The Boundary-level Mage
"Since I've been found out, I might as well introduce myself properly. My name is Nordila. I am the Boundary-level Mage who governs ice among the Eight Great Elements, and the master of the Ice Tower."
Enoch's eyes widened slightly. Nordila, the Ice Tower Lord. He was the representative mage of the ice attribute and a high-ranking NPC character. Anyone seeking to nurture towers, units, or heroes tied to ice would inevitably have to meet him. The face of an entire attribute. That was Nordila.
A Boundary-level Mage. I never expected to meet one this soon.
In Eoain, a mage's rank was divided into five tiers. In order: Clown, Scroll, Domination, Essence, and Boundary. The names were a playful metaphor for a mage's skill. A Clown-level mage possessed nothing more than cheap parlor tricks. A Scroll-level mage was useful for roughly the knowledge contained in a single book. Domination meant fully claiming a portion of one attribute's magic as one's own. Essence signified reaching the fundamental nature of that attribute's magic. And finally, Boundary. A Boundary-level mage walked the tightrope between human and magic itself. They were, in essence, magic wearing human form. Their power was on a continental scale. If they wished, they could topple an entire nation in an instant.
Nordila was not merely a powerful mage. He was living ice magic incarnate.
"Hmm…"
"Teacher…"
Enoch let out a low hum as he organized his thoughts. Lakrina stepped back, tension clear on her face at the sudden shift in the mage's demeanor.
"Haha, my apologies. Was that too abrupt?" Nordila offered an awkward smile. People who possessed both talent and proper manners were exceedingly rare. He had been fortunate enough to meet one who had both, only to reveal his identity without meaning to.
Enoch regarded him with polite formality. "It is an honor to meet the Ice Tower Lord."
"No need for formalities. I have a rough idea of what kind of person you are. Rather than that, I imagine you have questions you'd like to ask?"
"Since you have shown me goodwill, I will follow your lead."
Enoch maintained his respectful tone as he asked, "Then, first, I would like to know: what brings you here in person?"
"In person, you say. You're laying it on rather thick."
"You are a Boundary-level Mage. That position demands proper respect."
"Enough. To answer your question, it is exactly as you heard earlier. My inadequate disciples urgently summoned me, claiming an opponent they could not identify even with their instruments had appeared. Their words piqued my curiosity, so I came to see for myself. Thanks to that, I had quite the entertaining experience."
Nordila chuckled heartily. The word "entertaining" did not seem like an exaggeration.
"In any case, now that things have come to this, I will speak plainly. You there, young lady Lakrina?"
"Y-yes!" Lakrina answered like a soldier snapping to attention.
Nordila smiled warmly, like a kindly grandfather. "First, you have already passed."
"Passed?"
"Yes. Your talent has awakened my interest. You are more than qualified to receive the tower's knowledge. Come find me whenever you are ready. I will be waiting with pleasure."
"Ah… Thank you…"
Recognition from the pinnacle of humanity. Lakrina bowed her head, dazed.
Nordila looked at her with grandfatherly affection before turning back to Enoch. "By the way, did you already know that child possesses talent for ice magic?"
"Roughly. About half of it."
"Hah. How on earth? Did another tower already test her?"
"No. It was simply my intuition."
"Intuition?"
"Yes. My heart told me so. I followed my burning heart, and it led us to the cold tower. Ironic, isn't it?"
Nordila shook his head at Enoch's words. "You really are an odd one. You summoned a noble lady here on nothing more than that?"
"I believe there is a misunderstanding. Lakrina is not a noble."
"What? But my disciples clearly said…"
Nordila glanced toward Lakrina. She shook her head, silently indicating she was not a noble.
"…Those fools. I told them time and again to observe actions, not appearances."
"They are still young. Mistakes are part of youth, are they not?"
"Anyone listening would think you were the old man here. My apologies for the misunderstanding. I will scold my disciples separately later. I raised them to Scroll level, yet they still cannot shake their Clown-era habits…"
Nordila grumbled briefly before speaking again. "This must be fate in its own way. If you have a request, speak now. Consider it a gift to a polite young man."
"Well, I have already received the greatest gift simply by meeting you. Nothing else comes to mind."
The implication that meeting Nordila itself was the gift made the old mage let out another dry laugh.
"You certainly know how to please an old man. Damn it, one gift is not enough? It almost sounds like you are trying to forge a connection with me."
"Whether that is true or not, I believe staying silent now would be more advantageous for me."
"Fine. Enough. I yield."
Nordila laughed heartily and looked at Lakrina. "Little girl, you have met quite the interesting person. Do you regard him as your teacher?"
"Ah… Yes. For now, I call him Teacher."
"I see. Then do not lose that meaning. And remember this: when dealing with others, follow what your reason dictates. When dealing with family, follow what your heart dictates."
Nordila's advice settled into Lakrina's ears. She wondered what exactly it meant. The words carried many possible interpretations. She bowed her head quietly, trying to understand them.
"Thank you for the advice."
"Yes, yes. Now then, I should be going—"
"Wait a moment."
Just as Nordila prepared to leave, Enoch called out to him.
"Hmm? What is it?"
"Please wait. The introductions are not yet finished."
"Introductions? There is only you and the girl here. What more could there be to say?"
Nordila asked with clear confusion. Enoch turned his gaze and pointed at Lakrina with his finger.
