The first floor of the Tower of Knowledge was incredibly spacious.
It was a vast area that felt emptier than a soccer field, giving off an unnecessary desolation.
In the center of that first floor, there was a single chair and table where Ariel usually sat.
Now, an extra chair had been added.
As I settled into the chair, I was facing the tower’s master… Ariel Segnis Ternovia, receiving her teachings.
My outfit had changed too.
I had stored away the student robes in my dimensional space and was now wearing a new white garment that Ariel had specially provided.
Upon checking, I noticed it was similar to what Ariel was wearing.
The length of the fabric was long enough that when I spread my sleeves, it covered my wrists.
Overall, it was baggy and flapped around every time I moved roughly.
Some might find this uncomfortable, but it fit my taste perfectly, and I was satisfied wearing it.
Sitting there like this, it felt as if both Ariel and I were covered in white flour.
“Is there anything you’re puzzled about?”
After finishing a segment of the explanation, Ariel asked.
[…Um, I’m struggling to understand the spell transition part.]
[Is there really a need to connect it to the original? The output seems too low.]
There’s a saying: learning something unknown and teaching what you’ve learned are entirely different matters.
The former helps me understand, while the latter is about making others understand.
It varies case by case, but just because you’ve learned well doesn’t mean you teach well.
Especially if I naturally understand and easily skip over something that others can’t grasp, that’s where the stumbling begins.
Ariel Segnis Ternovia, master of the Tower of Knowledge.
The true founder of the Magic Association.
A legendary hero who had a legendary reputation as the first mage even before founding the Association.
Even though her fame had sunk below the surface over a long period after her reclusiveness.
She still remains a legendary figure among wizards and appears frequently in history books.
No matter how great a magician she is, teaching is a different matter…
“That part was also a concern of mine in the past. While aiming for stability, the necessary compromises were dissatisfying. Initially, I added auxiliary techniques to create alternatives…”
…But it wasn’t like that.
As her magical ability was proportional, her teaching skills were remarkably proficient beyond imagination.
She pointed to the part I was confused about with her finger and gently continued her explanation, saying she had been the same.
From the introductory part of her explanation all the way to the end, it stuck in my mind.
The parts that required depth were thorough and complete, revealing the starting questions and principles.
It was almost as if she knew what I was thinking; I questioned whether my thoughts were readable.
“There was no magic back then. There was little knowledge built by our ancestors and very few peers to share knowledge with. Therefore, I had to create everything from scratch.”
To that question of mine, Ariel replied as if it were no big deal.
“In that process, there were countless attempts… and I went through trial and error personally to resolve most questions.”
Oh…
Unique abilities manifest on their own, while magical power must be arranged and activated according to certain logic and rules.
Naturally, with no information back then, the very technique of magic didn’t exist.
“The first magic was not creation but imitation.”
Ariel raised her arm with her palm facing the sky.
Fire born from nature.
Rain and thunder descending from the heavens.
The wind carving through cliffs.
The earth tremoring and surging…
Spheres of elemental attributes floated above her palm like planets drifting in space.
“Natural magic… or what we now call elemental magic, along with magic attributing mana’s true blow and bullet, focused on the output and properties of mana, and basic manipulation series spells were all the magic that existed back then.”
Not only colorful spheres of attributes, but several mana spheres also hovered.
The outer appearance was similar, but the characteristics felt completely different.
Some spheres were heavy, while others scattered sharp edges.
“Even back then, I craved simple and powerful magic that could easily subdue monsters rather than high-level complex magic… Just like you, Lee Ha-yul.”
After explaining that much, Ariel scattered the spheres she had created with her hands and poked her chest with her fingers.
[Ah.]
“Mana Blade and Mana Bullet. Among basic manipulations, they are the easiest to access and have an intuitive level of power. I also used them often. It was effective to scatter thousands of them, and since the original was simple, it was easy to modify.”
[Yeah, exactly.]
[The output was good compared to the consumption, and the simplicity of the spells made it convenient to fire them off freely.]
[The modifications were indeed straightforward…]
“However.”
Suddenly, Ariel’s tone became firm.
The necklace that had been jingling in excitement abruptly stiffened.
Ariel, after a moment’s thought, stared at me intently.
