Chapter 168: Tower Master (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 168: Tower Master (3)
The match was decided.
“The sun…”
“He split it…!”
The Sword Emperor had finally succeeded in cutting through the sun created by our Magic Tower Lord.
“It lacked completion.”
“A pity, then.”
“It was simply my own shortcoming.”
The Magic Tower Lord accepted his defeat gracefully, and the Sword Emperor acknowledged him in turn—a truly heartwarming scene.
“No matter how you look at it, isn't this just the aftermath of two swordsmen duking it out?”
A certain High Elf, lacking in Leon-style sentiment, muttered under her breath.
“But wait, couldn't you just learn from your own kingdom’s Magic Tower Lord?”
“……!”
Precisely because she lacked that sentiment, she was able to offer an idea I hadn't even considered.
I’ve said it many times, but the Leon Magic Tower is absolute garbage at doing their jobs.
“Our kingdom should really start looking into introducing airships…”
“We need specialized mages for that. Who’s going to do it?”
“Don’t you think it’s about time we tried developing some basic magic tools?”
“I think it would be faster to just grab some knight aspirants with bad grades and have them give it a shot.”
However, one thing had to be remembered.
It wasn't that they were lazy; it was a pure lack of capability. They literally couldn't do it.
But once they were given a direct order, they tended to follow through quite well.
Therefore:
“A swordsman learning magic?”
If the Royal Family told them to do it, even the Magic Tower Lord would comply without a word of complaint.
This was all thanks to the final words of the first Tower Lord, Alteon: ‘Just as the kingdom accepted us, we must fulfill our duty to the kingdom.’
…It would have been better if his final wish had been for them to put some effort into research and development, though.
Still, they were quite helpful around the end of the year. Since I planned on receiving their help in the future, I decided to let it slide.
“I’ve learned magic.”
“How?”
“I helped the Beastkin and received some medicine.”
“You learned magic through medicine?”
To the Magic Tower Lord, who looked at me as if I were talking nonsense, I showed him my swords of fire and ice.
“It is indeed magic.”
Unlike the lowly Magic Spammers at the Academy, he displayed an eye for detail befitting a Magic Tower Lord.
“This is…?”
“To be precise, it means it has the potential to become magic.”
As the High Elf beside us wore an expression that screamed, ‘Is this even a real country?’, the Magic Tower Lord added an explanation.
“Just because fire or ice comes out of a sword doesn't make it magic.”
“…It doesn’t?”
“Just because you swing a blade doesn't mean it's swordsmanship, does it?”
“…Doesn’t it?”
“……”
“I was joking.”
The Magic Tower Lord stared at me with an expression that asked, ‘Do you want to go a round?’, so I changed my answer immediately.
Even I knew that simply swinging a sword didn't qualify as swordsmanship.
“There is potential, though.”
“Indeed.”
That was the nature of swordsmanship.
It was the act of taking the way someone swung a sword and systematizing it for better efficiency. By continuously refining it, you made it something others could learn.
“Magic is the same.”
Some say they learned magic from dragons.
Others say magic is a technique stolen from the Demon Tribe.
And some even claim magic is a miracle bestowed by the gods.
But regardless of its origin, one thing was certain.
“Magic is a field of study developed by someone.”
Magic, which might have started as a tiny spark to light the darkness in the beginning of time, had evolved through the efforts of countless mages over generations to eventually create a miniature sun.
And paradoxically, the greatest proof of this was not the Magic Tower of Dale, but the Magic Tower of Leon.
The Archmage Belarus, who in the past, present, and perhaps even the future, might be the one who contributed most to the popularization of magic as a discipline.
And Alteon, the first Magic Tower Lord of Leon, who was Belarus’s disciple but developed an entirely different kind of magic with a completely different goal.
Following Alteon’s will, the Leon Magic Tower had refined their magic to the point where Dale was horrified, and even Leon’s own people were left anxious, thinking, ‘Uh, isn't this a bit much?’
“Perhaps magic was developed by some swordsman who happened to eat something like a Yin-Yang Pill.”
“That man is insane… He’s saying things that would turn every mage in the world into his enemy!”
Even the High Elf was appalled by the Tower Lord’s nonchalant remark.
“There is no need to worry, Elf. If mages try to refute my words, I can simply tell them: ‘If you’ve got a problem, fight me.’”
The High Elf, who had lived for thousands of years, actually stumbled at the Tower Lord’s implication that he was perfectly willing to change his tune the moment he lost a fight.
“…My head hurts.”
“I told you. Don't just stay cooped up in your room; get some exercise.”
“…I finally understand how the Magic Tower Lord feels. You and I are fighting after this is over.”
It seemed my single comment had finally made her realize the true spirit of Leon.
“…I’m not joking. You’re dead.”
It was a bit scary to see her grinding her teeth—not very loner-like of her—but how often does one get the chance to trade blows with a Sword Master?
Besides.
“A good opportunity. It’s a chance to practice your first magic.”
“I’m seriously going to lose my mind…”
It would be my monumental first magic, after all.
The first theory of magic I learned from the Leon Magic Tower Lord was this:
“The first spells mages learn are things like fire, water, ice, and light. Do you know why?”
“I’m not sure.”
“Because they are familiar.”
Surprisingly, it was a very standard explanation.
“Magic is the act of converting mana into something that exists in this world. That is why some say that if one reaches the pinnacle of magic, they could become a god.”
However, human experience has its limits, and imagination cannot cover everything.
