Chapter 167
Chapter 167
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: EP.40 – The Knights' Spring (1)
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-As always, today was a cold day too.
"…The fairy must be really angry today too."
The child shuddered, gazing at the swirling blizzard.
But as always, the child clasped their hands together and prayed for forgiveness toward the direction the blizzard was raging.
"Fairy, please forgive us."
It had been about three years since they started saying these words of forgiveness every day.
Whether the fairy was truly listening was anyone's guess, but the child always prayed for forgiveness.
"I want to see the sunlight."
The adults said that long ago, there was something called 'sunlight.'
The sky wasn't blanketed in dark clouds; it was blue, and breathing without a mask felt refreshing.
But the child didn't know any of that.
By the time the child was born, the sky was already perpetually overcast, filled only with vast white snowfields.
The adults said it was all because they had angered the fairy, and because of that, they often cursed out the 'higher-ups.' …Or something like that.
Some even vented their anger at the fairy directly.
They hadn't done anything wrong, so why inflict such cruelty?
But instead of sympathizing with the adults, the child would slip out of the village every day at this time, clasp their hands, and make a wish.
Forgiveness.
Mom and Dad said that if you've done something wrong, the first thing to do is apologize.
So the child apologized every day on behalf of those higher-ups.
And if they kept apologizing like this...
'Maybe someday the fairy will give us back the sunlight?'
The child dreamed.
Of someday seeing a blue sky themselves.
Of the villagers obtaining food through farming instead of dangerous hunts.
Of their little sister growing up under sunlight.
And...
"…Like the people living in the 'Colony'..."
The child prayed for forgiveness for such a future.
Hoping the fairy would stop hating humans.
"Eren, what are you doing out there?"
"Ah, Mom!"
"Come quick, you'll catch a cold."
"Yes!"
The child answered their mother's call and placed a pretty pebble on the ground—their treasure.
It was a gift for the fairy.
Whiiiiiirrr!!
Blizzards rage across the Central Continent year-round.
It wasn't always like this.
The Imperial Family and the Magic Tower once joined forces to capture and exploit a fairy, which provoked the Winter Fairy's wrath. As a result, an endless winter lasting over ten years descended upon the Central Continent.
This turned the land into a cursed wasteland incapable of farming, and the enraged populace and territories began declaring themselves warlords, forming factions.
Amusingly, however, this anger was directed solely at the Empire, while the Magic Tower—which was known to have led the experiment—faced no backlash whatsoever.
Why?
It's not because the Empire's citizens are fools.
Simply...
"So this is the Magic Tower's massive greenhouse."
"It really covers the entire city?"
"What a sight."
The greenhouse created by the Magic Tower.
A magical barrier envelops the whole city, looking like a vinyl house for growing crops—but on a scale massive enough to cover an entire metropolis.
It was staggeringly grand, impossible not to admire.
The weather outside was winter, yet inside the city, the air carried the warmth of spring.
And such greenhouse cities had become commonplace across the Central Continent.
Though the Magic Tower had committed a grave error, this was the countermeasure they devised to atone.
The giant greenhouse 'City House.'
Or, as it was also called, the [Colony].
Thanks to these Colonies, the Empire's citizens viewed the Magic Tower as 'a group that causes accidents but strives to fix them'—a necessary evil essential for their survival.
Of course, not all citizens lived in Colonies.
Some rejected mages and lived outside, or slash-and-burn farmers couldn't enjoy such privileges.
But for those benefiting from the Colonies, the Magic Tower was an indispensable organization.
In fact, they saw it as something akin to an indispensable temple.
Whoosh.
No sooner had they entered the Colony than warm air enveloped the newcomers.
Merchants and travelers who had braved the blizzard shed their heavy coats with sighs of relief.
"Phew, now I can breathe."
"Thought I was gonna freeze to death."
"Alright, let's move the goods first."
With blizzards everywhere, most merchants focused on food trade.
Every Colony was short on food.
A rookie merchant from the Western Continent, having pushed through the harsh storm, felt rewarded by the high prices on foodstuffs. His hard work had paid off.
With the job done and some mental leeway...
"Come to think of it, I still haven't seen the Magic Tower. My seniors said you'd spot it just walking around..."
The merchant's mutter was like talking to himself, but sharp ears caught it.
"Hmm, looks like you're new to the Central Continent, sir merchant."
"…And you are?"
"Hehe, just a kid earning pocket money."
"Ah, a street rat, huh."
Street rat.
A derogatory term for abandoned street children living on the roads—and this kid was likely one selling info for pocket change.
Most street rats stole to survive, so seeing one earn honestly amid bustling adults felt pitiable yet admirable.
His pockets fuller from this trip, the merchant tossed the kid a silver coin to satisfy his curiosity and do a good deed.
"Yeah, first time in the Central Continent. So spill what you know."
"Th-thank you, sir!"
One silver coin was plenty to loosen the kid's tongue.
"What exactly are you curious about, sir? The biggest warlord faction in the Central Continent right now? The most powerful feudal lord or warlord? Or the Magic Tower?"
"…All intriguing, but the Magic Tower's got my attention most."