“…I have never personally used extreme and dangerous modifications like you, Lee Ha-yul. To be precise, after several experiments, I concluded that this was something that would ruin the user with just one mistake.”
[…Right.]
“Yes, of course, the danger varies depending on the user’s ability. Given your potential, Lee Ha-yul, you could handle such dangerously extreme magic without a hitch.”
After getting that far, Ariel paused for a moment.
“…But lately, the magic you have been practicing… or rather, the violent and bizarre mana manipulation technique you’re attempting is something I can hardly comprehend.”
Violent and bizarre…
It was an abstract description, but it was easy to tell what she was referring to.
The technique mimicking the fifth observation.
The embodiment of magic circuits through circuits.
“…It’s madness to arbitrarily break circuits… let alone use it in a spell? It would be a miracle if your bones and flesh merely exploded and flew away, while the backflow of mana could permanently damage your entire circuit and core—it’s a hazardous act.”
[That’s…]
“In the fifth observation record, your body, Lee Ha-yul, had already meticulously adjusted your entire circuitry with an artifact beforehand; it was just barely achievable. And even then, ultimately, the manipulation failed, leading to self-destruction.”
[Yes…]
Just barely achieving it.
Amid Ariel’s patient tone, particularly in the words she emphasized, I couldn’t help but drop my head.
The truth was, I had been told similar criticisms since day one, but today they felt particularly pointed.
The one providing this reasoning was me.
While keeping my head down, I gingerly massaged my right arm, which had just popped open yesterday.
Ariel’s gaze pierced through the top of my head.
It felt like a worried look one gives a mischievous child, causing me to lower my head even more.
“…I understand if my comments may appear objectionable to you. You might consider them trivial criticisms, and I have no place to argue…”
[No, I don’t think that way.]
I shook my head vigorously.
Although my thoughts on the tower masters were complex, I didn’t believe that worry was a mere fabrication.
It had been about ten days since I entered the Tower of Knowledge and started receiving Ariel’s education.
In that time, I heard stories I hadn’t caught on the first day and received thorough training on magic.
Although it was merely a short period compared to my entire life,
during that time spent with Ariel, I had found no sign that she was maliciously using me.
…Hopefully, the other tower masters would be the same.
“Yes, thank you for understanding my concerns.”
Suddenly, she gently grasped my cheek and lifted my bowed head.
“By the way, did you manage to sleep last night?”
Suddenly, Ariel posed that question.
With her slender fingers, she lightly caressed my eyelids, treating me like an artifact.
I tilted my head uncertainly.
[No.]
“Have you not slept at all since you entered the tower two days ago?”
[Well, um…?]
My voice, which had been absentmindedly responding, dwindled.
Ariel’s gaze turned back into one resembling a worried guardian eyes observing a troublesome child.
I found myself squirming with my cheeks held in her grasp and my eyes tightly closed.
.
.
.
The interior of the tower operates under distinct laws separate from the outside.
A notable concept is space.
The tower, though enormous enough to defy common sense when measured from outside, could not even be categorized as an ‘architecture’ once I walked in and observed the inside.
The Tower of Knowledge was no exception.
“Today marks the tenth day… Time feels both fast and slow…”
During the past ten days, I had wandered around the Tower of Knowledge quite a bit.
I checked everything through observation and moved myself to feel its essence.
As a result, I discovered that the Tower of Knowledge was vast in a way distinct from the Tower of Growth.
The Tower of Growth was divided by various staircases and walls.
There were massive spaces resembling dense forests from the dinosaur era where monsters thrived, and there were also relatively small spaces like the desolate wasteland where I had tussled during the second time-round.
Each of those spaces was distinctly separated, accepted as ‘individual spaces’ when viewed through spatial observation.
The Tower of Knowledge was different.
Here, it was one gigantic open space without divisions.
The first floor lay completely empty.
Aside from the central table and chair where Ariel usually read, there was nothing.
The only things present were the long corridors that opened out from all around the first floor.
Each side of the corridor had identical doors.
There were two main types of those rooms.
One served as living quarters, while the other functioned as a storage room.
There were no libraries or reading rooms.
Because from the second floor up, every room is a library or reading room.
The empty first floor had no ceiling.
Above it, the second floor was an endless expanse filled solely with bookshelves and books.
