The Seminar's Bloody Proof
It was boring. So damn boring. Was there anything more tedious than sitting through a bunch of stubborn old men bragging about themselves? I wanted to visit Werner in the hospital, but the schedule was fixed and there was nothing I could do about it. I'd just pretend to play along for a bit and then leave. At least it was the Earth Magic Tower's master hosting the event. Even if the Fire and Lightning Tower masters were there—those bastards who always looked down on me—nothing too annoying should happen.
I pulled a cigarette from my pocket and lit it. I should have just stayed home reading or practicing cooking instead of wasting time like this.
"Haah, fuck. When are these old bastards gonna die already, seriously..."
If all these geezers kicked the bucket and fresh blood came in, would things get any better? Nah. We'd just get slightly younger but equally incompetent fossils. I wanted to quit being a tower master altogether. But this cursed family business left me no choice but to keep going.
In that sense, the Earth Magic Tower was enviable. Their current master had declared he'd pass the position to a talented disciple rather than blood relatives, and he'd lived his whole life single.
"I just wish these old bastards would all get stoned to death."
[Child, no matter how I think about it, that seems a bit harsh.]
Valena, the Water Spirit King, had already been butting into every post and comment I made on the mage community boards, and now she was even policing my private grumbling with lectures on morality and manners.
"Once you hear the crap they're about to spew, you'll agree with me."
[That won't happen. And watch your language.]
"We'll see if you regret it later or not."
With that, I opened the conference hall doors and stepped inside. Every face was familiar. The tower masters leading each elemental tower, plus the elders of the Earth Magic Tower filling the remaining seats. Faces I'd seen so many times I was sick of them.
"Oh, Tower Master Lorsch is here too. Still can't keep to a schedule, I see."
Why the hell did you change the time from 1 PM to noon this morning, you old bastards?
"We heard the news. You contracted with a Spirit King, they say? So I suppose old folks like us must look ridiculous to you now."
"What, did Tower Master Lorsch do it alone? Lord Werner did it too, you know."
"Ah, that's right. Still can't take first place, can you? You'll need to work much harder."
"Then perhaps today Tower Master Lorsch can tell us about contracting with a Spirit King. It's a shame Lord Werner won't speak on it himself, but..."
Ha... Normally they'd at least wrap their insults in some subtlety, but today there wasn't even a hint of that. They were openly looking down on me, these damned old men. Ever since I was a kid, everything had been compared to Werner—number of spells developed, number of compatible attributes, even achievements. I was so tired of it that nothing came out anymore.
[...Even I think that's a bit much.]
Even Valena was shocked by their rudeness. I quietly whispered to her.
"This is just the beginning. Think of it as an appetizer in cooking terms."
[What do you mean by that...?]
"If I explain the contract with the Spirit King in detail, it's obvious what they'll say next."
[What exactly...]
"Ah, it's starting."
Gaius, the Earth Magic Tower master, tapped the table briefly before standing. That stubborn-looking face and cold voice... He was the kind of man who wouldn't bleed even if you stabbed him.
"I am Gaius Tierra, Earth Magic Tower master, leading this year's conference. No need for tedious self-introductions, so let's move straight to the main discussion."
Even calling it a conference was generous—it was just tower masters gathering to brag about their achievements and research. Everyone's eyes were already on me, silently demanding I explain the Spirit King contract. These old men whose skills were on par with mine were truly detestable. Mages had no libido or anything of the sort. Only a thirst for knowledge. They judged people solely by magic, worshipped talent regardless of background, and treated even royalty like cockroaches if they lacked magical aptitude. In a way, they were almost respectable.
"Well... I suppose I should address the hottest topic."
With no choice, I stood and explained the Spirit King contract: that contracting with one automatically bound their descendants as well, that neither the contractor nor their descendants could break it, that to prevent the contract from spreading it passed only to the eldest son, and finally, that if two Spirit King contractors had a child, that child would contract with multiple Spirit Kings.
The tower masters' eyes gleamed. Now they'd ask if I wanted to meet their sons—those trashy questions.
"So if Tower Master Lorsch has a child with Lord Werner, the baby would contract with multiple Spirit Kings?"
No, what the fuck, how did the conversation go there...
"Ah, I see. Tower Master Lorsch, weren't you acquainted with Lord Werner since childhood? If the two of you married and had a child, then our Lightning Tower would..."
No, what the hell, why are we already talking about childbirth, you crazy old man?
