Chapter 47 - Magic Tower Master 'Lunas Tia'
Chapter 47 - Magic Tower Master 'Lunas Tia'
The day Princess Camilla and Edric visited.
Baron Austin Helfen, buried deep in the armchair in his office, received a report from his subordinate.
It was news that Princess Camilla and her aide, Edric Noel, had entered the prepared lodging.
Upon hearing the news, Austin's butler, his right-hand man, asked him.
"Baron-nim, is it really okay to leave it like this? It's not an ordinary matter that the Princess herself has moved. If our relationship with the Department of Rites were to be discovered..."
They were raking in massive profits by giving kickbacks to the Minister of the Department of Rites.
To his subordinate's anxious question, Austin swirled his wine glass lightly and wore a relaxed smile.
"Don't worry. The Minister of the Imperial Department of Rites is watching my back, so even if it is the Princess, she cannot swing her sword recklessly."
Austin stood up from his seat, holding his wine glass with ease.
He looked at the foolish elves protesting even into the night outside the window and said.
"Above all, look at Edric Noel, who came with the Princess."
"Are you talking about... Sir Edric?"
"Yes. This is our first time facing him, but isn't the main product of his family's trading company, 'Golden Apple', the Mahat Potion? Would he empty his own pockets to side with the elves? Human greed runs thicker than blood."
"Indeed... The Baron-nim is certainly correct!"
At Austin's confident voice, his subordinates did not spare their praise, saying, "As expected of the Baron-nim."
Austin put down his glass and added.
"Still, since the Princess has her eyes open, tell the herb gatherers to only collect the quota for the time being. It's best to wait out a storm."
"Yes, I will relay the order to the herb gatherers."
Austin looked at the mansion where the Princess and Edric were staying and thought.
If it were a product poisonous to the nation, like drugs, it would naturally have been suppressed.
But the main product of his territory was a potion that protected the health of the Imperial citizens.
What is the crime in selling this!
Those long-eared elves are making such a fuss because some trees in their hometown are dying, but since there are more people who survived because of it, Austin thought his actions were infinitely righteous.
'...That is what he must be thinking.'
I, who was organizing my luggage in the lodging and discussing future plans with the Princess, tried to predict Austin's thoughts.
I didn't know the details since it only appeared briefly in the original work, but at least from what I'd gathered since coming here, Austin's personality was close to a 'self-righteous criminal.'
He thinks he is doing this for a good cause, and therefore, he believes he is right.
However, as will be revealed later, as a result of suppressing the elves and continuing to manufacture the Mahat Potion, the Empire faces a different kind of disaster.
If the barbarian protagonist hadn't somehow persuaded the Tower Master to solve it, it would have been a disaster that would have truly ruined the West, and for the sake of my happy Imperial life, it was something I had to stop no matter what.
'He probably believes that I will get on the same boat as them because of the interests of the Mahat Potion.'
The problem was... I had actually become half-involved in the Elf Territory incident.
After becoming the head of the family, I reviewed the documents and had quite a headache upon learning that my father, Albert, was indirectly involved in the exploitation of the Elf Territory.
But my goal was not merely the profit of a few bottles of potion, but the survival of the Empire.
I had already reported this part to Camilla, and Camilla, who was watching my expression from the front, asked cautiously.
"Edric, the Mahat Potion is the main product of the Golden Apple, the Noel family's trading company. If we solve this problem head-on, the blow to your family will be huge. Are you really okay with that?"
To think she would even worry about me like this.
Reminded of the vicious Princess of the past, I said proudly.
"For the sake of the Empire's peace, that loss is a share I must naturally bear. We can't kill the goose that lays the golden eggs, can we?"
At my firm attitude, Camilla's eyes sparkled as if she were moved.
She held my hand and said.
"As expected of Edric. You're reliable."
Squeeze-
"Th...thank you. Camilla-nim."
Camilla's soft hand squeezed my hand tightly.
Hmm... I've been feeling it lately, but Camilla has been initiating more skinship.
Is it just my imagination?
"............"
"........."
She looked at me intently with shining eyes.
I...it must be my imagination, right? It has to be!?
"Then, since we have to visit the Tower Master tomorrow, let's go to sleep early."
"...Yes. Then see you tomorrow, Edric."
The Princess and I went to sleep early to visit the Magic Tower according to the official schedule tomorrow.
Until the very last moment she left the room, the Princess's gaze was truly terrifying.
The next day, we headed to the Magic Tower located in the east of Elheim.
As we approached the Magic Tower, the forest grew dense, and large trees began to appear.
What is this? Where in a place like this is the Magic Tower?
