Chapter 102: 18th Floor. Magic World (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 102: 18th Floor. Magic World (3)
Wihanian departed after promising to send a guide. A moment later, a mage stepped into the room.
“Hello there! Mr. Kang Jun-hyeok, I presume? I am Kainan, a mage of the Aesonto School! I’ve been tasked with showing you around the Magic Tower. I’ll be your guide for the time being!”
“Nice to meet you.”
“Yes, likewise!”
Kainan’s face was a mask of rigid tension. He had little choice in the matter; the Magic Tower Master, a man rarely seen in the flesh, had personally visited him to demand that this guest be treated with the absolute highest level of care.
‘…If I screw this up, I might get kicked out of the tower.’
The mere thought made his stomach churn. Kainan forced a bright smile and turned around.
“Then, allow me to lead the way. Please, follow me!”
Kang Jun-hyeok followed Kainan with a relaxed gait. As they walked, Kainan began to explain the layout of the Magic Tower at a measured pace.
“This is the 1st floor, the lobby. It’s primarily for outside visitors. The desk over there is used by mages for checking out or handling basic paperwork.”
Kang Jun-hyeok glanced idly around the lobby and remarked, “It doesn’t seem very quiet for a place like that.”
Boom!
A thunderous explosion echoed through the hall. Several mages came hurtling through the doors on their staves as if they were trying to tear the building down.
Had they been standing any closer, the shockwave would have hit them directly. It looked more like a chaotic battlefield than a reception area. Kainan spoke nonchalantly, as if this were a daily occurrence.
“Mages aren’t exactly the type to follow rules quietly. Let’s head up to the next floor.”
They boarded a square box located at the edge of the floor. When Kainan waved his hand, the device began to ascend with a peculiar mechanical hum.
“A magic-powered automatic lift! What do you think?” Kainan asked, his eyes sparkling with pride.
Kang Jun-hyeok gave a perfunctory reply. “It’s impressive.”
To Kang Jun-hyeok, who was intimately familiar with modern elevators, there was nothing particularly surprising about it. Soon, they arrived at the 2nd floor.
“This is the 2nd floor, the cafeteria. Food is provided free of charge twenty-four hours a day, so if you’re hungry, you can come here to eat whenever you like.”
Kang Jun-hyeok looked at the food laid out on the counters.
It was a dark, viscous sludge resembling porridge. A foul stench wafted from the vats, and there wasn't a single solid chunk to be seen; it looked utterly unappetizing.
That was the only food available. Kang Jun-hyeok asked, “Is there nothing else?”
“Isn’t this enough? It might look a bit odd, but it contains every nutrient necessary for survival. I’ve been eating nothing but this since I was a child, you know.”
Kainan looked genuinely confused by the question. Kang Jun-hyeok let out a small, dry laugh.
Mages were beings obsessed with magic—essentially broken individuals. And the Magic Tower was a gathering place for such madmen. It was only natural that nothing here was normal.
“Now, let’s move up!”
When they reached the 3rd floor, they found themselves surrounded by mountains of boxes and equipment.
“From here on, all the supplies needed for the Magic Tower are stored! Everything from artifacts to gems and various experimental tools. The storage spans from the 3rd floor all the way to the 10th! It is the pride of our Magic Tower!”
“I see.”
As Kang Jun-hyeok scanned the floor, he noticed people moving among the crates. They were struggling to haul massive tools and heavy equipment with their bare hands.
These were people with no talent for magic. They were the ones performing the grueling manual labor required to keep the tower running.
‘I used to be like that too.’
Not just him, but most Players ended up as laborers. They lacked the talent for magic but couldn't bring themselves to leave the tower, so they had no other choice but to serve.
Noticing his gaze, Kainan quickly explained.
“Those are the laborers! They’re essentially the slaves of the Magic Tower.”
“Slaves, are they?”
“Yes! They have no talent for magic, but they can’t let go of their delusions, so they cling on however they can. It’s quite pitiful, really. It would be easier for them to just give up instead of harboring futile hopes. But it makes things convenient for us, so I suppose it’s a win-win!”
