Advice
Advice
A message from the Vice Headmaster saying she had something to discuss regarding the upcoming Tower entry.
It was followed by a polite request to visit when I had time.
[Contact: Vice Headmaster]
▶Me: Would now happen to be all right?
▶Vice Headmaster: Of course. I will receive you in my office at the main building.
Putting it off wouldn't change anything—only a few days remained until Tower entry—so I replied that I would come right away.
A reply was possible. The same polite, formal text came back.
'Ah, maybe asking "right now" put her in an awkward spot.'
The belated thought made my hand freeze mid-motion. My hand moved again and tapped the hologram.
▶Me: If you're busy, I'll visit another time.
▶Vice Headmaster: Thank you for your concern.
▶Vice Headmaster: It truly is fine, so please feel free to come.
...I couldn't be sure of the truth, but if she were genuinely busy, she probably would have postponed the appointment.
- Fwoooh...
I dismissed the hologram and drew a long breath.
My face was nestled against a soft, cozy chest. Regrettably there was no scent, but I could clearly feel the warmth of her body.
"Ha-yul, that tickles."
Lee Ha-sol giggled and gave a small shrug of her shoulders, then slowly stroked my hair.
"All done with your messages?"
[Yep]
[I have to go see the Vice Headmaster, so Miss Lee Ha-sol, please go in ahead of me]
"Are you sure you'll be okay without Mom going with you?"
[...Seriously, I said stop teasing me]
"Okay, okay, I got it."
Lee Ha-sol chuckled and apologized.
Of course, the worry in her words and touch was real, but the curved eyes and the title she used were dripping with mischief.
I pushed my lips into a pout, but since my face was still buried against her chest, it went unnoticed.
'...I don't want to go.'
Lee Ha-sol straightened her upper body and sat up. Dragged up along with her, I wrapped my arms tightly around her slender waist.
My face naturally sank deeper into her embrace, and my body went slack on its own.
I didn't want to leave this. Lee Ha-sol's embrace was especially soft and familiar, so once I was in it, pulling away wasn't easy.
"Ha-yul? Shouldn't we start getting up around now?"
[Yeah...]
[I'm getting sleepy]
[It's so cozy I don't want to move]
"At this rate you'll be late for your appointment. Let's get up slowly... there we go, good job."
But now that I'd already made the appointment, I couldn't stay clinging forever.
Thanks to her coaxing me like a child, my face gradually lifted from her embrace.
The outside air was utterly chilly.
Of course, seasonally speaking the weather was warm, but compared to Lee Ha-sol's embrace it was simply cold.
'Should've asked to meet later.'
Regretting it belatedly, I sluggishly got to my feet.
.
.
.
The Siyoram Main Building, located in the central district.
The main building oversaw all of Siyoram's affairs and handled miscellaneous administrative work, so the facility was large and had many staff permanently stationed there.
[Hello]
"It has been a while, Cadet Lee Ha-yul."
A staff member who had come out to meet me at the main entrance gave a deep bow.
"If it is all right with you, I will escort you inside immediately."
[Yes, please lead the way]
I nodded and followed the staff member as she turned and entered the main building. I was acquainted with her—I'd gotten to know her face a few times before while visiting the Vice Headmaster—but her attitude toward me now was far more deferential than back then.
'Is this a case of the bar being set rather high?'
To be honest, outwardly there was barely any difference. Observation simply picked up every last subtle cue, so it might just be a feeling.
Amid that brief thought, we arrived at our destination.
The Vice Headmaster's office on the top floor. I thanked the staff member who bowed beside the door and stepped inside as it opened by itself.
The Vice Headmaster's office was no different than before.
Neatly arranged furniture and equipment. The only chaotic element was the paperwork blossoming luxuriantly atop the desk.
Even that paperwork was similar to the past... no, there was even more of it.
- Click
The door closed by itself just like before. The Vice Headmaster, who had been tending to the documents, rose from her seat and bowed deeply.
"It has been some time. Cadet Lee Ha-yul."
