered.

“That’s right. What about you?”

“Hayven.”

“Okay, Mr. Hayven. And Ms. Rain. You’re not here to capture me like the other magicians, right?”

Rain and Hayven nodded silently. I looked around and opened my mouth.

“Then why did you come to find me?”

“To help you.”

“Help me…?”

“Didn’t you impersonate the name of the Magic Tower? Using the name of the Magic Tower without permission is a very big crime. But if you really become a member of the Magic Tower, that crime will disappear.”

“Even the crime that existed before becoming a member of the Magic Tower…?”

“Modifying the date of admission is something I can do with my authority.”

“What if I still don’t want to?”

“Hmm… That wouldn’t be a good choice for you.

If you refuse, the magicians of the Magic Tower will continue to come looking for you… Judging by your reaction, it seems you’ve already met one person.”

I nodded silently at Hayven’s words. Then Rain, who was sitting next to me, asked me in surprise.

“Y-you really met him? An Imperial Magician?”

“I met him. He introduced himself as Leonis…”

“L-Leonis…!”

Rain was startled by my answer and widened her eyes.

Hayven also had a slightly surprised expression.

But what’s important now is not the magician named Leonis. I frowned and asked Hayven.

“You’re not tricking me, are you? If I follow you to the Magic Tower, you’re not suddenly going to change your mind and try to attack me…”

“I swear on this spot. That will never happen.”

“Just words…?”

At that moment, blue mana soared from Hayven’s body. Pure mana with a huge density began to draw a strange magic circle in the air.

A blue line draws a small circle, and a strange shape enters inside.

When the circle and shape that had slowly begun to rotate stopped, a promise was completed.

“Can you see this flow?”

I blankly nodded at Hayven’s words. At this moment, he was betting his mana and promising the world.

A promise that if his words were not kept, all mana would scatter.

The moment I say I will follow him to the Magic Tower, that promise will be fulfilled as it is.

“W-why? Why are you doing this for me…?”

“In the future, does there need to be a reason to nurture a junior who may build a new tower?”

“A new tower…?”

At that moment, the strange shape engraved in Hayven’s eyes slowly began to rotate.

Suddenly, I got the impression that his gaze resembled a dragon.