A 33-story conical structure. The Magic Tower.
It is the holy land of the most famous wizards on the continent.
When people mention the Magic Tower, they generally refer to the ‘Tower’ itself, but over time, the meaning has expanded.
This is because a vast Magic City has formed around the Magic Tower.
Its size rivals that of a considerable trade city.
It boasts combat power comparable to a fortress.
Moreover, it is a hotbed of mystery.
Golems roam the streets, and at night, the lights shine in painfully vibrant colors.
In the sky, unidentified floating stones fly around, sometimes carrying people on them.
And what about the buildings?
The haphazardly piled shapes look as if they would collapse in a strong wind.
Now, the term ‘Magic Tower’ has come to refer to the entire mystical city itself.
A city that belongs to no one, only for wizards.
There are no kings or markets.
Everything exists solely to research and develop the study of magic.
Judas arrived at the Magic Tower alongside Eliya.
Though he had often seen it on other screens, it was his first time seeing it in person.
“Ooh….”
The brick-paved road was quite crooked.
It was truly a free-spirited city.
Since arriving in this world, he had never seen such a chaotic and fantastical landscape, so he was honestly a bit excited.
All the shops had items related to magical tools or alchemy.
Most of the people passing by were also engaged in magic.
It felt like stepping into a different world within an already different world.
Of course, he didn’t neglect to keep watch over Eliya.
“…Isn’t it amazing?”
Eliya asked Judas, who was looking around.
It was intriguing for her to see Judas, a frequent visitor, amazed.
Judas grinned and nodded.
“Yes. It feels like entering a fairy tale world.”
A bright smile.
He looked like a curious child.
Such smiles were rare in front of him, and this one was a first.
‘So cute.’
A sudden thought sprang to mind.
Had anyone else seen such a smile?
Like Hermis.
If not, for some reason that thought brought him a little joy.
Eliya headed toward the Magic Tower.
Her steps felt lighter than before.
Judas accompanied her.
The position of the bodyguard wasn’t right next to her.
It was in front, or slightly to the side.
Yet, Eliya always placed Judas right next to her.
There was no special reason.
It was just something she wanted to do.
*
The 33-story high Magic Tower.
From a distance, it resembled a giant spike rising from the ground.
A spike that seemed like it would pierce the stars.
That metaphor is quite fitting.
Stars symbolize the order and rules of the world.
Wizards try to explain the world’s order and rules through magic, observing and studying constellations and the movement of stars.
As Judas approached the enormous wooden door of the Magic Tower, he felt Eliya’s fame and popularity.
Specifically, her fame as a wizard, Eliya.
‘Incredible….’
No one turned away.
Eyes filled with admiration for a distant, legendary hero were constantly directed at her.
Some shyly approached to propose joint research or experiments.
He felt like he was seeing a celebrity.
And rightly so.
It wasn’t just due to her strength as a wizard, seen as the reincarnation of a mythical age.
She had occasionally assisted in various artifact studies conducted within the Magic Tower, and each time, she succeeded.
Notably, there was the instance when she commercialized the teleportation artifact.
Of course, the price was so immense that only a fraction of people could afford it.
Eliya ignored all the proposals.
“By the way, Miss, only wizards can enter the Magic Tower, right? I’m not a wizard…”
“I brought you, so it’s fine.”
An arrogant yet confident response.
She was indeed a wizard of that caliber.
Judas simply nodded in agreement.
“…However, you won’t be able to enter the 32nd floor.”
Right beneath the highest floor of the 33rd floor.
That space belonged to the head of the tower.
Without prior permission, no one could enter.
There were several reasons for this, but foremost, the 33rd floor was an unexplored realm that no one had yet entered.
Even Judas did not know what lay there.
Only rumors circulated about the Holy Relic used to seal the Evil God.
The head of the tower was currently the only individual challenging the 33rd floor.
Having dedicated her life to magic, she was an obsessive personality who detested deviations from her schedule.
Thus, one must not carelessly enter the 32nd floor.
“Then where should I wait?”
“Wait on the 1st floor. Don’t go anywhere.”
“…I’m not a child.”
“I saw you marveling at magic like a kid earlier.”
“I know how to distinguish between times and places.”
Eliya chuckled lightly and whispered.
“I’ll be back soon.”
*
Eliya arrived at the 32nd floor.
Using the teleportation device that penetrates the center of the Magic Tower, it was quick.
It was an item that had existed since the tower was built.
The scenery on the 32nd floor was quite tidy.
One could be certain that its user had an obsessive cleanliness disorder.
Of course, the head of the tower wasn’t that picky in reality.
Only when it comes to the study of magic does she tend to be excessively particular.