[Yes, it has been a while for me as well]
Smiling softly, I sat on the sofa in the center of the room. The Vice Headmaster sat across from me and gave a slight gesture.
At that, the table rippled, and in an instant warm green tea and white rice cakes were neatly set out, ready to eat.
It was the Vice Headmaster's spatial magic.
"You truly went through tremendous events during the past break."
[Ahaha... I did end up causing quite a lot of trouble]
As I was debating whether to eat a rice cake, the Vice Headmaster's opening topic made me laugh awkwardly.
There had been so many incidents over the break. It really had been a while, but looking at the incidents alone, you could say several years' worth had been compressed into it.
The Vice Headmaster, who had been watching my smile, suddenly bowed her head deeply.
"While you were undertaking such great work, I can only express my regret that I was unable to offer you more significant assistance."
[Pardon? No, not at all, I don't see it that way]
I was aware of her circumstances in broad strokes.
Vice Headmaster, Venus Litera.
She severely curtails her external activities. To be precise, her external activities are effectively suppressed by force.
It isn't entirely impossible, but the cost of operating outside Siyoram is so enormous that she refrains from it.
'Besides, the Vice Headmaster isn't someone whose role is predicated on wandering around outside to begin with.'
I had also heard about the Vice Headmaster from Gracia and Ariel.
The Vice Headmaster is the person who leads Siyoram in the Headmaster's absence, but her fundamental duty lies in protecting the Special Admission Cadet.
In other words, the position of Vice Headmaster exists to protect me in the first place.
Even if the Tower Masters' invasion were to begin early, her role is to absolutely safeguard my well-being within Siyoram.
'The problem is that I kept wandering around outside Siyoram early on, and kept falling into danger...'
On that point, I had nothing to say.
From the Vice Headmaster's perspective, I must be a problem child beyond imagination.
The person she has to protect keeps bustling about outside where she can't move, and every time I go out I face mortal danger and am carried back practically half-dead...
[Ahem]
[I'm receiving plenty of help even now. Thanks to you, Vice Headmaster, I'm living very comfortably and safely at Siyoram]
"I am grateful for your words."
With a small, feigned cough I shook off the idle thoughts. The Vice Headmaster also lifted her head and continued speaking.
"As I mentioned, I have borrowed your valuable time because I have something to tell you regarding the first Tower entry of the second semester."
[Yes, I'm all ears]
"This Tower entry will also operate as normal according to the previously announced details, and among them, the theme of the second-year second-semester Tower entry is the Beginner's Mind."
The theme for this Tower entry was the Beginner's Mind. It usually means the mindset and resolve one first held when beginning something.
Just as there's a common saying about not losing your beginner's mind, the beginner's mind is an important element.
After all, it's common for the passion and drive you had when you first started a challenge to fade over time.
"The second-year cadets will undertake the trial in the same state they were in during their first Tower entry as first-years."
[Hmm]
Since I already knew this, I nodded along.
'If it's our first Tower entry as first-years, that would be about a month in.'
The memories from then were still vivid.
Taking the elixir Yeon-hwa gave me, coughing blood and passing out, and then entering the Tower only for my spatial perception... for the Observation Authority to abruptly shut off.
Somehow fighting without vision, trying out Calamity Flame through Homogenization for the first time...
There had really been a lot of twists and turns.
"Therefore the Blessing of Growth will focus its effect on the mental aspect rather than the physical."
[Is the intent to experience the level of the past, compare it to our current ability, and pursue improvement in our skill?]
"That is correct."
The intent was easy to understand.
Second year, second semester marked the halfway point of life at Siyoram.
Physical ability and skill.
We would have polished both to the utmost by now, but honestly, with the Blessing of Growth, physical ability is easy to develop.
Since skill is difficult to grow even with the blessing, this time the aim was to foster the growth of skill.
[Understood]
"Yes. Then I shall get to the main point."
I nodded and straightened my posture. Meanwhile the Vice Headmaster moistened her throat with tea and continued.
"Should you happen to have a desired background for the Tower entry, please speak freely."
[A background... you mean?]