"Lord Nordila. In your eyes, that girl clearly possesses the qualities of ice magic, does she not?"
"…? Well, yes. There is no doubt she has the aptitude."
"Then you are mistaken."
"…Mistaken? Me?"
"Yes."
Enoch spoke with firm conviction. Nordila did not question him further and simply waited. Asking unnecessary questions without thinking for oneself was foolish. The Ice Tower Lord had no intention of imitating ordinary people.
After a moment, Enoch pointed again at the tense Lakrina and continued.
"Lord Nordila. That girl does not merely possess the qualities of ice magic."
"…Merely. There is a barb in your words. What do you mean?"
"She is the only mage who can succeed you."
"Oh?"
This was unexpected. Nordila's eyes widened slightly.
"!!!"
Lakrina, who had been watching silently, felt as though her breath had stopped. What on earth made him say something like that so suddenly?
"The only mage who can succeed me. Do you understand what that means?"
"Of course. In fact, I can say this with certainty. You will be remembered as a mage of the Golden Age. And…"
Enoch gazed quietly at Lakrina. His eyes seemed to pierce through skin and into the soul, as if reading fate itself. Lakrina trembled unconsciously.
"…And that girl will carry on after you to support the Silver Age."
Enoch turned his gaze back to Nordila. "That is roughly what I mean. Your sole successor. The next Ice Tower Lord and a Boundary-level Mage. I hope you will keep that in mind going forward."
"How arrogant. Your affection for your disciple is quite extraordinary. But what proof do you have for that belief?"
"You speak like a true mage. There are two pieces of evidence. First—"
Enoch raised two fingers upward, as if pointing at himself.
"First, there is time. Time will prove my words true. And the other is…"
Enoch's finger traced across his own chest. The gesture resembled unlocking a lock. What was he doing? Nordila, watching silently, noticed the change faster than anyone.
—Srrrk
This is… mana? No, rather…
The Tower Lord's eyes pierced through the man before him. A being standing at the boundary between humanity and magic. Such a person was now gauging the man in front of him.
I do not know what it is, but his energy does not waver. He already has complete control over it.
In other words, Domination.
Moreover, he already knows what he is handling.
That meant Essence.
And…
The energy spreading around Enoch gradually took shape. It resembled a serpent, or perhaps a dragon, or even a giant. At that moment, Nordila's gaze shifted to the watch on Enoch's wrist. The strange sensation emanating from the man was gathering around it.
He dominates magic, understands its essence, and changes it according to his will. This is…
This was Boundary.
Nordila let out a belated hum. He had only now realized the identity of the man before him. He was a Boundary-level Mage, just like himself.
"The other piece of evidence is the man named Enoch himself."
"……"
"Do you believe me now?"
Enoch's voice echoed quietly. Nordila remained silent, while Lakrina tilted her head in confusion. It could not be helped. What had just occurred was beyond the perception of ordinary people. Perhaps much later she would understand, but right now, Lakrina had no way of grasping the situation.
"Hah."
In the end, it was Nordila who spoke first.
"I feel as though I have been swindled. Just who are you? I have not been reading the newspapers lately, but surely another tower has not appeared in the past few days?"
"You flatter me."
"Stop beating around the bush and tell me the truth. I am going mad with curiosity."
Enoch shrugged as if he had no choice.
"To be honest, I can only say there is quite a bit of exaggeration involved. Unlike others, I mixed luck with a few shortcuts."
"Damn it. So you do not want to say."
Nordila sighed in defeat. He would have liked to press the matter for days, but unfortunately, there was no room for negotiation now.
"It was enjoyable nonetheless. I am leaving with far more gifts than I expected today."
Nordila brought his thumb and middle finger together as he spoke.
"Do not forget. If you have the chance, come visit the tower headquarters. I will prepare some snacks and wait with pleasure."
The Tower Lord snapped his fingers.
—Crack!
—Shatter!
The mage's entire body froze instantly. Then it turned to water and melted away in an instant.
"This is…!"
"It was ice. We were speaking with a clone from the beginning."
"A clone…? From the tower headquarters all the way here?"
"Yes. This much is expected of someone called a Boundary-level Mage. For him, it is easier than blowing his nose."
Lakrina stood with her mouth agape. The distance from their current location to the tower headquarters was over 3,500 kilometers. Even by carriage, it would take several days. Yet he had remotely controlled magic across that distance? And in a form indistinguishable from a real person?
"It feels like… I was dreaming."
"If it were sleep-talking, that would be the end of it. What happened just now was undeniably real. Especially for you."
Enoch poked Lakrina's cheek and spoke gently. Ordinary people might be different, but it would not do for Lakrina, who would one day succeed him, to build unnecessary walls in her mind.
"That aside… I have a strange feeling."
Was it because he had partially unlocked his power earlier? It seemed something else had been caught by the bait he had scattered for Nordila.
"Let us go. It seems we have a guest."
"Ah, yes!"
Lakrina hurried after Enoch. As they walked, Enoch looked at her and made his decision.
It might be a bit early, but there is no helping it. This is a good opportunity for her to experience dealing with people.
The conclusion came quickly. The man's mouth opened on its own.
"Lakrina. Watch carefully what I do from now on."
"…Yes? What do you mean?"
"What else? Hunting, of course."
Enoch flexed his wrist briefly. The watch on his wrist had already come loose.