“There is a famous thesis in the magic community.”
“…You read theses?”
“I submit them regularly, you know?”
It was a shocking statement, though I later found out his papers were mostly about things like ‘How to wrap magic around yourself to make your punches hurt more.’
“Anyway. The content of that thesis is as follows.”
The explanation was about a study of certain mages who grew exceptionally fast due to unique experiences. It argued that those who had experienced massive natural disasters—things ordinary people rarely encounter—showed rapid growth in attribute magic related to those events.
“Everyone experiences fire. Even the lowest commoners light campfires to survive. The same goes for water and light.”
These were natural phenomena that everyone experienced normally.
“In comparison, the concept of wind is a bit different. Wind. Everyone knows it. But it would be difficult to explain exactly what it is.”
An invisible sensation that everyone experiences. Therefore, recreating it with magic is significantly harder than fire or water.
“Systematizing that in one’s own way is what defines a magic system. Continuously refining that into a unique method is what the neutral towers, which represent specific colors, are known for.”
The Red Tower, Blue Tower, Gold Tower, and so on.
Towers that aren't affiliated with any kingdom but are defined by their own unique 'color.'
“For example, the wind magic of the Red Tower mages carries heat. This is because the wind they envision is the hot draft created by flames.”
The same applied to other towers. Each understood wind in a way related to their own specialty.
“However, the mages of the Wind Tower, who specialize in wind magic, perceive wind not as air, but as a wall.”
“A wall?”
“Yes. Invisible, incredibly thin walls. They explain it as those walls being pushed along, thus becoming wind.”
As expected of a minor tower, it was a very minor explanation.
“Is it the same for Elves?”
“We’re different. We can feel and command spirits before we even touch magic.”
Since they were overflowing with sensitivity toward spirits, which were nature itself, they had plenty of sensitivity toward other types of magic as well.
“I’m actually more curious about your tower.”
“The Leon Magic Tower?”
“Yes, Tower Lord. According to your logic, the Leon Magic Tower must also have roots and something that is passed down! Just what on earth do you have to do to end up with a tower like this?!”
At Yerisha’s question, the Tower Lord stated the foundation of Leon without a moment’s hesitation.
“Power.”
“Huh?”
“It is power. Greater power. More overwhelming power. More and more powerful firepower!”
“……”
His words reminded me of my homeland in my previous life, which was always screaming for more firepower. Considering both were born out of PTSD, it wasn't entirely incomprehensible.
“Unlike the towers with specific colors, we are fine with using any magic as long as it isn't dark magic. This is true for most royal towers, but unlike them, we focus much more on offensive magic.”
“It’s not just ‘focusing more,’ you’ve gone all-in…”
“In exchange, we are stronger.”
I didn't say, ‘That’s not what a Magic Tower is for.’
As history had shown, I knew he would just ignore me anyway.
“So, in conclusion. Depending on how you process your fire and ice mana, it can become magic, or it can remain a mere natural phenomenon.”
The important thing was to solidify the image. To convert mana into magic through that image.
“…I understand that much. But fire is already coming out; how am I supposed to ‘make’ it so it counts as magic?”
“Finding that sensation is very easy.”
The Magic Tower Lord stood up and went somewhere to retrieve a sword.
“…Why is there a sword in a Magic Tower?”
“It is my favorite blade.”
“…Why does a Magic Tower Lord have a favorite blade?!”
“Because this is Leon.”
“……”
Just as our High Elf looked like she was about to shed tears of frustration at the Tower Lord’s circular logic, he focused his mind and ignited flames on his sword.
“This is the mana you use.”
Then, after letting the flames vanish for a moment, he ignited them again and spoke.
“And this is magic.”
“……?”
Shit, what’s the difference?
It looked exactly the same—a sword enveloped in flames.
“You’re probably wondering what the difference is.”
As if reading my mind, the Tower Lord calmly voiced my exact thoughts.
“Realizing this is what it means to awaken your sensitivity to magic.”
Then, he calmly stated that he would pass this on to me in the Leon Magic Tower way.
“Is there a specific method?”
“There is. Each tower has its own unique way of passing down its unique magic.”
In martial arts terms, it would be the secret manual of a sect.
This was why, even when using the same fire magic, one person becomes an ordinary mage, another becomes a Red Tower mage, and another becomes a Fire Spammer.
So, what was the oral formula of the Leon Magic Tower?
“First, take up your sword.”
I lifted my sword as instructed.
“Should I try using fire and ice?”
I began to focus my mind, putting effort into understanding the magic…
“Do as you wish.”
“……?”
“But do not think.”
“……?”
I was about to start, but he told me not to.
“Magic is survival.”
“Excuse me?”
“The fact that humans created weapons and developed magic to survive is proof of that. What is swordsmanship? What is magic? They are merely the results of humans struggling to survive against powerful enemies in the distant past, passed down to this day.”
A chill ran down my spine. I felt like something had gone horribly wrong.
And for good reason—the sword in the Tower Lord’s hand was beginning to be enveloped in the White Flame I had seen during his fight with the Sword Emperor.
“So, survive. That is the way of the Leon Magic Tower.”
No, wait, what the hell?
Even the Royal Instructors don't teach that roughly.
“Oh.”
Yerisha, watching from the sidelines, let out an exclamation of admiration. Her expression clearly said, ‘You’re in for it now.’
But I couldn't even scold her.
Because…
“Here I come.”
For now, dodging the sword in front of me was the priority.