Chapter 23: A Day at the Purple Magic Tower
‘The Purple Magic Tower is a gathering place for freaks.’
It took three years to deny this statement, three more to hesitate, and another three to finally accept…… and now, after almost nine years, she knew it was an irrefutable truth.
The evidence of this truth was happening right in front of her eyes. Could you see the wizards of the Purple Magic Tower, utterly consumed by madness, howling like banshees?
“Esteemed Junior’s theory is unbeatable, and my panty modeling? That’s divine!!”
“Illusion Magic isn’t for replicating women’s underwear or anything like that—AAHHH-!!”
“I’ve developed some incredible Illusion Magic, so our Esteemed Junior promised to shorten the shorts of my shota butler!”
“I’ve developed a version of Illusion Magic that feels like having five hands! Any volunteers for testing? As compensation, you’ll receive a recording of the cute Tower Master whining about not liking bean sprouts!”
“This curve isn’t right. Again today, I failed to capture the beauty of breasts……. I have to find the ultimate, the Final Boss of breasts……… but I failed…”
The Illusion Wizard Lorei of the Purple Magic Tower sighed deeply again today, gazing at the lovable troublemakers of the tower.
Looking back, the tower didn’t seem this deranged in the past. What had it been like when she first entered the Purple Magic Tower? Back then, it was filled with desolate and gloomy seekers of magical truth.
If one wanted wealth, the Gold Magic Tower was the answer. If simple revenge was desired, then the Red Magic Tower was their choice. If exploration was the goal, then the Blue Magic Tower welcomed them. But only those with a twisted mindset sought the Purple Magic Tower.
They were not satisfied with mere wealth; they craved something that didn’t exist in this world.
They didn’t just want revenge; they wished to inflict unspeakable pain upon something non-existent.
They were not merely explorers; they longed to lift the veils and peek at the hidden truths of the world.
These were the people seeking something twisted rather than the ordinary worldly values most held dear.
Just look at that man right there.
“Everything Esteemed Junior says is correct. We managed to get the budget, so they must be right. The person who secured the budget is a god, and gods’ words are truth, so everything Esteemed Junior says is correct!”
That man, who was obsessively studying which part of a panty should be transparent for the gratification of Esteemed Junior, had spent 15 years as a wizard in the Purple Magic Tower. He was a relic from the era of the “Previous Purple Magic Tower Master.”
Before his mind got polluted by the twisted thoughts of Esteemed Junior, he had been researching a “curse that converts pleasure into pain.” His sole purpose was to exact vengeance on the noble who had ruined his life, continuing his research with bloodshot eyes, intent on extracting every ounce of happiness from that noble.
But after hanging out with Esteemed Junior just a few times, he ended up utterly ruined.
For some reason, in the Purple Magic Tower, which was filled predominantly with youthful members, a 15-year tenure was considered seniority. To exaggerate just a bit, it meant he was on par with the Elders of other Towers…… (Of course, this is a relative meaning. If an Elder from another Magic Tower actually showed up, he’d have to bow his head in respect.)
As the saying goes, clean upstream water leads to clean downstream water, so with the upper stream like that, it was no wonder that the lower stream wasn’t anything normal.
That woman, wearing thick glasses and delicately sketching a shota butler on paper, was in her sixth year at the Tower. After her childhood friend, to whom she was promised in marriage, ran off with a traveling mercenary, she began researching “Mind Destruction” and “Seduction,” but…
“There’s a person inside this paper…!!”
Ever since getting caught up with Esteemed Junior’s terrifying butler corps, she had changed. Now, her goal was to conjure a boyfriend perfectly tailored to her tastes using Illusion Magic.
All thanks to Esteemed Junior…… who happened to be a likely candidate for an Archwizard, the genius who created the “Living Illusion of the Purple Tower,” with the foreboding look of black hair and red eyes and who was rumored to be dating the Tower Master.
Everyone was too chicken to simply call him ‘Junior,’ so they all reverently called him ‘Esteemed Junior’──the Illusion Wizard ▒▒▒, the source of all this madness.