"No, since Lord Werner contracted with the Steel Spirit King, the child should naturally come to our Steel Tower."
Don't claim ownership of a child that hasn't even been born or conceived, you insane bastard. More importantly, I'm still a virgin, you crazy old men, and this is sexual harassment.
[They really are deranged...]
Even the Spirit King was left speechless by the mages' words and actions. I was beyond disgusted.
"Haah... See? Now you understand why I didn't want to come?"
[Yes... I understand now. Even I wouldn't want to attend.]
"Today's actually on the milder side. Usually they compare me to Werner and tear me down... They've even said my father, the previous tower master, must be very disappointed in me."
[Aren't you quite skilled yourself?]
"No matter how high-quality a sapphire is... next to a diamond, it just looks shabby. Same principle."
I'd understood that from the very beginning. He was only a year older than me, yet he went around showing off with all sorts of flashy accomplishments.
Gaius, who had been listening silently, tapped the table a few times before standing up.
"I see... So that's what contracting with a Spirit King entails. Unnecessary for me. I've heard enough. To someone like me now, it's no better than trash."
"Tower Master Gaius, what are you suddenly saying? Calling a Spirit King contract trash..."
The Fire Tower master smiled pleasantly while objecting, but Gaius only responded with a sneer.
"You're trash too."
"What..."
Massive chunks of rock attached themselves to Gaius's arms. They looked like the hands of a giant golem from a fairy tale.
"I've learned everything I wanted to know, so die."
It was magic. But how could he cast magic of that level without any incantation...
"Water Spirit King, grant me a shield to protect myself...!"
Too late. He swung his massive arm, and my body was sent flying from the heavy impact.
=======================================
I opened my eyes to the sound of a high-pitched ringing. My whole body was soaked, bones were broken and jutting out, and every part of me hurt. The other tower masters... Fuck, every single one of them had been turned into chunks of meat. Not just the tower masters—the elders of the Earth Magic Tower were also reduced to minced flesh and plastered against the walls. If Valena hadn't instantly deployed even an incomplete defensive spell, I would've become meat paste too. Or at least died without pain. At this rate, I might die from blood loss...
"Hmm... So you were alive?"
Gaius was looking at me with an intrigued expression. He wasn't wearing a mage's robe but the outfit of a shepherd from the western regions.
"What the hell is with that ridiculous outfit..."
"Does it not suit me? Custom tailoring really is best, isn't it? Especially how the shoulder seams are hidden—I particularly like that."
"No... Before that, what the hell is this supposed to be...?"
"I merely cleaned up the trash."
It was shocking enough that he'd instantly killed all the prominent tower masters in one strike... But the other towers wouldn't stay silent after something like this. If every tower moved for revenge...
"If you do this, the towers will come for revenge... It's no different from making enemies of entire nations..."
"Nations, huh... If you're afraid of mere nations, you're no 'man.' Did you think I was foolish enough not to consider that?"
"Why the hell would you do something this insane..."
Still, I'd thought he was one of the more reasonable ones among the old fossils.
"It's proof."
"...What?"
He tied back his hair, put on sunglasses, then turned his back to me.
"Proof for myself, for this world, and to inform the god of this world."
"What kind of bullshit is that..."
"No need to try to understand."
With his back still turned, he began walking away.
"...Why didn't you kill me?"
"You're someone with no relation to this proof. Though it wouldn't matter much if you died, it's not necessary."
And with those words, he departed without hesitation.
"If you're still alive, I'd like you to pass a message to Werner Alton. Tristan, third seat of the Black Round Table, will be waiting in the western wastelands. If you're truly a 'man,' come and face me."
Damn it, even if I wanted to deliver it... My body won't move. About ten minutes passed, and my eyes began to close. I really thought I was going to die... when I heard footsteps somewhere. Forcing my neck to turn, I checked who it was. A silver-haired girl with purple eyes and a man with demonic wings straight out of a fairy tale.
"My, quite the flashy mess you've made. Violent, too."
"Right? Still, probably less violent than a boss who'd drag someone from the underworld and beat them with a bat for three days straight without rest."
"I heard you've been badmouthing me."
"No, I just..."
"If you don't want to get hit more, you'd better work today."
This wasn't really the place for casual chatter... Damn it, I needed to tell them to get out because it was still dangerous here...
The silver-haired kid suddenly approached me, fiddled with the earring Werner had given me, and spoke.
"Be honest. You don't want to die, right?"
"What is this all of a sudden..."
"Then how about we make a deal?"