The Count's Letter
The path leading to the entrance of the Blue Tower was remarkably pleasant. Despite the major incident that had left the Tower Master and elders seriously injured, the city maintained its peace as if nothing had happened. The only noticeable change was the heightened vigilance of the patrolling guards—their movements sharper, their gazes more piercing. I brushed past their stares and arrived at the tower's entrance, where two guards stood watch over the massive gates and blocked our way.
"This is Blue Tower property. Unless you have an appointment with one of our mages or a valid token permitting entry, I'm afraid you cannot proceed."
Their disciplined postures and well-trained physiques made it clear these guards were of high caliber. When they politely inquired about our purpose, I saw no reason to hide anything. Pointing to Neon, who stood awkwardly beside me, I spoke.
"Please inform them that Neon, a former official mage of the Blue Tower, has come to visit his master."
"Neon...? Understood."
The guard's expression turned puzzled at the name, as though something had clicked in his mind, yet he clearly didn't know Neon well enough to be certain. To help them along, I casually tapped the medal pinned to my chest. Upon recognizing the crest engraved on it, the guards' faces shifted through a rapid gradient of expressions. As keepers of the entrance, they had memorized the emblems of all important houses.
"Welcome to the Blue Tower!"
"It is an honor to receive a distinguished guest of House Edenberg!"
Snapping into perfect salutes like fresh recruits, they bowed deeply, their voices echoing through the surroundings. The Edenberg crest was one the Blue Tower guards were required to know above all others. Though visits from that house had been rare, every arrival had been met with the mages themselves personally cleaning the tower in extravagant welcome. Experienced guards recognized the significance immediately and responded accordingly.
"This way, please! We will summon a mage to escort you at once!"
Abandoning their post, they guided us into the first-floor hall. The commotion drew the attention of nearby mages, who stared in confusion—after all, guards were supposed to remain at the entrance. Their curiosity turned to shock the moment they spotted the crest on my medal, and soon the entire first floor erupted into frantic activity.
While I watched with satisfaction, Neon beside me wore an embarrassed expression.
"You could've just said I was here."
"No way. I won't stand by and watch my party member get insulted for being a black mage."
"Still, this feels a bit excessive..."
"We can afford to be excessive. We have the right."
After all, if we hadn't earned it, would Count Edenberg have given us these medals? They were rewards for heroes who had formed an expedition, scouted beyond the front lines, and uncovered Magdarath's movements. My words seemed to bolster Neon's confidence; the dejected look vanished from his face.
Meanwhile, word had clearly reached the upper floors. A kindly-looking mage came hurrying down amid the commotion.
"Welcome to the Blue Tower! I am Aquia, one of the tower's humble elders!"
Sweat beaded on his forehead as he bowed repeatedly. Neon stared at him in surprise.
"Master?"
"Neon?"
Recognition dawned on both faces, replaced by joy. It seemed Aquia was the very person Neon had been looking for. I stepped back to give them space.
"I've missed you, Master!"
"I was shocked when I heard you'd become an official black mage! I'm just glad you've been safe all this time."
"It was difficult, but I've grown splendidly!"
"I can see that! You're already at the fifth circle... wait, the fifth circle?"
Aquia, who had been enjoying their emotional reunion, froze upon seeing the five circles Neon displayed.
"What exactly happened to you? I knew you were talented, but this is..."
"Don't ask! Explaining everything would take more than a week."
"R-right. You've clearly been through a lot."
Aquia looked flustered by the weight of meaning in Neon's expression. Given everything we'd endured, a day or two of explanation wouldn't suffice.
"By the way, I came because I heard the Tower Master and elders were injured. I'm glad you're unharmed, Master."
"I'm just a researcher, so I was fortunate. The Tower Master and elders should recover soon enough."
Aquia smiled awkwardly, apparently having avoided the disaster by luck. Neon looked relieved that his master was safe—until an uninvited guest approached from behind.
"Well, well. If it isn't the prodigal son returning to the Blue Tower?"
Turning, I saw a middle-aged man who looked just as kindly as Aquia, leading a group toward us. Dressed in the blue robes of a Blue Tower elder, he wore a gentle yet faintly insincere smile as he regarded Neon. I glanced at Neon; his expression wasn't pleasant, suggesting this wasn't a friendly acquaintance. I stepped forward.
"Who are you, and why are you picking a fight with my party member?"
Since the other side hadn't come in good faith, I saw no reason to hold back. The middle-aged man's brow furrowed.
"You think that medal will work on me too?"
"What?"
"At least the medal is real. Impersonating that house's crest would get you hunted to the ends of hell."
"The medal's real, but that's it?"
"That man wouldn't grant much authority to mere adventurers. I'll acknowledge you're honored guests of the count's house, but for the sake of the Blue Tower's reputation, don't overstep."
This bastard. I let out a dry laugh at the elder's words—he clearly didn't understand the situation. Objectively, he wasn't wrong that being the count's guests didn't automatically grant influence here. Still, treating honored guests of House Edenberg this way was a poor choice. Any sane elder wouldn't have insulted someone's pride to their face. Most likely, this was because of his relationship with Neon. The sneering mages behind him made the picture clear enough.
"My name is Robert. I don't know why you've come, but Neon here is a black mage who tarnished the Blue Tower's name. Remember that we can't entertain uninvited guests for long."
"Enough. Read this."
I flung the letter at Robert's face mid-speech. The deliberately provocative gesture—something a third-rate thug might do—made veins bulge on his neck, though he barely maintained his smile as he looked at the letter. His expression hardened upon seeing the Edenberg seal. Carefully breaking the sealing wax on the ominous letter, he read the contents inside.
The one bearing this medal and letter is an adventurer I hold dear. If he asks you to withdraw the Blue Tower's sponsorship funds, you will do so. If you have complaints, come find me yourself.
Robert's face turned pale after reading the short, blunt message. The handwriting, the arrogance in every line—anyone could tell it was written by Count Edenberg himself. Realizing he might have just cut off the sponsorship with his own hands, Robert's gaze met mine. In the awkward silence, I smiled brighter than anyone.
"You seem bored. Perfect timing."
"I failed to recognize such distinguished guests! Please give me a chance to make amends!"
"Depends on how you act."
Robert's complexion darkened at my openly malicious smile. Still, I had no intention of causing a scene just yet. While I was willing to raise hell like a spoiled brat if the situation called for it, there was a chance Neon and Robert's bad blood stemmed from differing beliefs—or simply from Neon's decision to become a black mage. We were guests here, after all. Since I had no desire to start trouble from the very beginning, I gestured for him to leave. Watching the mages scurry away with satisfaction, I heard another voice from behind.
"I came down because of the commotion. Well, if it isn't Argo?"
"What? Argo came to the Blue Tower too?"
At the familiar voices, I turned to find the Lucy siblings smiling at me from not far away. They had apparently come with other students; several familiar faces stood nearby—Harne, the Holy Kingdom's saintess; Elicia, the second daughter of the Golden Merchant Guild; Pierre, Ar, and Isabel, whom we'd fought alongside during the academy's black mage subjugation. At the center of the group was Shinshia, a Blue Tower mage and Neon's childhood friend.
"Ah..."
"Um..."
Shinshia and Neon wore awkward expressions upon meeting again since the academy. Exchanging glances with the Lucy siblings, we quietly withdrew as if by silent agreement.
'They probably need some time alone. Let's give the outsiders some space.'
'Looks entertaining, so I agree.'
'As expected, Argo thinks ahead. We'll follow your lead.'
After communicating through eye contact, the Lucy siblings and I led the others out of the hall.