The Reason I Knelt (1)
“The defendant Ellen stands conclusively proven to have researched black magic. He is hereby sentenced to exile on Enis.”
The Magic Tower’s chief judge struck his gavel three times.
Only the day before, Ellen had set foot inside the Magic Tower for the first time in his life. He had come not as a guest, however, but as a defendant standing trial on charges of black magic.
The entire process moved with ruthless speed. Three days after he was thrown into a cell, a trial date was set. The next morning he was transferred to the Tower itself, and now judgment had been delivered.
Those bastards are pulling the strings, aren’t they?
Aside from the royal family, only one house could exert this kind of influence over the Magic Tower.
The Chedleton family.
Every piece of evidence presented was flimsy and fabricated, yet the judges paid the weakness no mind. Ellen himself raised not a single objection.
-And you would do well not to entertain any thoughts of slipping free. Not if you wish your parents in Los to remain unharmed.
Yujin’s threat still rang in his ears. In his previous life those same parents had sacrificed everything for him and died without ever receiving a scrap of reward. In this life, at least, he would protect them.
More importantly, I now have a reason I must reach Enis.
That was not the only reason. As he was being transferred to the Tower, Ellen recalled the conversation he had shared with Proveng.
-If they brand me a black mage, where will they send me?
“If you protest, you’ll spend about a month under investigation here and then be released. Even with the Chedletons pushing from behind, the evidence is far too thin. Stay silent and you’ll go to Enis.”
-Enis? So that place has become the dumping ground for black mages.
“It used to house the Magic Tower’s own black-magic research facilities. After the purges it was turned into a penal colony. Come to think of it, you practiced black magic yourself, Master. Were you ever there?”
-Indeed. My laboratory is still on Enis. I sealed it thoroughly while I lived; everything should be preserved. You’ll find useful items and grimoires inside. And above all, if you ever wish to enter the Tower of Intellect, you must stop there first.
Ellen committed Proveng’s words to memory.
“You will wait here until the date of your escort is decided.”
A Magic Tower warden shoved Ellen into a cell. The man was far more high-handed than any of the academy guards.
Clang.
The iron bars slammed shut with a sound that had already become familiar.
-You raised no objection.
Whenever the warden left and Ellen was alone, Proveng’s voice always found him.
“You said yourself I have to go to Enis. The entire city has been turned into a prison; there’s no way in privately.”
-Perception of black magic has changed drastically, it seems. A discipline of such excellent utility…
“I’ll go to Enis quietly for now. It keeps my parents safe and gets me out from under their eyes and ears.”
Under the Chedletons’ constant surveillance any countermeasure was too risky. At the academy he had been unable to learn magic from Proveng. Once they packed him off to exile, their interest would fade.
Ellen’s case continued to race forward. Only two days after sentencing, the escort was ready.
They even rounded up a teleportation mage this fast? They’re serious.
Granted, this was the Magic Tower, home to many high-circle mages. Still, securing a mage capable of teleportation in a mere two days was no small feat.
“We shall now perform the teleportation to escort the criminal Ellen.”
A white-robed mage took his place on the teleportation circle. Ellen, wrists bound with rope, was forced to stand beside him. Magic Tower mages had gathered all around. Ellen was already something of a celebrity within the Tower; the academy prodigy’s alleged black-magic research had become a major topic of gossip.
Yujin… with what face did that bastard come all the way here?
Ellen’s gaze found Yujin among the onlookers. Their eyes met; Yujin immediately looked away.
“O mana, law and substance of the world, I seek to unravel your structure. Be free of space and liberated. Teleport.”
As the white-robed mage finished the chant, mana poured from him into the circle.
Whoooom.
The formation blazed with light that grew brighter by the second.
“Ugh.”
When the brilliance became blinding, Ellen felt his stomach lurch. Space itself warped around him. He blinked hard several times before his vision finally settled.
“Contact from the Magic Tower has been received. I am Gaia, warden of Enis.”
The white-robed mage greeted Gaia with easy familiarity.
“Welcome. This is the criminal scheduled for escort.”
Gaia’s eyes settled on Ellen. Ellen met the gaze without flinching. The warden’s black hair was swept neatly back; the man looked immaculately composed.