Kainan’s expression was filled with blatant contempt and mockery. Kang Jun-hyeok smiled silently.
“I see. Understood. Let’s go to the next floor then.”
“O-Oh, right.”
Kainan, who had been about to launch into a full tirade against the laborers, faltered and boarded the lift. They arrived at the 11th floor.
“Mr. Kang Jun-hyeok, you’ve come here to learn magic, haven’t you?”
“That’s right.”
“Then this is where the real tour begins!” Kainan spread his arms wide with pride. “From the 11th floor upward, we have the schools for each type of magic! Each school has its own unique spells and structures. You can choose any of these places to learn!”
The 1st floor was the lobby.
The 2nd floor was the cafeteria.
The 3rd to 10th floors were storage.
And from the 11th floor to the top, the schools were situated.
That was the structure of the Magic Tower. And there was one more defining characteristic.
“There are over a hundred schools here. Each has a strong personality. And naturally, there is a hierarchy among them.”
Since every mage was overconfident in their own talent and believed their path was the only correct one, a ranking system had naturally formed.
“The closer a school is to the top, the stronger and more prestigious it is. Conversely, the lower the floor, the more insignificant and worthless the school.”
Having said that, Kainan added suggestively, “There’s nothing worth seeing on these lower floors. My school, the Aesonto School, is located on the 78th floor. I shall guide you there!”
He didn't know exactly who Kang Jun-hyeok was, but he was someone the Magic Tower Master personally looked after. If he could recruit him into his school, their funding and support would surely skyrocket. It was a proposal born entirely of ulterior motives.
However, Kang Jun-hyeok wasn't interested in Kainan’s pitch. He walked down the hallway of the 11th floor. After passing through a short corridor, he came upon a worn-out, weathered door.
[Arcana Gem School]
‘It’s been a long time.’
Kang Jun-hyeok looked at the door with a nostalgic expression. Flustered, Kainan tried to stop him.
“This is the lowest floor. It’s the most looked-down-upon and useless place in the tower. Don’t pay it any mind. Let’s head to my school first…”
“I’ll take a look here first.”
“P-Pardon?”
Kainan was flustered, but seeing that Kang Jun-hyeok had no intention of moving, he stepped back reluctantly.
“Ugh… well, if you insist… but there really won’t be anything to see…”
Kainan grumbled, but Kang Jun-hyeok ignored him and pushed the door open.
Inside, the floor was covered in broken crystal fragments. They were scattered everywhere, leaving almost no room to walk. Countless books were also strewn about, cluttering every available surface.
And atop a pile of those books lay a girl.
Her short brown hair was a tangled mess. A massive robe, far too large for her small frame, covered her body like a blanket. Her cheeks, still holding a bit of baby fat, puffed in and out rhythmically as she breathed.
“Phew. Pheeeew.”
At the sight of the sleeping girl, Kainan sighed and clapped his hands loudly.
“School Master Tia! Wake up! We have a guest!”
“Wha—?!”
The girl jumped up in surprise. In that instant, the books supporting her shifted, and she tumbled onto the floor with a thud. Scrambling to her feet, she looked at Kainan with dazed, sleepy eyes.
“A guest? We actually have a guest?”
“Yes. So why don't you start by wiping the drool off your face?”
“O-Oh, right.”
The girl hurriedly wiped her cheek with her sleeve. After tidying her oversized clothes, she introduced herself.
“N-Nice to meet you! I’m Tia Lirinet, the School Master of the Arcana Gem School.”
“Nice to meet you.”
Kang Jun-hyeok smiled thinly and shook her hand.
* * *
Tia Lirinet, the School Master of the Arcana Gem School.
He knew her.
She was someone whose name would eventually be known throughout the entire universe. She cleared her throat and asked, “Anyway, you’re a guest? What brings you here?”
“I’m considering joining a school.”