Even in the original work, the content about the Magic Tower only mentioned that such a thing existed in the past, so I had no idea what kind of place it was.
The Magic Tower we arrived at was very different from my imagination.
Before my eyes was not a stone tower built with bricks like in academy stories.
What was there was a massive ancient tree that seemed to pierce the sky.
And the numerous windows and entrances installed on it were telling me that this was a building.
A bizarre yet beautiful sight where the inside of the tree trunk was hollowed out to be used as a space.
This was the Magic Tower of this world.
Seeing that sight, I thought to myself.
'Shouldn't this be called a Wood Tower or a Wizard's Tree instead of a Magic Tower?'
As I got off the carriage and was thinking that, Camilla, who was looking at me, said.
She seemed to have mistaken my shock for being moved by the majesty of the Magic Tower.
"It's fascinating, isn't it? I was the same when I first saw the Magic Tower."
"I...I see."
"Then let's go in, Edric."
Thinking such absurd thoughts, I stepped inside.
There were numerous handsome and beautiful elf mages there.
Their gazes were fixed on us.
But...
'Is it my imagination?... It feels like they are looking at me.'
In particular, their gazes were more focused on me than on the Princess, Camilla.
Why are they staring at me so intensely? Did I do something wrong?
While I was walking, enduring their stinging gazes, an elf attendant wearing silver ceremonial robes approached and bowed his head.
"Your Highness the Princess, the Tower Master is waiting for you. Please come inside."
"Yes, let's go, Edric."
"Yes, Camilla-nim."
To think that even the Princess of the Empire had to get permission to enter; it was truly worthy of the pinnacle of mages.
The Princess and I stepped onto a stone slab that moved by magic.
The slab smoothly carried us to the top floor of the tree.
It was a convenience that reminded me of the elevators from my past life.
When we opened the door to the top floor room and entered, it was a mess with all sorts of magic books and experimental tools.
But the Tower Master was nowhere to be seen.
"Master? Where are you?"
Camilla said as if she were used to it.
Then, a languid voice came from near the ceiling.
"Wait a moment. I am in the middle of an alchemy mixture..."
To make the Princess wait!
But Camilla waited quietly as the voice instructed.
About 20 minutes later, a girl descended gracefully from the air, fluttering her emerald hair.
The elf mages outside could also be called beautiful girls, but she, the Tower Master, was on a different level.
Descending while fluttering her emerald hair, which looked like that of a forest goddess, her beauty, which seemed to be the same age as Camilla, made it impossible to tell her age. However, deep magical power was swirling in her eyes, as if they contained a long passage of time.
She was the Elf Tower Master, 『Lunas Tia』.
As soon as she landed, she pouted her lips at Camilla.
"Hmph... The unfilial disciple who only seeks her master when she needs something has finally returned."
"I apologize for not being able to visit in the meantime, Master."
As Camilla bowed politely, Lunas Tia's gaze slowly turned toward me.
Her pupils began to shine with a glint of interest.
"And this one is... a very interesting human."
She looked at me with innocent eyes.
No matter how I looked at her, she didn't look like someone over 100 years old, but I suppose this is what it means to be an elf.
I bowed my waist politely.
"I am Edric Noel, the aide to the Princess, and I have been tasked with assisting the Princess on this dispatch."
"Edric Noel? Ah, I've heard of you through rumors. The savior of the South and the Red Hero who received the Golden Light from the Pope? The real thing is even more... dangerous than I thought."
It seemed she said that after seeing my snake-like face.
It's been a while since I've been judged by my face.
"You flatter me. I just happened to gain fame that is beyond my worth."
At my humble response, Lunas Tia tilted her head and circled around me once.
Then, she suddenly started sniffing.
Wh...what is this?
"M...Master? What are you doing?"
"It's because this child you brought smells good."
"A...a good smell?"
I smell good?
I just sprayed perfume for etiquette as usual, but I didn't think it was such a good smell.
Or does that perfume smell good to elves?
"That's right. Can you not feel it?"
"No, I don't really..."
I came to talk about important matters regarding the Elf Territory, and suddenly a conversation about my scent started.
What is this? What is this crazy situation?
But the truly crazy situation was just beginning.
Squeeze-
"M...Master!?"
"T...Tower Master!!?"
Tower Master Lunas Tia hugged me just like that, buried her face in my chest, and started smelling me.
At her sudden, unexpected action, neither I nor Camilla could do anything, and she rubbed her cheek against my chest and said.
"Look, doesn't it smell this good..."
"Th...that's something even I haven't done...! No, wait! What are you doing all of a sudden, Master!"
The first day I met the Elf Tower Master...
Ten seconds after we met, a chaotic mess was unfolding.