Presentation (4)
Presentation (4)
"I have a question for you. Do you mind?"
"Of course not."
The Magic Tower Master slowly rose from his seat.
"We are at quite a distance, so I will proceed like this."
Wearing a serious expression, he personally cast Spring Day, then pointed to one circuit and posed a question that only I could answer.
"Does it truly contain only academy-level magic?"
He was asking how a magic with so few related texts and such high difficulty could be considered academy-level.
So I resolved it with an answer anyone who had dissected Spring Day would sympathize with.
"The problem was difficult, but it unquestionably utilizes the theories taught at the academy. It was simply a matter of time."
"Hmm…"
"In my opinion, if they had been given just two more weeks, students besides Ayla would have arrived at the correct answer."
Perhaps finding no room to argue, the Magic Tower Master folded his arms and closed his mouth.
I leisurely brushed a falling flower petal with my fingertip.
'This much was within expectations.'
The Magic Tower Master's claim wasn't wrong.
After all, the spatial magic known to the public was famous for being exceedingly difficult and esoteric.
Only an extremely limited domain was actually used, and it had yet to be popularized.
But I was different.
I had blended it in so that it operated naturally even without knowledge of spatial magic.
Thanks to that, the academy students never questioned the problem.
Even the chancellor, who knew only students, had approved it, so it was effectively suitable for the academy level.
The mages watching this scene nodded their heads as if proving my words were correct.
They must have felt the same thoughts and emotions.
Rather, they seemed to regard it as a verification process, double-checking for any shortcomings.
A mage who had been discreetly gauging the atmosphere shot his hand up.
"Since the Tower Master has spoken thus, a question has occurred to me as well."
That became the starting point, and requests to speak sprang up one after another.
"I shall ask the next question."
"What is the secret to neatly handling Mana substitution and distribution?"
"Ask your question only after you are given the floor!"
People who would die for magic began to burn with passion.
Someone even dashed off to his laboratory, saying he would fetch the notes he had been analyzing.
The multipurpose room was heated with research fervor.
My eyes met the chancellor's, the only person who had not raised his hand.
He looked from side to side.
As if reluctant to admit it, he tilted his head, then finally gave a light clap in acknowledgment.
The Magic Tower Master seemed troubled by the spatial magic, but he actively took advantage of this situation.
"I judge a Q&A session to be more productive than a presentation, so I will give everyone time to prepare. We will take a ten-minute recess."
At the Magic Tower Master's declaration, many people filed out like the ebbing tide.
While I was enjoying the break, the Magic Tower Master approached me.
"We will discuss the details in my office."
After he left that brief request and returned to his seat, the chancellor approached with quick steps this time.
"That was a splendid presentation. I cannot deny it."
"I didn't expect you to praise me like this. Does this mean you look upon me favorably now?"
"Who knows. I will watch a little longer before I judge."
The chancellor shook his head, his eyes half-lidded.
The tide seemed likely to turn depending on my subsequent conversation with the Tower Master and its influence on the academy.
"In any case, I ask that you do well with the remaining time as well."
He returned to his seat after that single, unadorned remark.
In the meantime, everyone finished their preparations and came back.
The majority returned empty-handed or with a notebook for simple notes.
Some had brought materials to see if the discussion matched their own research.
It spoke to how sincere they were about their research.
Watching this quietly, an interesting idea occurred to me.
'Now that it's come to this, shall I make it bigger?'
It felt like it would be a highly impressive experience.
I decided to hold a serious discussion.
* * *
After the successful presentation and Q&A session ended, the silence continued all the way to the Magic Tower Master's office.
It was the result of expanding the scope and waging a serious discussion over magic.
I had completely overturned the knowledge held by the Magic Tower's mages.
After about an hour, one by one, they gained enlightenment and were nodding their heads.
If I were to briefly revisit their reactions afterward:
Lamentations that they had failed to notice a mage like this.
A love call from one elder who asked me to come to the Magic Tower.
And praise extending to the chancellor who had hired me.
These reactions were only natural.
They had designated me as an imperial mastermind and thoroughly excluded me, so did they have any means of contacting me?
In any case, I was satisfied if they had simply seen a new path of magic.
Even if I was called a villain, I was sincere about magic, so it was deeply enjoyable.
Having witnessed this atmosphere, the Magic Tower Master rubbed his face repeatedly.
"One simply cannot deny your skill."
"Well, that is true, but…"
We had been like this for over ten minutes since entering the office, and it was obvious the conversation would make no progress.
Feeling inwardly frustrated, I drummed my fingers on the table and made the first suggestion to the Tower Master.
"Let's set aside all personal feelings and talk, here and now."
"Wha— What did you say?"
"Exactly what I said."
The Magic Tower Master let out a hollow laugh, as if dumbfounded.
"After what you pulled back then, the nerve."
The Tower Master still seemed wary of the housewarming visit from before.
He was saying, how could he trust a man who could break through the barrier whenever he felt like it?
Just as I had done with the chancellor earlier, I discreetly showed the Artifact to the Tower Master and expressed my opinion.
"This is a seat where we use each other anyway. What good does fighting do? Let's resolve this quickly."
"You drive the rational argument even here. Very well."
The Tower Master nodded and placed a document on the table.
"What is this?"
"The reason I called you is written there."
As I picked up the document lightly, the Tower Master continued his explanation.
"Apostate, ahem. I will correct myself to Karon. This is what has happened since you resolved the incident in the slums."
"An internal investigation followed, I see."
"As a result, word has come that the movements in the Northern Region of the Continent have been suspicious lately. Judging by the modus operandi and the Demonic Energy, opinions converged on Chimera."