The ivory tower of mages who dominated the Central Continent's greatest power.
Its influence rivaled half the Empire—no exaggeration.
As a merchant who traveled trade routes, he couldn't ignore it.
'Whatever the Magic Tower focuses on keeps shifting trade goods.'
Even a newbie like him knew the Magic Tower was one of the best clients for merchants.
They had bottomless coffers and didn't haggle prices, or so they said.
…Yet since entering the Empire, he hadn't seen so much as a mage, let alone the Tower.
For something with such a grand reputation, why was it so invisible?
'Where the hell is this tower anyway...'
He'd visited multiple Colonies on his journey, but no tower in sight.
Maybe in the capital, the Empire's heart?
"Haha, I think I know what you're wondering. The Magic Tower is Central Continent's must-see landmark, yet you can't spot the Tower or even a mage—quite the mystery, right?"
"…Sharp kid. Pretty clever."
"Hehe, thanks. Ahem, before I answer, what do you think the Magic Tower looks like, sir?"
"Hm?"
The merchant blinked at the out-of-left-field question.
What did he mean, 'what it looks like'? A tower was a tower.
"You don't think it's actually shaped like a tower, do you?"
"It, it's not?"
"Hmm, you really came to the Central Continent clueless. You could've asked anyone..."
"Y-you think I wanted to be ignorant? Those sly bastards just said 'you'll see when you get there' and clammed up."
"Ah, fair enough."
"Ahem!"
A bit embarrassing.
A merchant sensitive to info, clueless about this.
But the quick-witted boy didn't poke at the merchant's sore spot.
He knew better than to annoy a customer, especially after getting paid.
"…Those sly folks weren't entirely wrong. If you're in the Central Continent long enough, you'll definitely spot the Magic Tower."
"Hm?"
"Perfect timing. Or maybe you're just lucky, sir."
"What...?"
"Look up."
"…Up?"
Confused by the boy's words, the merchant looked up anyway.
And then...
"Gasp!"
The merchant inhaled sharply in shock.
He had beheld an utterly unreal sight.
─A colossal object—no, a castle—was flying through the sky.
Sky Citadel.
The name sprang to mind unbidden. The castle was impossibly vast, the scene utterly surreal.
How could a castle that size fly through the heavens?
As if answering his bewilderment...
"-They say over a hundred mages live inside the Magic Tower. The telekinetic power of those hundreds keeps it afloat in real-time. That's why the Tower flies through the skies year-round."
"Y-year-round?"
"Yep. It lands occasionally for food and supplies, but the landing spots are random."
"Whoa..."
The merchant now understood why few merchants contracted with the Magic Tower.
'Wandering so freely makes deals tricky.'
…But still.
"Why float a castle that huge in the air?"
"Rumor has it the Tower holds countless artifacts. They float it high to protect them from reach."
"Plausible."
"Another says they conduct sky-only research—stuff too dangerous for ground."
"…That's a scary thought."
Not all questions answered, but satisfied enough, the merchant tossed another silver coin.
"Eh? Th-this is too much..."
"You've got a silver tongue—kept it engaging. Bard material, haha."
"Th-thank you for the kind words, sir!"
"Keep at it."
Curiosity sated, the merchant nodded.
And declared...
"Next trade route's decided!"
He burned with ambition.
For none other than...
"…Another fool chasing the Magic Tower. Tsk tsk."
The innocent expression from moments ago vanished; the boy pocketed the silver with a cynical sneer and clicked his tongue.
Such types existed.
Rookies whose first smooth trade made them think everything would go their way.
Blind to beginner's luck, they chased unreachable goals instead of sticking to basics.
If passion alone solved everything, life would be easy.
Truly...
"So young and naive."
Inappropriate for a boy barely 12, but having hustled harder on harsh streets than any rookie merchant, he judged thus and turned away.
Not homeward, but scouting for more dreamers to fleece.
Then.
Flinch!
The boy froze mid-step.
"……."
He had no choice.
In his 12 years, mostly on streets honing crisis sense beyond adults', he broke into a massive cold sweat now.
And for good reason.
"…Think this is enough?"
"Look at this punk."
Somewhere in a back alley.
Two menacing men emanated murderous auras, axe and spear at the ready.
"Gulp..."
The boy gulped and backed away.
Types you never tangled with—
Crack.
"…Damn it."
Thinking his luck had held, he stepped on a twig while retreating, face falling.
And then...
"Got business with us—?"
"……."
…The boy fainted.
"Why'd this kid suddenly pass out?"
"Rogue, your scary mug probably did it."
"…Sigh, gotta deny it, but why can't I?"
Lee Han awkwardly laid the child down gently.
Didn't want him toppling weird and chipping a tooth.
With the kid safe, he resumed.
"…Situation got a bit weird, but shall we continue?"
"Tch, cocky bastard."
"Don't like it? Stay out. I can go alone."
"……."
The spearman scowled in displeasure but, being the 'subordinate' here, had no choice...
Whoosh!
He thrust his spear without hesitation.
Clang!
"…Hm, not bad."
"……."
The spear tip aimed dead at Lee Han's forehead, but it couldn't even scratch him.
…Only the clash of metal rang out.
