The Magic Tower's Invitation (3)
“Do you even understand what it means to enter the Magic Tower?”
One mage shouted, his voice thick with outrage. Ellen’s answer, however, remained perfectly calm.
“I do. The Magic Tower is every mage’s ultimate goal.”
“And someone who knows that still reacts like this?”
Being insulted over the Magic Tower was an unfamiliar experience for them. They had spent their entire lives basking in respect and the treatment that came with it. The arrogance born of that privilege had become a shared trait among the Tower’s mages.
“I simply do not wish to join. That said, I do want recognition from the royal family. I heard the palace was also on the invitation list. I would like to take part in the duel you have prepared.”
At his words, the mages’ faces flushed red. Some clenched their fists, swallowing their rage.
“That Remi is insulting the Magic Tower right now.”
“I fear the Tower’s authority will plummet to the ground because of him.”
They turned on the Tower Master and roared.
“Your words are an insult to us.”
The Tower Master felt exactly the same way. Unlike the others, however, he could not simply give in to rage.
“I had no intention of slighting the Magic Tower. I only hope you will understand that mages like me exist as well.”
The Tower Master and the other mages found no comfort in the remark. If anything, it felt as though he were mocking them further.
“It seems we will have to show you the Magic Tower’s true strength in person.”
Fire seemed to blaze in the Tower Master’s eyes. His mind was filled with the desire to force that insolent brat to his knees.
“Titamir, prepare the duel.”
“Yes.”
Titamir answered at once, as if he had been waiting for the order.
“Remi, just as you said, we invited officials from the royal family as well. Show us your skill.”
“Yes. Thank you for the opportunity.”
The Tower Master cleared his throat and carefully chose his tone, using the moment to quench the anger Ellen had ignited.
“The duel will take place in the Tower’s training arena. As you know, this is a trial to earn recognition from every member of the Magic Tower. Anyone may watch. If you have no further objections, we will move at once.”
Ellen nodded and rose to his feet.
“Let us go right now.”
The circular arena was ringed with tiered seats, resembling a gladiatorial coliseum. Those seats were packed. Every spectator was a mage of the Tower who had come to watch Ellen’s duel.
“Hero of the war or not, he’s still the one who failed the Magic Tower exam, isn’t he?”
“He just got lucky, scored some merit in the war, and now he’s riding the fame.”
“Isn’t ‘all foam and no substance’ exactly the phrase for a situation like this?”
Their words dripped with scorn for Ellen. Among them were a few whose eyes held particular contempt.
“Rick, what do you make of it?”
“Obviously a man who barely scraped into the 4th Circle took advantage of the chaos of battle to finish off a Sword Master. I cannot stand the sight of a worthless commoner strutting around just because he racked up a little credit.”
Rick Chedleton’s brow furrowed. Suddenly he remembered the insolent commoner he had met during his academy days.
Commoners should crawl like commoners. Stick out too much and this is what happens.
He also recalled how, at his request, Zack Chedleton had arranged to have that same commoner sent to Enis.
“Someone comes to mind, doesn’t he?”
“Yes. That bastard comes to mind for me as well. And the outcome will be much the same. It looks like the Tower Master has prepared something thorough.”
They had already heard the duel’s true purpose from a family member who had sat in on the round-table conference. Watching a match whose result was already obvious made them smile of their own accord.
Yet not every spectator shared that scorn. Some cast occasional glances of genuine respect toward Ellen.
“Weren’t you with the Fifth Army’s mage unit in the last war? Then you must have seen him yourself.”
“Of course I did. I fought every battle at his side. Watch carefully. You’re about to experience an entirely new dimension.”
“That impressive? I can hardly believe it.”
These were mages who had served in the Fifth Army alongside Ellen. Without exception, they rated his skill as a full tier above their own.
Interest in Ellen was not limited to former Fifth Army mages. Officials from the royal palace were also waiting for the duel to begin.
“It looks like the duel will start soon.”
“Aner, sit down already. If you keep standing glued to me like that, anyone can tell I’m a prince who snuck out in disguise.”
Romiu, hood pulled low, made an exaggerated gesture to stop his attendant.
“My apologies.”
“Honestly, Aner, you always overdo it. That only makes it more dangerous.”
The attendant took his seat, yet never once removed his hand from the sword at his hip. Remarkably, no matter the angle, he showed not the slightest opening.
“Still, I hope Sir Veritati does well. Father insisted I come watch, so here I am, but I can’t help worrying.”
“That man will never lose easily. Defeating a Sword Master in the middle of battle is not something that can happen by chance.”
Aner’s words eased the anxiety in Romiu’s eyes. Knowing that someone so strong vouched for Ellen’s ability brought him a measure of calm.
Thud.
The moment someone stepped onto the arena floor, the noisy stands fell silent in an instant.
