Special Lecture (5)
Thanks to her unexpected invitation, I was walking alone with Ayla through the Magic Tower, now dimmed for the late hour.
I asked several times where we were going, but each time, Ayla simply said it was a secret and quickened her pace.
So we continued upward, relying on the soft glow of the mana stones.
We had ascended from the middle floor where the VIP quarters were, so I had no idea how high we'd climbed.
If we kept going, we would reach the top floor.
There, the Magic Tower Master's office would be, and somewhere nearby, the room where Ayla stayed.
Just like that, we reached the top floor, where there was nowhere left to climb.
"We're almost there."
Wearing her pajamas beneath a robe thrown over them, Ayla walked past the office and headed toward the end of the hallway.
She was entering a section I had never visited during my previous times here.
I matched her pace and asked cautiously.
"Isn’t there nothing at the end of this hallway?"
"No. There's a space just for me."
Ayla gave me a meaningful look, then took the lead.
She turned, entered an empty room, and placed her hand on a bare wall.
Hummmm!
Several magic circles overlapped and flashed, revealing a new space.
"This is a place only Master and I know about."
"Then isn't this a restricted area for me?"
If I stepped into an important location carelessly, I could ruin whatever trust I had managed to build.
So I couldn't rashly step onto the stairs unfolding before me.
As I stood my ground, Ayla rushed back, her robe fluttering.
"Master said I could bring someone if I really wanted to show it to them. Come on, hurry."
"So it's not a core facility of the Magic Tower."
"It's a core facility to me."
At the top of the stairs—
We arrived at the wide, open space at the very peak of the Magic Tower.
It was roughly the size of an attic, or more precisely, a small private office.
Furnishings for comfortable rest and a bookshelf crammed with various volumes filled the space.
Most were texts on magic, and it seemed Ayla had spent a considerable amount of time here.
The Magic Tower Master seemed to visit quite often as well, as objects I recognized from his office were neatly arranged nearby.
Perhaps the Magic Tower Master spent time here with Ayla while attending to work.
"Aside from Master, you’re the first person I’ve ever brought here. Not even the elders have been here."
A cool breeze swept in through the wide-open window, tickling Ayla's silver hair.
Cloaked in her robe while bathed in the soft moonlight, her mage-like appearance truly stood out.
As if she knew the best spot, Ayla guided me to a chair in the center.
"Instructor, you can sit here."
"Thank you."
Seated there, I was convinced this was a place where one could greet the stars more intimately than anywhere else.
The very stars that shone brightly from the ground were now flaunting themselves even more vigorously.
"Hmm... Where should I begin?"
"You can take your time."
While Ayla gathered her thoughts, I waited patiently.
Soon I heard her voice along with the soft clink of a teacup being set down.
"Thank you so much for everything today. The elder in particular caught me off guard."
"It's nothing, if it's for a student I care about."
"...Is that so?"
Ayla, who had worn a slightly bitter expression, let out a small sigh.
Then, she mentioned factions inside the Magic Tower, something even I hadn't been fully aware of.
"It might seem sudden, but there are strange factions within the Magic Tower."
"Factions?"
"Yes. There are several factions, but lately there’s been a lot of debate over whether I’m fit to become the next Magic Tower Master."
It perfectly matched what I had previously asked the Magic Tower Master about the Tower's internal affairs.
"So the elder we met today was from the opposing faction."
"That's right. He's one of the core members of the opposition."
Ayla lifted her head, looking at the stars embroidered in the sky, and spoke.
"Master’s presence keeps the opposition weak, but even he can’t stop everything they do behind my back."
"You must have had a hard time, Ayla."
"Right? It was something I had to resolve, so I couldn't bring myself to tell Master."
The story Ayla had kept bottled up inside was heavier than I had expected.
She had long felt a significant burden because she was the Magic Tower Master's disciple.
Because the Magic Tower Master had reached the pinnacle of elemental magic, countless eyes and expectations had fallen on her.
But, as it goes, the greater the expectation, the greater the disappointment.
Though she received the Magic Tower Master's teachings, people questioned why her growth was so slow.
Starting with some of the elders at the heart of the Magic Tower, those expectations gradually threw her off her own pace.
Among the things Ayla mentioned were comments like:
'The Magic Tower Master was already Level 5 at her age, yet she’s still only at a low Level.'
'If this continues, we should prepare someone else for the next Magic Tower Master.'
And so on...
There were times she overheard the elders speaking ill of her behind her back, and times like today when they crossed the line right in front of her.
With the burden she had carried for so long finally swept away at once, Ayla spoke with obvious excitement.
"But, ta-da! Once you helped, the complicated situation resolved itself. I was incredibly worried at first, but who knew the elder would end up so flustered?"
Then, Ayla adjusted her posture to look at me and smiled gently.
"Instructor, you're my benefactor."
"..."
The word 'benefactor' felt somewhat awkward for me, someone who had always taken lives.
Maybe that's why, when I thought back, the only person who had said something similar was Flora.
'No matter how many times I hear it, “benefactor” still feels embarrassingly grand.'
Anyway.
If Ayla had revealed a secret she'd been hiding, it was time I revealed one too.
I took the opportunity to carefully reveal the truth connected to her Mana Circuit.