“Huh?” Tia’s eyes went wide. “O-Our school?”
“Yes.”
“…Really?”
“Is there a problem?”
“N-No. It’s not that… uh.” Tia stammered. Her reaction was as if something impossible had just happened. When Kang Jun-hyeok continued to watch her silently, she finally snapped out of it. “Then, what are you curious about?”
“I’m curious about the school’s magic.”
“I-I see. Our school’s magic is simple.” Tia rummaged through the junk and pulled out a gemstone crystal. “What our school uses is this—the gem. We trigger magic by utilizing the mana inherent within the gem itself.”
Gems weren't just beautiful. A refined gemstone possessed a perfect internal structure. The higher the purity and the larger the size, the more sophisticated that structure became, allowing it to be used as a potent magical tool.
The Arcana Gem School was a school that used gems as catalysts for magic. Tia continued, her voice gaining confidence.
“Because we use such excellent catalysts, our magic is powerful. In terms of pure destructive power, we’re among the best in the Magic Tower, you know? And above all, there’s almost no preparation required to cast a spell. You just need to have the gems ready beforehand. It’s even possible to fire off dozens of spells in a row.”
This was the unique strength of the Arcana Gem School. Magic generally required a high level of preparation and casting time, which often left the caster vulnerable. That weakness was perfectly resolved here. As she explained, Tia began to get more excited.
“And that’s not all! Designing magic for gems doesn’t require any special talent. You can do it through memorization alone. It’s magic that can be handled even by those with no innate talent for it. Plus, it can be triggered with just a tiny amount of mana! Well? Isn’t it wonderful?”
“Aren’t you going to mention the downside?”
Tia, who had been shouting with sparkling eyes, flinched at Kainan’s interruption. Soon, she slumped and muttered, “…The downside of our school is clear. It’s money.”
Requiring gems to use magic—that was both its greatest strength and its greatest weakness.
“I won’t deny that the magic of the Arcana Gem School is impressive,” Kainan sneered. “You utilize the entire structure of the gem perfectly. But having to use a gemstone crystal even just to practice a single spell? Does that make any sense?”
This was a world of magic. Gems were incredibly valuable as magical catalysts. Their value was more than a hundred times higher than in the modern world.
“A prince of a great nation once joined out of interest,” Kainan continued. “He blew through his entire personal fortune in a single week. If Tia’s school were to operate at full capacity, it would consume ten percent of the entire Magic Tower’s budget.”
“…”
Tia hung her head low. The magic of the Arcana Gem School was, metaphorically speaking, like a 'bomb' item in a video game. It was incredibly powerful and could change the tide of battle, but it came at a staggering cost.
Kainan sneered. “To be honest, I don’t know why the Tower Master hasn’t kicked Tia out yet.”
“Ugh…!”
She was a School Master. In terms of rank alone, she was higher than Kainan, but she couldn't find the words to argue. That was her standing within the Magic Tower.
Kainan smiled and looked at Kang Jun-hyeok. “I believe that’s enough of an explanation. Now, let’s head to my school! It’s a truly magnificent and outstanding institution!”
Kainan tried to lead Kang Jun-hyeok away. Tia didn't stop him. More accurately, she couldn't. Nothing Kainan said was wrong.
“You’re done here, right? Then, goodbye… It was nice to have a guest after so long…”
As she turned to retreat back into her room, Kang Jun-hyeok spoke.
“Interesting. I’ll join the Arcana Gem School.”
“Huh?”
“Pardon?”
Both of them froze at the same time. After staring at him blankly for a moment, Kainan hurriedly grabbed his arm.
“L-Let me explain one more time. The Arcana Gem School is a school that uses gems.”
“I know.”
Kang Jun-hyeok spoke calmly. It wasn't a problem. He had come prepared for exactly this. Amidst their bewildered stares, Kang Jun-hyeok spoke nonchalantly.
“I will join the Arcana Gem School.”
“…O-Oh?”
Tia’s head snapped toward him with a mechanical creak.