“Hmm…”
Inside the Tower of Growth, the blessings of growth are amplified.
I don’t know if that’s its original function or if it’s an added feature from the Tower’s master, but it’s similar to how a dungeon gives vigor to allies while repressing foes.
Such a blessing doesn’t exist in the Tower of Knowledge.
Instead, the inside housed an incomprehensibly vast number of books.
With a curious expression, I placed the book in hand back in its spot and gently tapped the cover with my finger.
Usually… almost all people read books with their eyes.
Those with visual impairments interpret them through braille, or they listen to someone read the contents aloud.
I recognized the book entirely through the power of observation.
It was overwhelmingly faster and more efficient than seeing with my eyes, braille, or relying on voices for comprehension.
Of course, recognizing and understanding are entirely different realms.
So rather than understanding, I essentially shove the data into my brain, slowly reconstructing it later to understand it.
Books in the Tower of Knowledge were hard to comprehend that way.
With a peculiar expression, I promptly pulled out a book right next to me.
“Basic Elemental Magic – Fire Sphere.”
The cover seemed ordinary.
It wasn’t vintage but rather a modern design showing no signs of wear or handling over the years.
It wasn’t brand new, but it resembled a freshly printed book that hadn’t been touched by human hands.
The texture was fine too. Rubbing the smooth surface, the sound of pages turning was the same. Even handling the inside pages felt ordinary.
But it was different.
With precise tuning of my observation, I could feel a slight difference in structure from the typical book.
‘Is this all a result of a power?’
This book was materialized through the power of knowledge.
If I had to categorize it, I’d say it’s a mass made of information and mana.
Not just the book in my hand, but all the books scattered around here were created through the power of knowledge.
‘And they’re still increasing…’
When I first entered the Tower of Knowledge, it felt like there were all the books in this world.
That statement was somewhat true.
Books stored in the Tower of Knowledge are still growing.
Whether that’s a function of its powers or because a significant number of new books are entering the Tower from the outside.
‘So…’
I gently placed my palm on the slightly opened paper and gently raised the mana to inject it into the paper.
– Crackle… Ding…
Immediately, I felt an unfamiliar sensation that clawed at my brain, causing me to furrow my brow slightly.
Memories and landscapes that weren’t mine floated into my mind.
Usually, a common person would likely panic from these new and foreign sensations.
But having already experienced intense agony during data absorption through observation, this felt like merely breathing.
‘Huff…’
After a brief moment, the tide of information ceased.
I lightly tapped the book with a curious expression.
Information injection.
Though I still didn’t entirely understand the precise methods involved now.
Regardless of the particulars, the conveyance of information was overwhelmingly superior to merely skimming through it with my eyes.
‘This is difficult…’
But it was indeed challenging.
I scratched my head and narrowed my brows.
Not only am I not particularly bright, but magic is hard in itself.
Magic is a discipline.
Its history may be shorter compared to other disciplines, but the accumulated depth and expertise are certainly not shallow.
The discipline of magic, built upon the sacrifices of flesh and blood, is by no means a trivial one.
In fact, considering its complexity, it is remarkably tough.
This tendency only grows stronger as the level of magic increases, leading to a flood of seemingly inexplicable concepts.
‘Tch…’
Of course, with the mana affinity and being a Jack of All Trades, there’s potential to keep at it.
As arrogant as it sounds, I really was exceptional in that regard, intelligence aside.
That said, comprehending and proficiently handling such a vast mass of content all at once requires time.
While the books materialized through the power of knowledge do expedite that process, I still need to put in the effort.
After hearing from the tower, the pressure lifted considerably.
Before, I had pretended it didn’t bother me, but I felt like my mind and body were being crushed under pressure.
Coming to realize that the tower masters were genuinely trying to support me eased a lot of that burden.
‘I need to try harder.’
So, to ensure I wouldn’t let my guard down, I resolved to sharpen my will.
It would be too late to make efforts only if things reached the worst scenario.
Now is when I should work.
When I still had some breathing room.
The Tower of Knowledge admission is limited after all.
I wouldn’t allow myself to laze around here.
I’d just sleep outside the Tower of Knowledge.
A month? Two months? I didn’t need that much.
