Chapter 229
Chapter 229
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 229
Chapter Title: Langritsa Magic Tower
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"How should we handle this?"
The mages looked at one another's faces. They found it suspicious that these two had come walking from the direction of the elf forest, but they were aware that the Slave Kingdom of Silan had waged war against the elves—and that two combat clans from Langritsa Magic Tower had joined that war.
It was only natural.
The combat clans Cheriu and Iviren had set out after passing through Snowfield Magic Tower.
The robes that Judah and Arhil wore were from Combat Clan Cheriu. The intricate emblems of Langritsa Magic Tower and Cheriu etched into them were unmistakably genuine.
"Hmm."
Raden stroked his chin. He was the first among the five mages to enter the tower, called "senior," and currently led this team. The decision naturally fell to him. By protocol, if humans arrived from the elf forest, they were to be immediately subdued and brought to the tower—or killed on the spot if they resisted.
If they were elves rather than humans... well. The tower master would issue orders then.
But no elf had ever come this way, so there was no need to worry about that case. The question now was whether they could escort these two to the tower without even restraining them.
What if they turned out to be dangerous?
"......"
But their faces didn't look all that threatening. If anything, they inspired a sense of affinity. Judah was handsome, and the sleeping Arhil looked like a fresh, ethereal beauty. The mages were already letting their guards down just looking at Arhil's face.
'She's a priestess, so she must be trustworthy.'
It wasn't just their appearances that made them lower their defenses. That's what they told themselves, and Raden felt the same. Soon, he pulled a parchment from his pocket and began writing on it with his finger.
Judah, who had been watching quietly, wondered how long he'd have to keep carrying Arhil like this. She wasn't heavy or anything, but he wasn't thrilled about this awkward standoff. The cold wind nipped at them, standing around idly was annoying, and the tower was visible in the distance—yet here they were, just staring at each other's faces.
'This is irritating.'
Three minutes passed like that.
Whether he'd received a reply or not, Raden glanced down at the parchment and nodded.
"Come this way."
Judah approached them. They still seemed wary, but at least they weren't using any unnecessary spells to probe or irritate him.
"We're moving."
"You idiot, you don't have to announce it every time."
One of the mages nearby chuckled, only to get scolded by the one who seemed like his senior. Before they could exchange more words, mana gathered, and the surroundings shifted. They dropped about two centimeters from the ground. Judah nearly stumbled for a moment.
'Is this inside the tower?'
The that had shown the surrounding terrain now displayed the building's interior layout. It was a simple structure, not overly complex. A circular tower could only be so intricate, but the map showed it was surprisingly spacious. It wasn't comparable to the towers in Busan or Seoul.
"Follow me. I'll guide you to the reception room."
The mage spoke to Judah, who was examining the magic circles etched into the floor and walls. As they left the room, a carpeted hallway like in a hotel led to a quiet lounge. Whether because it was an isolated magic tower or this floor had few people, the lounge was empty except for a few lounging leisurely.
Clank—
Instead, there were living suits of armor. Their smoothly moving joints were especially striking. That's what made it feel like a proper magic tower. Magic circles ready to activate instantly were aimed at his back to prevent any funny business, but Judah remained relaxed.
They ascended to the next floor, where instead of a lounge there were multiple rooms. Walking along a corridor that formed a large circle, they were led into a room with an especially large door among the open ones. Stepping inside revealed a massive window overlooking the surrounding plains. As Judah admired the stunning natural view, the mage lightly tapped his shoulder from behind.
"Go inside and wait."
Once he entered, they shut the door, saying they'd open it again later. Footsteps lingered beyond the door, suggesting they were standing guard. Even so, it felt too lax. They could have at least patted him down for suspicious items or confiscated any weapons to ease his mind.
'Or maybe they're treating me this way because I have the clan leader's token?'
Truth be told, he was grateful they skipped the hassle. He laid Arhil on a long armchair.
"Hmm."
Leaving her like that exposed her figure's contours, which didn't sit right with him. If the mages were women, it might be different, but men would surely stare. Even if she were just a regular companion, he wouldn't like it—but after spending the night together, he was extra cautious.
He removed his robe to cover her body and gave her a lap pillow. Stroking her brown hair as he gazed out the window, the door soon opened, and a man with a scruffy beard like a bandit entered. His build hardly screamed mage. He strode over and sat before Judah.