"Your Mana Circuit is an unusual case, Ayla. According to Madam, it’s rare enough that one might not appear even once in an era."
"M-Me?"
I continued to convey the hidden truth to the wide-eyed, astonished Ayla.
"That's why the Magic Tower Master had a lot to think about. Such strong power comes with corresponding responsibility."
"What is that responsibility?"
"Demons—more specifically, the Four Great Demons. Your power could draw you into their affairs."
The revelation was shocking enough to darken Ayla’s expression.
I stated the Magic Tower Master's intentions clearly.
"He probably thought awakening to it too early would put you in danger. That’s why he waited until you had grown strong enough at the academy to protect yourself."
"Even so, if it’s Master..."
Seemingly struck by a flood of thoughts, Ayla trailed off for a moment.
"So Master was trying to protect me while still upholding his duty to protect the Magic Tower."
"Yes. I believe the Magic Tower Master made the best possible decision."
There was a brief silence.
"Actually, I heard this when I went to see Master about your lodging, Instructor. He even apologized, so I didn’t know what to make of it at the time..."
Ayla wore an expression of immense relief.
"Hearing you say it again puts me at ease. I’ll work hard so I don’t betray that trust."
"In what way?"
As if she'd been waiting for me to ask exactly that, Ayla clenched her fist tightly.
"I’m going to show those elders who looked down on me. I’ll prove that I deserve to be the next Magic Tower Master."
"I really like that ambition."
How long did we talk after that?
By the time I came to my senses, midnight was already upon us, and it was time to leave.
Ayla was the first to get up, dusting herself off and tidying up briefly.
"If you come to the Magic Tower again, I'll invite you here once more."
"It'd be my honor if you did."
"And next time, I’ll tell you how I feel..."
Ayla mumbled something softly.
It passed by too quickly, so I didn't catch it properly.
"Pardon? I didn't quite hear that. What did you say?"
"Oh, n-no. It's nothing."
Ayla hurriedly waved her hands, trying to brush it off.
She shoved Understanding Mana Control onto the shelf and scurried over like a duckling.
And so, Ayla matched my stride, walking a little closer than usual.
"Are you leaving tomorrow?"
"I need to go back and prepare for lectures, so I think I must."
"Ah... right."
Was she disappointed that I was leaving so soon?
Ayla stealthily reached out and grabbed the hem of my robe.
* * *
Around the time Karon had departed for the Magic Tower.
Thanks to the priests' tireless efforts, the dormitory purification was complete, and students were gathering in small clusters.
Among them were Gilbert, one of Karon’s students, and his friend Leon Royce. After checking in safe, they made their way to the lounge.
"Hey, Gilbert. How are the classes you're taking this time?"
"Which class? I'm taking more than just one or two."
As Gilbert gave a half-hearted reply, Leon leaned back in his chair, rocking back and forth.
"You know that instructor who came from the Imperial Court—Karon, was it?"
"Ah~ Instructor Karon? He's no joke."
"Why? He only has four students, doesn't he? What do you guys even do?"
Leon immediately adjusted his posture, stretching his body forward.
His eyes sparkled as if he'd discovered a treasure, revealing immense curiosity.
Riding the momentum, Gilbert began rattling off his experiences in a fairly excited tone.
"First of all, my Mana Control has improved insanely. At first, I thought it was a no-risk gamble, you know?"
"Of course. You said it was strange yourself in the beginning."
"Yeah. I thought so too at first..."
Gilbert took a High-Purity Resistance Stone out of his pocket and placed it on the table.
"This is a High-Purity Resistance Stone. It hasn’t even been a month, and I’ve already filled it past sixty percent."
"Come on, there’s a limit to how much you can bullshit... Huh? It’s real?"
"My father said at this rate, I could probably just smash through the Magic Tower's front gate."
"That’s insane..."
Leon kept marveling at it, but Gilbert was nowhere near finished boasting.
"On top of that, I've built up so much stamina, I wouldn't envy your average knight."
"After magic, stamina too?"
"Yeah. Honestly, I'm confident I'm better than most of the professors around here."
Leon looked genuinely intrigued.
He rolled a coin he was holding between his fingers, then casually asked Gilbert,
"Hey, aren't you curious about Instructor Karon's true identity?"
"I’ve always wondered... Why, what are you planning?"
"I'm thinking of digging into his background. I've got a hunch."
Leon had a nasty hobby of investigating anyone who piqued his interest.
Having tasted the thrill of skirting the line during that process, he licked his lips after catching a new target.
"The Imperial Court makes it trickier, but it’s still doable."
"As your friend, I'm telling you to stop that. What are you going to do if you get caught?"
"Sheesh, scared already? I’ve got ways around it."
All he had to do was stay within legal bounds, pay enough to keep anyone from making trouble, and make use of the underworld.
Because there was nothing in the world money couldn't solve.
Leon immediately rose from his seat to dig into every last speck of Karon's past.
"I’m heading out. And don’t ask me for the results later, got it?"
"...Wasn’t planning to. And if you get caught, don’t come looking for me."
"I definitely won't. Let's grab dinner later."
"Yeah. See you later."
Leon dismissed his friend's worry with a shrug, turning away.
Once he was alone, he flipped the coin and murmured to himself.
"Let’s see what our famous instructor—the one everyone at the academy keeps talking about—is really like."