Chapter 3
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 3
The weather was pleasant today.
She couldn’t sense any human presence nearby.
Stretching, she took in the cold breeze. The dungeon air was far too stagnant and humid from the poor ventilation. The mix of magical energy and the stench of certain monsters was enough to clog her sinuses. She felt a twinge of guilt toward Lord Swallow, but the outside air was undeniably better.
With that thought, Rene Rellow gazed down at the world below. A forest landscape unfolded beneath her, a perfect blend of deep, refreshing greens and subtle, lighter shades. The wind brushed against her cheeks. She heard the rustling of leaves and the fluttering wings of small birds taking flight.
Closing her eyes, she slowly tilted her head back.
When she opened them again, the vast sky filled her vision. Her right eye, damaged in a past battle, throbbed slightly, blurring the image—but even the hazy clouds were beautiful.
These were things she could never have imagined back when she was trapped in a giant flask.
She disliked humans, but their towns were quite entertaining. The bustling atmosphere, so different from the dungeon, was intriguing. Or perhaps she had truly become a maid to her core, because her heart fluttered at the thought of buying necessities for the household. Her pale pink lips, which usually remained set in a stern line when Swallow wasn't around, curled into a small smile.
In one hand, she carried a leather pouch filled with mana stones. Draped in a long robe that reached below her knees, Rene set off toward Hastin.
* * *
“Miss, I’m sorry, but there’s no way I can buy these from you.”
At the man’s deep, gravelly voice, Rene asked curtly, “...Why?”
“The mana stones you brought… my skills aren't sharp enough to appraise them perfectly, but I can tell they’re all high-grade. In terms of rank, they’re at least B-rank or higher.”
The shopkeeper, a man with bronze skin, fiddled with the mana stones, his expression troubled.
“Stones of this caliber can’t be used by anyone except Imperial Palace mages or high-ranking mages from the Magic Towers. Magic is a finicky thing; if you use a mana stone that’s a higher grade than the user’s skill level, it’ll cause a mana backflow.”
The burly owner glanced at Rene, who remained silent and expressionless, then ducked under the counter. A moment later, he placed a safe with a double-locking mechanism on the tabletop.
As if he had something to show her, the shopkeeper began to unlock it. Rene couldn't understand why he would place a safe full of valuables in front of a customer, but to the owner, it was a gesture of trust.
At the same time, it was a silent statement: My treasures are so meager compared to yours that I have nothing to fear by showing them.
After several clicks, the owner pulled a yellow-glowing mana stone from the safe.
“Look closely, Miss. This is a B-rank mana stone. It’s the most expensive item in our shop. For an ordinary citizen like me to buy just one of these, I’d have to save up for ten years. But the stones you brought are all larger than this, aren't they? Of course, size isn't everything, but still.”
“Regardless, I’m sorry,” the shopkeeper said as he put the mana stone back into the safe.
“Even if I sold this shop and took out a loan, I wouldn't have nearly enough to buy all of those. You’ll likely find the same situation elsewhere. Places that handle mana stones of that grade… let’s see… perhaps a jeweler in the capital who has a contract with the Imperial Family, or a high-level Magic Tower might take them.”
Rene frowned at his words. The capital was too far. More importantly, since the recent subjugation squad had been a large-scale force of seventy-four people, it was highly probable the Imperial Family was involved in its formation. If she went to a jeweler contracted with them and the humans appraising the stones recognized their origin…
Things would spiral out of control.
She had no desire to create such a difficult situation.
“...The capital is too far. Where is the nearest Magic Tower?”
“Well, a Magic Tower… right, there is one. Though I’m not sure if they’ll buy mana stones from you. They aren’t a group that researches magic for the sake of academia; it’s a Magic Tower guild that focuses primarily on dungeon raids.”
“Where is it located?”
“Go straight down the main road to the right of the Liberation Monument in the Great Square. It’s a massive tower, about nine stories high, so you’ll find it easily. I believe the name was ‘Wing.’ That’s what everyone calls it.”
“The main road to the right of the Great Square…”
Rene’s voice trailed off as she fell silent. With her arms crossed and her eyes narrowed, she seemed to be mapping out the route in her head.
Caught in her strange aura, the shopkeeper could only stare blankly at the silver-haired girl standing before him.
Silence lingered for nearly a minute. Just as the owner was about to say something to break the awkward atmosphere, Rene finally spoke.
“Yes. I think I know where it is. Thank you, human.”
“Huh? Oh, don’t mention it. I’m just sorry I couldn't buy them. You’re a peculiar young lady, I must say. Calling your own kind ‘human.’”
The shopkeeper laughed hollowly as he watched the girl turn her back and head for the exit without hesitation.
Her response lacked even a shred of politeness, and he felt quite looked down upon—no, it was more like she just wanted to end the conversation as quickly as possible. Besides, it was his first time meeting someone who referred to their own kind as “human.”
Seeing as she possessed so many precious mana stones, perhaps she was the child of some prominent noble family? Then again, nobles raised in luxury were all eccentric in their own way. Her strange behavior and manner of speaking weren't entirely incomprehensible.