"Pleased to meet you. I'm Lancel de Limonier, master of Snowfield Magic Tower—that is, this tower. Well, my name isn't that important, so no need to fuss over it."
"Ah, pleased to meet you. I'm Judah Arsher."
"Hoo— you have a family name. A noble, are you? A noble adventurer... well, not bad."
He extended a hand for a shake. Unbefitting a mage, it was a massive hand with crushing grip strength. It would make most people wince, but for Judah, whose strength stat had reached B-rank, it was nothing special.
"Hahaha! What a fine adventurer! Not like those half-baked ones. Makes sense how you survived the elf forest!"
Judah gave a wry smile. The man released his hand after laughing heartily and leaned back into the armchair's plush backrest.
"Alright then. First off, my disciples say you have Cheriu's clan leader token. Show it to me. Then we can talk leisurely."
Judah retrieved the token from his <Bag> and handed it over. Lancel infused it with mana, and a holographic emblem soon floated in the air.
"No doubt, it's genuine. So, shall we hear your story now?"
"No."
"?"
"Talking in detail here feels inefficient. It'd be better to do it at Langritsa Magic Tower. I don't want to repeat myself twice."
"Langritsa Magic Tower isn't so idle as to hear out every average adventurer's tale."
"But if I hold a token from one of their affiliated clans, that changes things, doesn't it?"
"Hmm!"
"Why not have the tower master come with us to Langritsa? With your authority—and proof that you brought us—you should be able to join the meeting."
"Hoo— so you won't talk here?"
Judah nodded through the extended exchange. He ignored the man's flashing glare.
"I'll tell you if you insist, but no need to repeat the same story. In summary: Silan's expedition failed. The two of us—no, maybe a few more survived, but most were wiped out. Langritsa's combat clans were no exception."
"The elves had that much power?"
"More than you imagine."
Lancel tilted his head oddly to the side, stared at Judah silently, then returned the clan leader token.
"...Intriguing. A story I very much want to hear. If you'd said that without the token, I'd have made you talk here by any means. What a pity."
"That's why I said it. Without the token, a mere silver-badge adventurer couldn't be so bold before a tower master."
Tower Master Lancel burst into laughter. Yes, what a bold adventurer.
He'd come down personally out of curiosity about the ragged survivor from the elf forest claiming to hold a Langritsa combat clan's leader token. But this was nothing like he'd imagined.
He looked well-fed and clean—perfectly healthy.
Not a scratch anywhere. His hair was oily, but that was just from a day or two without washing. Very clean overall. He'd heard it was a silver badge, but this was no silver-badge level. Maybe it hadn't been updated... or perhaps he'd stolen it from someone and was posing as a silver-badge adventurer. But seeing Judah's appearance and Arhil on his lap, Lancel leaned toward the former. He nodded.
"Very well. I'll treat you as a guest bearing the leader token. We'll depart for Langritsa tomorrow, so rest here today. I've stationed a mage outside—if your companion wakes, just ask to be shown to a room to rest."
"Thank you."
"From this moment, you have guest status in Snowfield Magic Tower. Wash up with warm water and rest well. We'll leave tomorrow morning at the latest, afternoon if delayed."
Lancel rose and strode out just as he'd entered. After the door closed, his booming voice carried to the five mages waiting outside, instructing them on something. The well-insulated room muffled it, but Judah caught every word.
Nothing special.
Just orders to treat the important guests with utmost hospitality.
"...Did he leave?"
Arhil, who hadn't actually been asleep, opened her eyes as Judah stroked her hair like a cat on his lap. He had no choice but to pull his hand away from her upward gaze.
'Doesn't everyone look uglier from below, no matter how pretty or handsome?'
The importance of angles. Pushing aside the trivial thought, Judah reached out again to stroke her hair. She didn't stop him. A bit late, he answered her question.
"Yeah, he's gone. We rest here today."
"Good. I actually wanted to sleep more. Can I?"
Whether truly sleepy or just comfortable in this position, Arhil blinked. Her large eyes vanished briefly, then reappeared. Judah chuckled.
"Yeah. Sleep a bit more."
Arhil didn't hesitate. She curled up, entrusted her hair to him, and drifted back into deep sleep. Passing time leisurely gazing at the scenery through the large window wasn't bad at all.
========== Author's Note ==========
1) They don't believe it. Even if I give coupons, my seal won't break easily!
Ah, but. I have two pre-planned story scenes that inevitably have to go in... If I revise even those, it'll get too dry, right?