Except the Guild Leader

Enoch was momentarily flustered. However, he soon grasped the truth.

Despite the creepy title, the content was ordinary. It was what people called a bait post. But the real problem lay elsewhere—specifically, the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠square options floating on one side of the post.

The one who had written the post was none other than Sebek. The Wind Tower Lord possessed the irrational hobby of writing shitposts on the community site through her communicator.

"I'm going to die."

Sebek muttered in the meantime. Her face looked dazed for some reason. Her eyes were unfocused, and all vitality had drained from them.

- Thud, thud

Soon she began walking somewhere. It seemed as if she would vanish with the wind at any moment.

'That won't do.'

Enoch quickly reached out and stopped her.

- Grab

"…Please calm down. This isn't that big of a deal."

"You really think so?"

"…"

He couldn't bring himself to say no.

"I'm going to die."

"Please calm down, I said."

Enoch restrained the struggling Sebek. A brief scuffle followed. Jane and Nordila, who had been watching, drew closer.

"What's wrong? What's all the fuss about?"

"Is there a problem with the communicator?"

"Well, you see, actually—"

Your colleague is writing weird shitposts on the community.

Enoch had intended to say exactly that. But the words caught in his throat. Sebek was staring at him like a vengeful ghost, right before social murder could occur.

"Hey."

"What?"

Sebek quickly whispered.

- Whisper

"I know we're not close yet."

"…"

"But I believe we can communicate. If you let this slide quietly, I'll grant a few of your requests. How about it?"

"……"

- Nod

Enoch agreed. Sebek nodded back. Through their agreement, both parties reached a mutually satisfactory outcome. It was the greatest achievement of the day.

"Why are they acting like that?"

"Who knows. I don't get it either."

The group boarded the airship again. Sebek joined them as well, thanks to Enoch's suggestion.

'Anyway, it's a good opportunity to build connections with her.'

He couldn't let this chance slip by. On top of that, he could also receive the message from Guild Leader Logita.

Thinking so, Enoch checked his communicator. The guild leader's message appeared before his eyes.

'Quite fast. Did the guild leader pull some strings? Or is the Emperor that desperate?'

The Empire only appeared peaceful on the surface. However, countless problems were piling up both externally and internally. The monster invasions were one thing, and there were also a few separatists among the Empire's leadership. In such a situation, a talent guaranteed by ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the guild leader had appeared. Moreover, a Boundary-level mage. So whether to use or discard didn't matter. Instead of testing the waters ambiguously, the Emperor chose to swallow it whole at once.

It wasn't a bad outcome for both Enoch and the Empire.

'There won't be trust in me yet. That's something to build gradually from now on.'

This world's genre was defense. Besides training units, he had to develop his territory and towers. In reality, half of Enoch's abilities were currently sealed.

'To unlock that, I must eventually cooperate with the Emperor.'

After thinking that far, Enoch turned off the communicator. He returned it to Sebek, who stood beside him.

"I used it well."

"Right. Then can I go now?"

"Let's go a bit later. There aren't many opportunities to talk like this."

Enoch subtly held her back. Sebek pondered, then agreed.

"Fine. What you said isn't wrong."

"Thank you. By the way, there's one thing I'd like to ask."

"What is it?"

"Why do you use the community site?"

"……"

Sebek glared at Enoch. Her eyes seemed to ask why he was bringing that up suddenly. Enoch felt wronged. He had asked out of genuine curiosity.

"I'm not mocking you. It's just simple curiosity."

"…Right."

Sebek let out a sigh. Then she continued.

"The reason is nothing special. It's just that my position feels too suffocating."

"Suffocating? It's not like you're locked up or anything."

"That's not what I mean. It's not a physical issue, but a mental one. Should I say it's stifling?"

"Mentally… So, a sense of burden, I suppose."

Sebek nodded, indicating that was correct.

"Yeah. It's roughly that feeling. Wherever I go, they treat me like 'Tower Lord~' and serve me, but honestly, it's too uncomfortable. It's quite burdensome too. It's hard to even go out for fun."

"For them, it must be scary. If they offend the Tower Lord, they don't know what might happen."

"That's what I hate. They act like someone's going to eat them alive."

Sebek grumbled and picked up the communicator.

"In that sense, the internet is really convenient. Everyone acts with a mask on. No matter what crazy thing I do, everyone just laughs it off."

"That aspect isn't entirely absent."

Enoch inwardly thought he understood. It was because he had often heard similar stories in the modern world. And he roughly guessed Sebek's situation as well.

'The wind element pursues extreme freedom. To the point of hating being trapped inside buildings. She must have been tired all this time.'

Go where I want to go. Do what I want to do. This was ultimately the essence of wind.

Sebek was a rare case where her personality and attribute matched.

"I understand. In the end, it's about relieving stress."

"Right. That's the reason for all of it."

"So that's why you wrote that kind of post?"

"…Newbie. Now that I look at it, your mouth seems a bit loose?"