“Understood. We will take charge of the prisoner from this moment.”
“I leave him in your care.”
Two wardens flanking Gaia seized Ellen’s arms. The white-robed mage vanished as abruptly as he had arrived. Only Gaia, Ellen, and the two wardens remained.
“Put the bracelet on him first.”
Clink.
One of the wardens fastened a heavy bracelet around Ellen’s wrist. Everyone sent to Enis had violated magical taboos; most of them could cast. The special bracelets existed precisely to suppress that ability.
“Assign him a room.”
“Yes, sir.”
The wardens dragged Ellen outside. The moment they stepped into the open air, the full vista of Enis spread before him.
Exactly as the books described.
Clang. Clang. Clang.
The rhythmic sound of prisoners mining mana stones echoed without pause. Over them stood overseers dressed in knightly armor. That same scene continued the entire way to his quarters.
So this is where the Prode Kingdom digs all its mana stones.
Clank.
At the door the warden unlocked a thick iron portal.
“This is your room.”
Ellen stepped inside without a word.
“Don’t cause trouble. Keep things quiet.”
With that parting remark the wardens vanished.
Keep things quiet, is it?
Ellen was still turning the warning over in his mind when—
Whoosh!
The instant the door shut, a metal food bowl hurtled straight at his face. He tilted his head just enough for it to sail past.
So this is the famous newcomer hazing?
He regarded the man who had thrown the bowl with open contempt.
“Oh-ho?”
The massive brute rose at the provocation. In his previous life Ellen had been a mercenary; staring matches and dominance games were everyday fare in that world.
“What?”
Ellen’s reply was blunt.
“This little shit gone crazy?”
Counting my previous life, I’ve lived longer than you, you bastard.
The man swung a fist. Ellen watched it come.
Slow.
Mages rarely trained their bodies; the blow telegraphed itself from a mile away.
Thud!
Ellen caught the fist without effort. The man’s face twisted when his attack was stopped cold.
Crunch!
Ellen squeezed. The man howled.
“Aaaagh!”
To silence the racket Ellen drove a fist into the man’s face.
Crack!
The blow landed cleanly. The big man crumpled and rolled across the floor. For a moment the entire room fell silent.
“You damn upstart!”
Another prisoner surged to his feet. If a newcomer seized the initiative, the whole hierarchy of the cell would collapse into chaos—an absolute free-for-all.
Whoosh, whoosh—
The second man windmilled his fists through the air, trying to intimidate.
“I’m nothing like that trash you just dropped.”
Swish!
He lunged at full speed.
His center of gravity is garbage.
Ellen almost laughed. The man had committed everything to speed and overbalanced forward.
Tap!
Ellen pivoted lightly and hooked the man’s ankle.
Crash!
The prisoner sprawled in an undignified heap.
Thud!
Ellen put real force into the kick that followed, smashing the man’s face. The fight ended almost before it began.
Nearly everyone on Enis had studied magic. Few of them ever bothered with martial arts. Even the Magic Assistants who saw combat learned only the barest basics. Against Ellen they never stood a chance.
“Looks like we’ll have to teach the new boy the house rules.”
“Hey, that kid’s stronger than he looks—everybody jump him!”
“You’re dead, newbie.”
Seeing their comrades fall to someone who looked so young, the rest of the prisoners began to rise.
“Hold.”
A man seated at the very back of the cell stopped them with a single word.
“What’s your name?”
“Ellen.”
His tone remained curt. The surrounding men bristled at the disrespect.
“You broke the rules to get here, so at least live by the rules while you’re among us. We won’t pick fights without cause. The rest of you, stand down.”
The men who had been ready to rush Ellen sat back down, still seething. The speaker’s authority was absolute.
Cell boss? What kind of man is he?
Ellen could gauge the others at a glance—they were bottom-feeders. The one who appeared to lead them, however, was harder to read.
For now figuring out how to leave this place is more important.
He stepped around the groaning bodies on the floor and claimed an empty spot.
-You seized the initiative the moment you arrived. Impressive.
Ellen could not answer. Too many eyes were watching.
-Ah, right. A private cell would have been far more comfortable for me.
Ellen gave a silent nod. Proveng understood.
-I take your meaning. Just listen, then. On the way here I already located my laboratory.