Creeeak. The sound of the door opening echoed.
Only then did the shopkeeper notice a small mana stone left on the counter and shout toward Rene.
“Hey! Miss! You left one here!”
“That’s a tip.”
The door closed behind Rene’s reply, which she gave without even looking back. The shopkeeper couldn't take his eyes off the closed door, his expression dazed.
“Well, I’ll be. I’ve never seen such a strange girl in all my life.”
*
The distance to the Great Square was quite short. Since the buildings near the square were no more than three stories high, finding the Magic Tower was easy.
After wandering the streets with an expressionless face, Rene’s first action upon spotting the tower was to let out a sigh.
It was a sigh of relief. If she hadn't found it, she would have had to ask a human for directions again. For someone who disliked humans, talking to them was a source of stress in itself.
“We don't take peddlers. Go away. Get lost.”
The gatekeeper who initially blocked Rene’s path immediately stepped aside once she silently pulled out a mana stone to show him.
After that, reaching the seventh floor of the Magic Tower took no time at all.
The tower's structure was simpler than she'd expected, yet it felt strangely familiar.
Dozens of humans were gathered on every floor. Every one of them was practicing repeatedly with staffs embedded with thumb-sized mana stones, and the skill of the mages increased the higher she went.
She could tell by the size of the mana stones attached to their staffs. The merchant’s explanation from earlier was starting to make more sense.
…Is the leader of the Magic Tower at the very top?
The humans of the Magic Tower resembled them.
The humans' Magic Tower resembled a dungeon.
A Magic Tower is just a dungeon made of human mages, Rene thought as she stepped onto the stairs leading to the eighth floor. Halfway up, her shoulders suddenly tensed.
…That’s quite a high level of magic.
She felt a faint but chilling flow of mana that sent a shiver down her spine.
“You’ve come a long way. Thank you for your hard work.”
A young woman was sitting there.
She looked to be in her late twenties or early thirties. Her red hair was coiled at the ends like a whirlwind. On her chest was an emblem of a snake entwined with lightning and a flag—Rene had learned that wearing family crests on clothing was a privilege reserved for nobles. She was certainly a noble of some house.
However, the curious thing was that, unlike the other mages she had seen on her way up, this woman wasn't holding a staff. Yet, the source of the dense mana was unmistakably her.
She possessed more mana within her body than anyone else in this tower. She likely had a different weapon she used separately.
Rene scowled. For a mere human, her gaze and mana flow were both unsettling. If they had met inside the dungeon, Rene would have slaughtered her into dozens of pieces.
“Did you climb all the way to the eighth floor carrying that heavy bundle?”
“…”
“Well, regardless. This is unexpected. I heard a peddler had arrived, so I assumed it would be some scrawny hawker or an old man.”
“…”
“Not much of a talker, are you? Well, fine. The guards said you brought a lot of mana stones. I assume you’ve heard of the reputation of our Magic Tower, ‘Wing’? I trust you’ve brought high-grade stones befitting our level. Last time, someone brought a bunch of E-rank stones and left empty-handed. I hope that’s not the case this time, Miss.”
As the woman finished speaking, laughter erupted from all around.
In the midst of it, the faint sound of Rene grinding her teeth could be heard. A surge of irritation, not shame, washed over her. She felt like pulling out the weapon hidden beneath her robe right this instant—but if I cause a scene, I won't be able to face Lord Swallow.
Struggling to remain unresponsive, Rene set the bundle down.
At that moment, as some of the contents spilled out, the woman’s expression froze.
She could only blink, her face stiff. Her mouth hung agape, as if she couldn't close it. After staring blankly at the contents for a few seconds, she cleared her throat and fully unwrapped the bundle. Only then did the other mages watching from nearby gather around to see what was inside.
What followed were stiff movements and expressions of utter disbelief.
“You… where did you get these…?”
“How much are you paying?”
The small girl, her silver hair peeking out from under her robe, remained as expressionless as ever.
* * *
It was absurd.
Graumitz Amer, the leader of ‘Wing’—the largest Magic Tower guild in Hastin—couldn't say a word.
A peddler wearing a plain robe that commoners would typically wear. The items that spilled from her bundle were B-rank mana stones. And not just one or two, but over twenty of them. Among them were stones of such high quality they were nearly A-rank.
They were all genuine; none of them were fakes. Others might be fooled, but Graumitz Amer's eyes were infallible. She prided herself on that fact; her appraisals had never once been wrong. A single glance was all she needed to know. How could a mere brat have these?
If there was a mage organization that possessed this many mana stones, what would their level be? Amer quickly racked her brain, trying to maintain her composure. They could likely sweep through most ordinary dungeons with ease.
The Seven Great Evil Caves might be difficult, but they could probably conquer any other dungeon.
Above all, if she could gather talented individuals using this many mana stones as a foundation, it might actually be possible.
To leave a small viscountcy like Hastin behind and become the largest Magic Tower guild in the Empire.
Graumitz Amer’s gaze fell upon the girl once more.