“I thank all of you who have gathered in this arena.”
The man who projected his presence without the slightest restraint was none other than the master of the Magic Tower. Whether he was using amplification magic or not, his voice rolled through every corner of the stadium.
“As you know, today we hold Remi Veritati’s examination. The format is a duel, and his opponent will be the high mage Titamir Jay. This duel is being held publicly so that every member of the Magic Tower may grant their recognition.”
The Tower Master continued his explanation. A few spectators sent soft jeers the moment Ellen’s name was spoken.
“Both of you, step forward.”
At the Tower Master’s command, Ellen and Titamir each climbed onto the arena from opposite sides.
Walking up here without a trace of tension. Insolent brat.
Titamir watched Ellen approach with that easy expression and thought. He had heard every word Ellen had spoken in the earlier meeting. From the start he had disliked this man who refused the proper path, and Ellen’s provocative remarks had pushed him past the point of patience.
Grit.
Titamir ground his teeth.
I’ll use this chance to show every last one of them the dignity of the Magic Tower.
After introducing the two combatants, the Tower Master withdrew. The mage serving as referee took his place and called Ellen and Titamir forward.
“The duel will be free-form. It continues until one fighter is incapacitated or declares surrender. Protective magic is already in place around the arena, so you may use your full strength.”
Both men nodded.
“If there are no questions, we begin at once.”
The referee stepped back. The two faced each other.
“Do not take this duel lightly. You will need to fight with everything you have—or you may lose your life.”
“Pfft.”
Ellen’s snort of laughter turned Titamir’s face crimson.
“What is that laugh supposed to mean?”
“Nothing. I’ve already spent a year in a war where every battle was fought for my life, so you needn’t worry. I give my best in every fight. Though someone who only ever stays in a research lab might not understand that, Sir Titamir.”
“You insolent—! Burn, Fireball!”
Whoosh.
Unable to contain his fury, Titamir struck first. Despite the short chant, the fireball that formed was the largest Ellen had ever seen in this life. It looked ready to incinerate everything in its path.
So this is what a high mage can do?
Even Ellen felt a flicker of surprise at the sheer scale of the flames—yet the reaction was pure curiosity, nothing more.
I can’t hide it forever, can I?
Until now he had done everything possible to conceal his ability. There was no telling what the Magic Tower would do if they learned of it.
But the situation is different now.
He already had the king’s favor. Helping raise the prince meant, in a sense, that he had become one of the king’s closest confidants. In other words, even the Magic Tower could no longer touch him lightly.
In pure personal power he lagged behind no one. In a mage’s battle, the ability to cast without chanting was a massive variable. Depending on circumstances, he could overwhelm opponents several Circles above him.
No mage in this Tower could stop a caster of Chantless Casting who unleashed the power of the 6th Circle alone.
There is no need to hide anymore.
His fingers moved.
Aqua Ball.
Sizzle.
The enormous fireball vanished in an instant, dissolving into steam that scattered into the air.
H-how…?
Titamir’s mouth fell open as though he had just witnessed something impossible.
What just happened…
The Tower Master’s expression was no different. He doubted the reality of what his own eyes had shown him.
“Purify, Burning Hands!”
Unable to accept the situation, Titamir decided the whole thing had been pure coincidence.
Frozen Wave.
Ellen moved his fingers exactly as before. This time the magic that answered his hand took a different form.
A wave of ice erupted from the ground and swallowed the hand-shaped mass of flame whole. Trapped inside the ice, Burning Hands simply withered away and died.
“Did any of you hear a sound just now?”
“I heard nothing.”
“But magic came out, didn’t it?”
“Maybe you lot just failed to hear it.”
Even the stands began to stir. They doubted their own ears—yet the idea that every single person had simply missed the chant was absurd.
That left only one conclusion.
“He cast magic without a chant?”
One mage’s words silenced those around him. The silence spread through the entire gallery like a contagion.
“Is that even possible?”
“In all my life I’ve never heard of such a thing.”
“Then what in the world did that man just do?”
“Could even Lord Hameron manage it?”
“Even he always chanted, however briefly, when he cast.”
“Then…”
Every mage’s gaze shifted to Ellen. He stood exactly as he had when he first stepped onto the arena—expression unchanged.
“What kind of trick was that?!”
Titamir shouted. Ellen merely shrugged.
“Trick?”
“You think I don’t know? You used the power of an artifact!”
Veins bulged along his neck.
“I was thoroughly inspected before I came up here. Every artifact I carry is completely clean. Now you’re just making baseless accusations.”
“You—you little—!”
Rage surged all the way to the top of his head. Holding on to reason was becoming nearly impossible.
“Did you just say I only ever stay in a research lab?”
Whoooom.
Titamir’s eyes changed in an instant. The air around him turned vicious.