If Chimera had truly moved, it was troublesome.
I referenced my memories from my past life.
That bastard would have no intention of coming in the main body anyway.
He preferred to deploy his replicas first to cause chaos, then finish with the main body when the target was weakened.
Using this opportunity to capture a replica, locate the main body, and have an in-depth conversation was not a bad idea.
Whether the Empire would skin him for me if I killed a replica was questionable, but if not, I could simply negotiate with the extracted information.
In any case.
Returning to the matter of the Empire, I asked about the seed's whereabouts, which must have been their greatest interest by then.
"What happened to the seed?"
"We are still investigating that."
Indeed, because the sample was scarce, they were approaching it cautiously to avoid damaging it.
I had handed them everything they needed, so they could handle the rest themselves.
Someone else was probably racking their brains over the Demons at that very moment.
I found myself wondering how the officials chained to their desks were faring.
"Now that I think of it, why is the Imperial Court silent?"
"Do not those who work in front of desks draw out their work unnecessarily?"
The Tower Master clicked his tongue and threw out a highly sensitive remark.
"There are times when a direct line is needed, yet they are a bunch busy guarding their own rice bowls while branded as top-priority wanted men."
"Isn't that a dangerous statement?"
"If it is the truth, what is dangerous about it?"
The Tower Master stepped up boldly instead.
He proved that, in anyone's eyes, imperial officials only ever chose to do the things that earned them curses.
'Should I break through the imperial interior while I'm at it?'
Having formed a certain rapport and ridden the momentum, I sought a means to exchange information without interference.
"If that is the case, is the Intelligence Bureau the only means of receiving information directly?"
"Even within the Intelligence Bureau, the Public Security Division has less political influence. If you bear no ill feelings, try making contact."
Thanks to the Tower Master's recommendation, the investigator from the Intelligence Bureau I had met before came to mind.
I would have to exchange contact channels with Sian Merkel the next time I met him.
A brief silence flowed after that.
Once again, I spoke to the Tower Master first.
"Is there nothing more to discuss?"
"That is so."
Hah, what a curt man.
We had exhausted the topic of Demons, so finally it was my turn.
I cut straight to the point and brought up Ayla's Mana Circuit.
"Are you aware that Ayla's Mana Circuit is different?"
"Of course I am aware."
"If you knew, why have you neglected it?"
His answer was so self-assured that I could not help but feel a question arise.
"Because if it became known to the world, the Demons would not sit idly by. Every mage who possessed that Mana Circuit was killed by the Four Great Demons."
"Is it right, then, that she cannot wield her true power?"
"That is why I knew it was the wrong path, but she needed to grow strong enough to protect herself. I planned to teach her after she graduated from the academy."
There was a story behind the Tower Master choosing another path even though he knew.
He shouldered the responsibility of guiding the Magic Tower and his cherished disciple, and dealing with the Four Great Demons would be exceedingly tricky.
But I found that alone difficult to understand.
What was a Level 8 mage so afraid of?
'If I think about it excluding strength…'
Alcyone had told me before that factional strife existed among the elders.
Perhaps many words had been exchanged regarding the next Magic Tower Master.
"It cannot be solely because of the Demons."
"That is correct. There were internal circumstances within the Magic Tower that made it difficult to resolve independently."
"Are those internal circumstances the position of the next Tower Master?"
"…I will hold my tongue."
The Tower Master glossed over his words just like that.
It seemed my guess was close to the mark.
There was no need to meddle in the Magic Tower's internal affairs, so I was satisfied with having gained the information.
In any case.
The Tower Master let out a deep sigh and continued in a low voice.
"The conversation has strayed for a moment, but when I think of what you did, I still tremble with rage. But I cannot deny your skill. Even your presentation today proved it."
With those words, the Tower Master shut his mouth firmly.
Traces of deliberation were visible, as if he wanted to say something to me.
Perhaps he might entrust Ayla to me.
A long silence stretched on.
"Therefore, would you be able to teach Ayla at the academy?"
"Do you mean that?"
"Would I say it as a joke right now?"
The Tower Master set aside his pride and bowed his head for his cherished disciple.
Judging it not to be a declaration of such tremendous resolve made without any conditions, I did not take it lightly.
"In which direction should I teach her?"
"Simply guide her onto the correct path. If you need help, I shall help as well."
The goal was to draw out the true power inherent in her Mana Circuit.
Ayla was so exceptional that if she trained with help from Madam, she would accomplish it quickly.
That would leave the most important matter, the Four Great Demons.
"What do you intend to do about the Four Great Demons?"
"I must hold them off, but I should also take out insurance."
The Magic Tower Master tapped his own wrist and said the thing I had so desperately wanted.
"If you promise to face the Four Great Demons, I will teach you how to directly control the Artifact."
Artifact control.
It was news I had been eagerly counting down the days for, ever since the first day I got out of prison.
I had no intention of stopping here.
"I will take one more thing besides that."
"Tell me."
Since the Tower Master was in a position of readily acquiescing, I declared confidently.
"I need the grimoire on spatial magic held in the Magic Tower's collection."
"Wait a moment. How do you know of that grimoire's existence?"
"I came to know of it on the day I paid a visit to the Magic Tower."
As if the memory of that day had surfaced, the Tower Master squeezed his eyes shut and pressed hard against his forehead.
"The grimoire you are seeking is not currently in the Magic Tower."
"You will be in serious trouble if you lie to me because you don't want to hand it over."
"It is the truth."
This was something I had not expected.