Today, I'll Let It Slide
The Magic Tower was, to me, both a warehouse of magical tools and a poisoned chalice I absolutely could not approach. The reason was simple.
The reason was all too simple.
It existed because there were cases where people met their deaths due to an unknown power residing within the tower.
And that death left a powerful impression on me.
The moment I stepped inside, I had collapsed while coughing up blood.
Moreover, I had died right there on the spot.
I was truly shocked back then.
My mana had vanished in an instant, as if evaporating, and I died. When time rewound and I opened my eyes again, I rose in a complete daze. Even Zeno hadn’t been able to identify the cause immediately.
That was why, afterward, I returned to the Magic Tower countless times to uncover the reason. After repeated experiments, I finally realized it was tied to mana capacity.
To be precise…
If you don’t possess more than a certain amount of mana, it gets devoured after a contest of strength.
Yes, it is. This is strange.
I tilted my head while still seated in the chair. It was bizarre. The mana I possessed was clearly insufficient. Normally, it should have been sucked away until I died, just like before. Yet nothing was happening now.
Moreover…
There isn’t even a contest of strength.
Even if my mana wasn’t being drained, there should have been at least some slight resistance. But there was none. The power should have slammed into my mana with full force, as though demanding permission to let me set foot here, yet it remained completely unresponsive.
I nodded. That was the only difference from before.
…Just what kind of power is it?
The Tower Master I had accompanied in other timelines had explained that the power had emerged alongside the tower’s founding, but… it seemed even she did not fully understand its origin.
On the other hand, it looks like the Professor knows.
It was Professor Aria who had declared there would be no problem. She hadn’t offered an explanation, yet she had spoken with absolute certainty. That was where my question arose.
Did the Professor discover something within the Magic Tower?
If she was a powerhouse who surpassed even the academy professors, it was possible she had uncovered the truth. She certainly seemed knowledgeable about mana.
If so…
Could I discover it too?
…Should I try?
I carefully adjusted my posture. One hand was still held by Aria, but this much movement posed no issue.
…Focus.
I closed my eyes. Perhaps I could draw a little closer to that power I had never attempted to approach before. With that thought in mind, I followed the flow of my mana for a brief moment—until Aria, still gripping my hand, suddenly yanked me forward.
Still seated, I was pulled straight into her. Our shoulders collided.
“Stop that?”
Aria’s voice came from extremely close range. My head turned toward her. She tightened her grip on our joined hands. My expression twisted.
…What kind of strength is this?
It wasn’t enough to break bones, but if she kept it up, it would easily leave bruises.
“I’ll explain later, so wait. We need to finish this first.”
I nodded desperately. Only then did Aria ease her grip, and I was finally able to breathe again.
Zeno murmured quietly.
…Pardon? What did you say, Sir Zeno?
I hadn’t caught it, so I asked again.
I could only tilt my head in confusion.
“There’s a bed behind you. Sit slowly.”
I was led somewhere once again. Following Aria’s instruction, I sat on the bed and felt its plush softness. At the same time, I moved my free hand across its surface.
“This is my room. The bedroom.”
My hand froze.
…Are we actually sleeping together, Professor?
It was better than the alternative, but couldn’t I just rest properly for once?
…Still, this feels a bit much.
Even though we had spent time together in the cabin, announcing it to others inside the Magic Tower was…
Tap. Aria flicked my forehead.
…Ow.
“What’s with that dissatisfied look?”
Hahaha…
I laughed awkwardly.
“You know it’s better than not doing it, right? Your eyes need to heal. This method may be inefficient, but it’s still better than the alternatives. Or would you like to hear about other options?”
Other options?
I tilted my head at her words.
…I have a bad feeling about this.
As I continued pondering, she spoke again.
“You seem curious. In that case, may I sit for a moment?”
Well… that much is fine. No problem.
I gave a light nod, then immediately wondered where exactly she intended to sit.
With a soft thud, Aria settled directly onto my thigh.
…Huh?
Sir Zeno, you really didn’t need to narrate that…
…Professor?
When I tried to shift away, Aria used her strength to pin me in place. At the same time, she caught my other hand.
“Well, the truth is I’d rather not say the other methods out loud. Still, in this approach, shouldn’t you consider yourself lucky that I’ve only been holding one hand?”
From her actions, I instantly understood what she meant.
If the area of contact increased, mana could be transmitted more smoothly.
It felt as though both stability and volume improved. The burden on the caster seemed to lessen as well. I didn’t know where the limits of this method lay, but I felt genuine gratitude toward Aria for having held only one hand until now.
“Is this all right now?”
“Yes, I’ll stay still.”
“Good. Wise choice. Your eyes need to heal. It might be difficult not being able to move your hands freely, but endure it a little.”
It’s not difficult because I can’t move them, Professor.
As that thought crossed my mind, Aria released one hand, stood, and sat beside me. After a brief pause, she asked,
“If I give you a quick tour of the room, will you remember it?”
I nodded. With Zeno present, navigating the room wouldn’t be a major issue, but it was better to know if there were objects I shouldn’t touch.
“Then stand. I’ll explain briefly.”
With one hand still held by Aria, I walked around the room as she pointed things out.
“This is my wardrobe, so don’t touch it. Claire will bring your clothes during mealtime.”
The warning carried a distinctly threatening undertone.
Knock, knock.
The sound of someone at the door reached us. By then, Aria and I had finished the tour and returned to sit on the bed. We both turned toward the door leading out of the bedroom.
“Who is it?”
“It’s Claire. I’ve brought the meal.”
“Come in.”
Before long, a dazzling array of dishes covered the dining table in the room.
“Good work. The clothes?”
“Here they are.”
“Leave them. I’ll explain everything myself. Go rest.”
“Understood. Student Yohan, Tower Master, I wish you both a comfortable night.”
After sending Claire away, Aria pulled me forward.
“Come this way.”
As I sat in the chair, I naturally released her hand.
Whew…
Scrape.
Huh?
“Like I said earlier, it isn’t hot. But eating alone would be difficult, so just open your mouth.”
Of course, I wasn’t truly freed.
.
“Have you already finished everything?”
I nodded. I was pleasantly full.
It couldn’t be helped.
…In the cabin we only ate foods that were easy to manage, so I couldn’t have proper meals.
We had only consumed fresh fruit, dried goods, and items easy to hold. After battles, I never had an appetite. Naturally, the amount I ate had dwindled.
By the way…
Is there a lot left?
The Professor might have given her a hint.
She could have naturally noticed my eating habits during our time in the cabin. Still, it was fortunate not much remained. Usually in places like this, leaving too much food would get the chef scolded.
“Are you sure you don’t want more?”
“Yes, I’m fine. I’m full. The food was delicious, but nothing else will fit.”
The dishes Aria had fed me were varied. Perhaps because the Magic Tower housed so many people, the meal included vegetables, meat, and seafood without discrimination. Despite tasting only a single bite of each, I had no choice but to tell her I was full.
“I knew it, but it looks like you still need to eat more…”
I heard Aria’s quiet mutter but could only pretend not to notice. Anything beyond this was truly impossible.
“Today I’ll let it slide. Let’s stop here.”
Hahaha. I smiled awkwardly.
“Now I still have explanations left for you, don’t I?”
Of course, the day was far from over.