I tilted my head gently, and the Vice Headmaster added an explanation.
"The theme and intent this time are the beginner's mind and the improvement of skill, but if you, Lee Ha-yul, wish to pursue growth in a different area right now, I will comply with your request."
[Pardon?]
The Vice Headmaster spoke calmly, but the content was utterly astonishing.
[Is that really all right? If the background changes due to my request, the other cadets...]
"You need not worry about that. A separate trial ground will simply be constructed. The other cadets will proceed with the existing Tower entry."
[Ah...]
Thankfully, she was saying that the theme the other cadets would experience wouldn't be tossed around at a single word from me. I cupped my chin for a moment and considered.
I too am aiming to improve my skill.
I had been planning to train All-Rounder, which had been growing rapidly recently after realizing my Origin, so entering the Tower as things stood presented no problem.
But still, if I were to make a request...
[In that case... ...would it be possible like this?]
"...I cannot give you a definitive answer on the feasibility, but I believe it will be possible. I will convey that request to the Headmaster."
[...I see]
My thoughts hiccupped for a moment at the word Headmaster. I pursed my lips, then subtly diverted the topic.
[Why are you telling me this specifically now?]
Up until now, I had just entered according to the theme, after all. When I tilted my head and asked that, the calm explanation came to a halt.
The Vice Headmaster drank her tea for a moment.
Her eyes as she gazed into the tea seemed to be gauging something, and soon the Vice Headmaster set down her teacup and opened her mouth.
"...It is because the burden has lessened considerably."
[Burden?]
"One of the three has collapsed, and another is preoccupied with their own circumstances, so their interference has crumbled. With the machinations from two locations clouded, a corresponding measure of leeway has arisen."
[......]
It was a roundabout statement with no subject.
But it wasn't hard to understand.
At a time when the Tower Master of Bitter Cold had withdrawn after suffering heavy damage and the Tower Master of the Dead was too preoccupied wrestling with me to have any focus to spare—
Ariel's restrictions had crumbled enough that she had personally activated her floating island to appear.
Granted, among the Five Tower Masters it was the Tower of Knowledge, whose restrictions were less severe, and for a limited time, without leaving the floating island—but her movement and actions during that window had been free.
I shut my mouth tightly.
The thoughts in my head tangled and grew complicated.
[And the Tower Master of Growth... how is she?]
After deep deliberation, I posed the question, and the Vice Headmaster cast her gaze downward.
"Regarding the Tower Master, it is difficult for me to speak of it with my own mouth."
[...Then?]
"I recommend hearing it directly from the person in question at a later time."
[...!]
My eyes widened at the Vice Headmaster's words.
The sound of my heartbeat pounding in my chest rose all the way to my head.
The Vice Headmaster's gaze settled on the vase on the table.
I observed a flower with pale violet petals. It was the Agapanthus flower the Vice Headmaster always kept in her office.
[Thank you for the kind explanation]
She still had to speak in circles in many ways, likely due to the remaining restrictions, but I understood that she had conveyed as much information to me as she could.
Expressing my gratitude, I bowed my head deeply and rose from my seat.
I had received directions, requests, and hints, so there was no reason to stay longer.
Since our business was concluded, the Vice Headmaster did not detain me.
"At their core, even the masters of the Towers are ultimately human, so without deep conversation, true feelings cannot be shared. This is doubly true unless one is the Tower Master of Harmonization."
Instead, she offered a kind of advice.
"I would ask that you understand that point, if only a little."
The Vice Headmaster, who had been watching me from behind, finished speaking in a cautious tone.
I halted my steps, pursed my lips, then turned around and bowed my head.
[...Yes, I will take it to heart]
"Thank you."
Receiving the Vice Headmaster's farewell bow in return, I quietly exited through the door.
The door closed without a sound. Guided by the staff member who had been waiting for our conversation to end, I moved my steps.
'...Tower entry.'
Only a few days remained now. Thinking of the Vice Headmaster's words, I would probably be able to see her on the day of the Tower entry.
Absently stroking the Confession Necklace, I kept walking steadily.