“Oh, my lady.”
The head of the tower, Epona, turned to look.
A woman with bright green hair casually tied back.
Her white robe wrapped around her body represented her cleanliness.
“You’ve come. You said you had a proposal.”
Her green eyes motioned for Eliya to take a seat.
Eliya sat down in the guest chair.
She had become accustomed to her informal tone ever since they first met three years ago.
Besides, Epona was older than her.
“I recently acquired some materials related to dark magic.”
Epona brought tea over and sat across from her.
“Dark magic is merely an imitation of magic.”
“That’s right. I haven’t yet identified the methodological causes or logic behind it, though.”
“Conversely, would it be impossible to reconfigure dark magic and transform it back into magic?”
“A magic that mimics dark magic, which itself mimics magic?”
Eliya nodded.
She handed over a few materials she had brought from the mansion.
Epona quickly skimmed through the documents.
Interest gleamed in her eyes beyond her glasses.
“Interesting idea. I’ve never thought of something like that before. But this content… it’s all related to mental interference.”
“Precisely.”
Epona set down her teacup and took a moment to ponder.
“…My lady. Attempting to turn dark magic into magic in any form will be regulated by the royal family. As the head of the tower, I can appropriately avoid that. I can provide proof that the research was conducted solely on this 32nd floor. And I will actually do just that. The Magic Tower is quite free from standard laws, right? However, my lady… you are not someone who would just quietly use it alone, are you?”
Eliya nodded as if it were obvious.
Her usual expressionless face appeared peaceful.
“Can you handle the Empire?”
At that, Eliya smiled lightly.
“The Empire will have to handle me.”
“Well, I guess that’s true… Alright. If we get caught later, you won’t mention my name? I will try to deny as much as possible but will only acknowledge the safe parts.”
“I promise.”
Magic.
Precisely, a person who dedicated her life to opening the 33rd floor—Epona.
If there was any clue or new horizon regarding magic, she would do whatever it took.
As Eliya expected, her proposal was smoothly accepted.
“Is that all the materials you brought?”
“I want to prioritize that one first, but there’s also this.”
The dark magic materials Eliya submitted were entirely copies.
The originals were in her research lab.
As the head of the tower was conducting research, she couldn’t just sit idly.
However, unlike Epona, who had devoted everything to magic, Eliya had many duties.
She was collaborating with Epona to expedite the research.
“Hmm. It’s certainly interesting, similar to dark magic. In exchange, I’ll ask for one favor.”
“Go ahead.”
“Please don’t misunderstand. About the bodyguard you brought along, can I touch him just once?”
“…….”
Numerous calculations raced through Eliya’s mind.
The surroundings of the tower. Its height. Since it’s a conical structure, to wrap that area in fire…
No, maybe it would be better to cause an explosion in cylindrical form from the internal center…
“Oh no, not like that. Calm down.”
Epona hurriedly waved her hands.
Eliya’s eyes had, without her realizing, turned mad with fire.
“Judas, was it?”
“…Yes?”
Unlike just now, which was formal, Eliya had grown strangely sharp.
Epona cautiously sipped her tea.
She had to be careful not to provoke her temperament.
If something went wrong, this tower could vanish. Really.
Having interacted with Eliya for three years, Epona knew her potential better than anyone else.
“They say he wields a peculiar power. Similar to the divine power of the Molsin Church? But it’s not divine power.”
“Yes, that’s true.”
“As you know, opening the 33rd floor with your magic was a failure, that distorted Sun’s Power.”
Distorted Sun’s Power.
Instead of calling it mad fire, Epona referred to Eliya’s power by that name.
“If what’s on the 33rd floor is the first Holy Relic, a relic from the time when the sun and moon were one, perhaps the power of the moon could help.”
“…….”
Eliya crossed her arms.
Supporting her chest, she tapped her forearm with her fingers as she pondered.
Epona patiently waited without rushing her.
‘Judas…’
What Eliya was hesitating over was her own reaction.
If extracting Judas’s magic were the cost, then she could do it without hesitation.
But why did it feel unpleasant?
She couldn’t understand the discontenting reason.
It was irrational.
To deny that feeling, Eliya feigned compliance.
Nodding, she replied.
“Feel free to do so.”
Only then did Epona breathe a sigh of relief and smile.
*
When Eliya came down to the 1st floor to retrieve Judas, the mad fire ignited again in her eyes.
“…….”
She had told him to wait quietly.
And he had been doing so.
Yet, the surroundings weren’t behaving quietly.
There stood Judas far off in the distance.
Around him surged a throng of wizards.
“Is it true that you wield lunar attribute magic?”