Having realized that my body is this way, I understood that sleep wasn’t an absolute necessity.
As long as my consciousness held out, I could stay awake for as long as needed.
Within the Shio-ram, I had involuntarily dozed off every time people wrapped their arms around me.
But there was no one here to do that.
‘…I miss Yeonhwa.’
Just as I was about to search for another book, a bright red book cover suddenly flashed in my mind.
The color reminded me of someone, causing me to bite my lip.
‘…I miss Seo-yul, too. My master… Elia… I want to see everyone.’
It had only been ten days.
Just a brief span I could count with both hands.
Yet for some reason, an overwhelming yearning was pressing down from a corner of my heart.
Despite having been separated for far longer stretches before, this was strange.
I bit my lip and opened the book.
*
“When do you plan to sleep…”
The behavior of Lee Ha-yul was not something that the tower master, Ariel, could view with indifference.
As ten days had nearly passed since he entered the tower.
To Ariel, the aura Lee Ha-yul exuded was incredibly peculiar.
Even trapped by restrictions as a tower master, she had been a hero even before her current position—a pioneer.
Even after becoming a tower master, she hadn’t slackened on her training.
Her prowess was high, not as just ‘the Master of the Tower of Knowledge’ but as ‘Ariel Segnis Ternovia.’
Upon her eyes, the first impressions of Lee Ha-yul provided many reflections.
A pure essence.
A mass that could erupt into nature at any moment.
An existence cursed.
An imbalance of mind and body.
Despite having become a tremendous powerhouse still, he was bubbling with boundless potential yet unexplored.
And yet…
With a hint of vigilant hope in her heart, she viewed this child, who like a puppy longed for something good.
The current mood had shifted remarkably.
At times he seemed fine, but then suddenly darkened.
Even at rest, whenever thoughts crossed his mind, a dark aura gathered around him like fog.
Suddenly becoming sullen, he dropped his shoulders, his lips pouting as if he was yearning for something.
Whenever he had those thoughts, a fierce, deadly pressure radiated from all around.
Regardless of the perspective, he appeared mentally unstable, pushing himself.
Although I did ask, in truth, Ariel had been keeping track of his every move since Lee Ha-yul entered the tower.
Everything he had done stubbornly over the ten days fell under her notice.
‘…’
Ariel suddenly lowered her gaze to the corner.
And then, she skimmed through the status window that became accessible since Lee Ha-yul entered the tower.
[Player Calibration System: Measurement]
▶Mental State
『Loneliness』
『Solitude』
『Restlessness』
『Torment』
『Doubt』
『Longing』
『Desire』
『Yearning for Affection』
『Separation Anxiety』
『Desire for Sleep』
『Curse of Solitude(?)』
‘This…’
As Ariel contemplated the statuses calmly, she furrowed her brows upon reading the last line.
The curse of solitude.
One of the two curses they had placed on Lee Ha-yul was in effect.
Had it merely limited senses, it might have been manageable, but hearing the full story caused this instability to shake Lee Ha-yul.
‘Tch…’
Potential is untapped energy.
The more one craves, the more potential is brought forth, yielding extraordinary results beyond the usual limits.
Lee Ha-yul was no exception.
He exploded when desperate, blooming rapidly in moments of extremity.
‘But…’
What Lee Ha-yul needed wasn’t that kind of desperation but a different type.
He needed to lead a life as a human, not a monster.
He should be surrounded by joy rather than loneliness.
One must not trivialize pain.
It’s detrimental to suppress emotions under the pretext of circumstances.
That is not only Ariel’s hope as a tower master but also for efficiency and practicality.
He must become a savior and protector, not a seeker of vengeance or a harbinger of slaughter.
…If someone claims otherwise, neither qualifications nor justification are required…
Originally, it was inevitable for Lee Ha-yul to be thrust into conflict, but ultimately, it was their actions that placed him in this position.
‘Truly, I must ensure he sleeps.’
Leaving him as is wouldn’t be acceptable.
With firm resolve, Ariel nodded.
Then, she blushed a little, looking somewhat embarrassed.
After pondering briefly, Ariel waved her hands as if to brush away the thought and let out a sigh.
– Swoosh…
Her clothes, designed to open easily from the start, effortlessly fell apart with a light gesture.
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