"I'm not trying to mock you. I just asked."

Enoch trailed off. Then he brought up the main point.

"Anyway, I understand Sebek-nim's situation well. In that sense, I have one suggestion. Would you like to hear it?"

"Suggestion? What is it?"

"Between contacting via communicator or via message, which do you prefer, Sebek-nim?"

"?"

Sebek tilted her head. She was slightly flustered, but answered the question for now.

"I… honestly, messages are more convenient. It's a feature that's on all ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠communicators these days."

"Yes. I thought you might be like that."

"…Weirdly, it feels unpleasant—"

"In that sense, I have a suggestion I'd like to make. This applies to the other Tower Lords as well."

Enoch cut off his words and made the suggestion. Right after, he stood up and clapped his hands.

- Clap clap

"…Huh? What?"

"Have we arrived already?"

"Not yet. First, could everyone focus on what I have to say?"

Jane and Nordila rubbed their eyes and got up. It was because they had taken a nap while arriving.

Enoch waited until they came to their senses.

"What is it, what's with the sudden serious atmosphere?"

"Enoch, what's going on?"

"Newbie, what are you trying to say?"

The three people's gazes gathered in one place. Enoch spoke quietly while meeting their eyes.

"Let's make a group chat room."

""…?""

Enoch's suggestion was somewhat out of the blue. However, it wasn't entirely a bad idea. After all, monsters were invading. In times like this, how good would it be to stay in contact with each other. Checking in, sharing information. There was nothing problematic about it.

'It's just that there hadn't been a suitable opportunity until now. Neither the guild leader nor the Tower Lords are the type to make such suggestions first.'

Enoch's prediction was accurate. The Tower Lords didn't have a bad reaction either. Of course, they were flustered when they first heard it. But soon, the opinion leaned toward "What the heck, let's give it a try."

"First, I'll create the room itself. Nordila, do you know how to use the communicator?"

"Jane, you're underestimating me too much. Just because I'm old doesn't mean I'm behind on technology."

"That wasn't my intention. If I offended you, I apologize. Anyway, I just created the chat room. I'll send the access code via message."

Jane operated the communicator and sent a message. Nordila and Sebek's communicators rang with a ding-.

"Enoch, you said you'd get a new communicator opened soon, right?"

"Yeah."

"Then I'll send it after we arrive in Magnusra. I'll have to open a direct code as well."

Jane said so and organized the chat room. Enoch also stood beside her and looked at the screen together.

Currently, there were 5 members in total. Lightning, Water, Ice, Earth, and Wind respectively.

'It's already getting chaotic.'

Enoch felt slightly dizzy. Then a question suddenly occurred to him.

"Jane."

"Why?"

"Guild Leader Logita doesn't seem to be here. Didn't you invite him?"

"Yeah. I didn't."

"Why?"

Enoch asked. It was because he genuinely didn't know the reason. Instead of answering, Jane opened the communicator and showed the chat room with Logita.

"Do you still need an answer?"

"I spoke nonsense. Sorry."

Enoch quickly agreed. If that kind of speech came into the group chat, information pollution would occur in an instant. Logita was a terrifying person.

Jane grumbled as if agreeing.

"I really don't understand. Ever since becoming guild leader, her speech has always been like that."

"Right. It was the same when she visited the Wind Tower before. Why does she really do that?"

"It's because she's old."

""……""

At Nordila's single remark, the two Tower Lords fell silent. Enoch also just closed his mouth. There was nothing to say.

'Ah, I don't want to get old.'

Anyway… Thus, a group chat room without the guild leader Logita was created.

Enoch arrived in Magnusra a few hours later. First, he opened a new communicator and entered the group chat room.

Enoch turned off the group chat. Then he contacted Lakrina to check on her well-being.

- Ring ring

- …Hello?

"Lakrina. It's Enoch."

- …Ah! Teacher! You opened a new communicator?!

"Yeah, from now on, contact me at this code."

Enoch said with a smile. Then they exchanged greetings. After a few exchanges, they quickly ran out of things to say.

"There's nothing more to bring up."

- Huh? I still have a lot though?!

"It's fine. I'll hang up now. You take care too. I'll visit again next time."

- Ah… Yes. I understand. You have to come, okay?

"Yeah. As I said earlier, contact me anytime if anything happens."

- Yes…… Don't worry about me.

- Click

The call ended. Enoch felt a slightly uneasy feeling.

'Her voice lacked a bit of energy. Is it because of classes? Or…'

Enoch recalled his previous visit to the academy. Clearly, that guy Alein had said he would handle it well. Could there really be some problem?

'If it was really serious, Director Valto would have contacted me.'

Enoch pondered quietly. Soon, he made a decision.

'I should visit soon.'

Nothing was more important than Lakrina. It was his role to take care of her so that not a single problem occurred.

Thinking so, Enoch put the communicator in his pocket. However, Enoch did not visit the academy. A few days later. The Golden Mage came to find him.