“Damn it, he’s placed a lock on his own name again with ‘Perception Disorder’……..”
He was also the lunatic who locked his own name.
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If you asked who the top dog in the Purple Magic Tower was, it was undoubtedly the Purple Magic Tower Master.
Cutesy and a bit clumsy, nobody dared to underestimate the Tower Master. No matter how vile or twisted someone might be, they invariably kneel before her.
Just as the warm sun disrobes a traveler of their outerwear, so too had the cuteness of the Tower Master reformed even the most flawed wizards among them?
Hardly.
Every single one of them was keeping a low profile because they had all felt the sting of the Tower Master’s low kick at least once.
There was a perfect example—the story of a fresh newcomer who had just completed three years of tenure.
“After just three months……I finally completed it! ‘Melburton’s Field of Reduced Accuracy’! When someone looks at the engraved pattern, it distorts their focus, making it impossible to hit properly! My very own Artifact! With this, I’ll get revenge on the one who burned down my hometown…”
“Y-You created this, didn’t you? Hmmm….”
“T-Tower Master, wait, n-not this, PLEASE—!!”
Tap. Boom.
“I-I’m sorry……I didn’t think it would break from just a tap…….B-Anyway, isn’t the name a bit too grandiose? How about ‘Melburton’s Sugar Coating’…?”
“AHHHHHHHHHHEUKKKKKKK…….!!”
When something you poured all your effort into shatters with a mere gesture, it’s only natural that your head bows in despair. Just like in the world, the Purple Magic Tower followed the law of the jungle.
The Tower Master wouldn’t just smash magic for fun. Illusion Magic was truly terrible when it came to combat. That Melburton whatever-it-is would probably just get stabbed in the side if it ever saw real battle.
Those nerds who only studied within the tower had no clue about this. Why was the Purple Magic Tower so unpopular? What was it about Illusion Magic that made everyone call it garbage?
It’s only once you get smacked around in actual combat that you realize the truth.
I was the same way. Before I got knocked around during real combat, I thought it would actually work. Instead of learning a valuable lesson, I ended up with a huge scar on my face. I also paid for that left eye as tuition.
That’s why the Tower Master showed tough love, to give a little taste of the bitter reality.
Crunch, crunch……Ehehehe…….
“⋯⋯⋯⋯.”
There was no way she was actually breaking them for fun……right?
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Now, if you asked who the second-in-command of the Purple Magic Tower was, it might spark some debate, but in my personal view, it’s Esteemed Junior.
Some say Esteemed Junior is second-in-command because he’s a promising candidate for Archwizard, others argue it’s because he’s skilled in Illusion Magic. However, my perspective is different.
The second-in-command is, after all, the right hand of the first-in-command. Even if they’re incompetent or foolish, if they receive intense affection from the first-in-command, they naturally assume the role of second-in-command. Especially if the first-in-command holds absolute power.
“Hey, um, you know… Maybe it’s about time we create some different models……”
“Extras can have their facial features mixed up, but we definitely need high-end models like Heart.”
“Um… should I provide you with my body data…?”
“No, thank you.”
“Uehhh.”
Just look at that affectionate demeanor. The prevailing opinion within the Purple Magic Tower was that ‘there seems to be an unusual atmosphere, but it doesn’t appear to be THAT serious yet.’ However, I believe the two are already in a romantic relationship.
There’s decisive evidence for that.
This was a conversation I happened to overhear while passing by under ‘Invisibility’ one day.
“Oh, are you going to wash up again today?”
“S-Stop acting like I don’t wash!”
“Everyone finds it bothersome, anyway. At best, the Seniors wash at least once a week. Even the Tower Master did it, right?”
“A-After showing me that……!”
What on earth did Esteemed Junior show the Tower Master, I wonder?
From the very beginning, Esteemed Junior had been odd since joining the tower. He washed every day and frequently washed his hands. I thought it might be some form of obsessive-compulsive disorder.
But then, at some point, even the Tower Master started washing daily.