“How much do you know about stars?”
“Would you like to go stargazing with me?”
“We’re headed to observe constellations soon; if you ever have time…”
Numerous research proposals poured in.
In the center, Judas was sweating profusely.
He couldn’t run away since he was told to remain still.
And given that he wasn’t doing anything wrong, he couldn’t even shout for them to stop bothering him.
They approached him with shining eyes filled with pure academic enthusiasm.
“Oh, I must stay by the lady’s side…”
“Why not hire another bodyguard? Later on, perhaps…”
“Miss wouldn’t think of such a thing…”
Click.
The sharp sound of high heels shattered the chaos.
A suffocating silence descended.
The reason why the shoe sound, which should have been drowned in other noises, came to prominence was simple.
Its owner was an astonishingly powerful wizard.
Judas, trembling with fear, looked at his master, Eliya.
‘W-why do her eyes look like that…!’
She walked directly towards him.
The surrounding wizards parted like the Red Sea.
Some left as if nothing had happened.
Amidst the collective gaze, Eliya stood in front of Judas.
He had to tilt his head to look up at her.
Expression filled with discontent.
Her lips curled into a pout.
Yet she ended up saying nothing.
In truth, she didn’t even know what to say.
She just felt frustrated inside.
An uncomfortable bubbling sensation stirred in her lower abdomen.
She reached out her hand.
She touched Judas’s collar, tidying it neatly.
As the wizards had gathered and loosened their attire, it now looked presentable.
“…Let’s go.”
Eliya naturally took his hand and led him, and Judas followed without a word.
The observing wizards stared with astonished eyes at the two.
They clearly witnessed that the circulating rumors were indeed true.
In real-time. Up close.
‘Those two must be dating…!’
They nodded at each other, convinced.
Although Eliya generally came off as a cold-hearted individual, it seemed that rumor was not mere gossip.
Unbeknownst to them, Eliya and Judas made their way to the 32nd floor.
*
The head of the tower can extract the pure magical power of others.
That too is a form of magic.
Since magical power begins at the heart, one has to touch near the heart to extract it.
Judas was aware of this fact.
He had no idea why the head of the tower, Epona, needed his magical power.
He was merely obliged to comply because Eliya had granted permission.
‘But why… are they looking at me like that?’
While Epona placed her hand on his chest to extract his power, Eliya observed nearby.
Her aura was intense.
She continuously fiddled with the end of her red scarf.
Epona hurried to extract while remaining composed.
However, she had to obtain everything.
“About that peculiar sword of yours, would it be possible to extract magic through it as well?”
Judas looked at Eliya, who simply responded.
“Do it.”
An informal command.
It was unclear whom she directed it at.
Yet, since she told him to, he complied.
Judas took out the Lunar Orb and infused it with his magic.
The dark blade gradually stained with the color of the moon.
The ivory-colored shimmering Lunar Orb glowed as Epona placed her hand on the side of the blade, extracting the magic.
It didn’t take long.
The extracted magic was stored in a long flask.
Judas’s magic emitted an ivory glimmer.
What emerged from the Lunar Orb was even brighter.
It sparkled in reality.
With a bright ivory color occasionally glimmering white, it resembled cracks in broken shapes.
Judas looked into the flask, intrigued by the ivory material that had emerged from his body.
He had never seen lunar attribute magic before.
“I find this fascinating; would you like to see something interesting?”
Epona opened a shelf.
She drew out a display with multiple long flasks.
A flask filled with golden magic.
Within that magic, orange and red hues floated, appearing and disappearing.
Like a blazing fire. Or the sun.
“This is the magic extracted from Lady Eliya. Isn’t it special?”
“Ooh….”
Judas had never seen this before either.
It certainly was very Eliya-like.
The crazed fire in her activated eyes mirrored that glow.
Blazing gold.
“What do you think?”
Epona asked.
While Eliya was about to urge Judas to hurry, she remained there in silence.
It was alright to hear a response.
Judas looked again at the golden magic.
Its ever-changing fluctuations.
Like what he once saw of the sun, it boiled and surged from within, constantly changing.
In stark contrast to his calm, fixed ivory magic.
The vibrant magic of Eliya was quite…
“So beautiful….”
“Let’s go.”
Eliya hurriedly grabbed his hand and pulled him along, not looking back at Epona.
She instructed her as she did so.
“I’ll come again. If you have any results, please convey them to me.”
“I will, my lady.”
Epona watched the determined Eliya and the compliant Judas leave, chuckling quietly.
She had thought there was no emotion in Eliya, yet today it seemed otherwise.
‘Seeing Eliya de Bevel like that… so cute. They both seem happy.’
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