People won’t die from only washing once a week. Would not washing lead to disease or bugs? Illness and bugs come from polluted air. And the air in the Magic Tower is maintained with Clean Magic and Holy Water.
So it’s only reasonable to be suspicious of the two who wash every day. What on earth are they doing that they have to wash daily? Could it be to erase some evidence that would be troublesome if discovered by others? What might that evidence be?
I have several theories about this matter, but I won’t mention them.
At any rate, it is true that thanks to Esteemed Junior, a fresh breeze has started blowing through the Magic Tower. Fresh funding. Fresh magic.
Everyone is probably exhilarated. The emergence of an Archwizard significantly elevates the status of the Magic Tower.
Also, they’re likely excited, hoping to finally receive some proper ‘teaching.’
The Tower Master isn’t very good at teaching others. It’s because she accomplishes things ‘just by feeling.’ The Tower Master’s original magic is so bizarre that nobody would dare to attempt it.
On the other hand, Esteemed Junior’s magic is different from the Tower Master’s. It requires a disgusting amount of computational power, but with enough manpower and time, it’s manageable. His teaching skills are also quite commendable.
If Esteemed Junior continues to flourish and becomes an Archwizard, providing guidance to the Purple Magic Tower…
So many things would change.
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As I was munching on oatmeal and carving out a ring-shaped Artifact, Charlie, a senior who has spent 15 years in the Tower and has a peculiar penchant for panties, came over.
“Lorei, is it going well?”
“Ah, yes. It’s coming along.”
“You’re really unique, you know. If exploring ruins was your dream…….wasn’t the Gold Magic Tower the best choice? They have plenty of money and useful magic.”
“As I’ve said many times, my goal is to explore ruins with my younger brother.”
My brother and I dreamed of becoming adventurers, exploring the ruins across the continent and uncovering the secrets of the world…… Just like our awesome parents who were adventurers.
But that dream shattered. My brother lost both his legs in a carriage accident. He was trying to save me from being hit by the carriage while I was distracted by a butterfly, but he got caught in the crash instead.
That’s why I started learning Illusion Magic.
‘Lorei’s Possession.’
That’s the magic I’m currently studying. Its effect is to forcibly control another person’s body. I planned to use this magic to give my body to my brother.
There’s a long way to go before completion, but someday, I’ll make it happen.
Lost in my thoughts about my ambition, Charlie pulled a chair over and sat down. He seemed to have something to say, so I paused my work on the Artifact and turned to him.
“Is something wrong?”
“With grants arriving and…….the rumors spreading about the Second Prince’s visit, a lot of newbies have started entering the Magic Tower.”
“Can you believe it? To think a day would come when people would flock to the Purple Magic Tower.”
“In the past, when we were poor and scruffy, even thieves wouldn’t dare to enter. But now things are different. There’s bound to be some with ulterior motives among the newcomers.”
“Well……won’t the Tower Master deal with them?”
“Before the Tower Master steps in, we should clean up after them. How many years have you been here again?”
“Nine years.”
“Ah, so that’s why… you don’t know.”
Charlie sighed, placing his hand on his forehead, glancing around until ensuring there were no prying ears before he continued.
“Lorei, have you ever seen an elder in the Purple Magic Tower?”
“No. The oldest are just in their forties, aren’t they?”
I hadn’t given it much thought, assuming that was just how it was. But was there some significant reason behind the seriousness on Charlie’s face?
“Think carefully about why there are no elders in the Purple Magic Tower, and why only those with a maximum of a mere 20 years of study are top-ranking members.”
“Yes….”
Charlie offered one last piece of advice.
“Don’t be too comfortable around the Tower Master.”
With that, Charlie stood up and left. The shadow on his face and that contemplative look in his eyes suggested he was recalling something. What had happened? Perhaps there was a dark secret hidden in the Purple Magic Tower──
“HEY!! I HEARD ESTEEMED JUNIOR AND THE TOWER MASTER ARE KISSING!!”
“WHAT?! Let’s go right now!”
Charlie took off, skidding like he had no sense of decorum. I muttered incredulously.
“…….You just told me not to get too comfortable around her….”
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