Chapter 115
Chapter 115
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 115
Chapter Title: Tower of Wisdom: Lua Polaris (4)
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A week had passed since her meeting with Marcio, the sub-tower master of the Blue Tower.
Over the past week, Lua Polaris had spent every day preparing for the public demonstration of the "Polaris No. 2."
She had poured most of her time into the event preparations.
That was how important this public demonstration at the tower would be.
"......"
In the case of the previous magical device exhibition, it had been an event where various mages from the empire's six towers gathered to showcase their work publicly.
It hadn't been a solo performance by Lua alone.
However, this event was prepared solely for her.
Moreover, she had personally invited people from all walks of life and gathered them in one place.
If the event didn't go smoothly, it would tarnish not only her reputation but also that of the Blue Tower.
"Hoo... Even though it's not my first time, I'm still nervous."
And so, after endless preparations, the day of the public demonstration had finally arrived.
Lua sat at the back of the Blue Tower's grand auditorium, her face tense with anticipation.
Her excited breaths echoed in the deserted waiting room.
"I just hope I can get through it without any mistakes...!"
This was the moment she had prepared for so long under the orders of the Library's Archmage, Johan.
The time had come for the public unveiling of Lua Polaris's latest invention, the "Polaris No. 2."
Squeeze—.
As Lua clutched her hands tightly, her face etched with tension.
The seasoned mage standing beside her, Elder Garion, looked at her and spoke.
"Kehkeh-. Even a genius like you gets nervous, I see."
Perhaps satisfied with how she had prepared the invitations as promised.
Garion wore a kindly smile, cheering her on.
But unfortunately, his encouragement didn't dispel the stage fright.
Her eyes still trembled as she stared down the passageway.
"Well... it'd be weirder if I wasn't nervous."
Lua let out a small complaint toward Garion.
In response, a sly voice flowed from Garion's mouth.
"I figured you were used to people's attention, since you've already been in the spotlight."
"...Elder."
"But it seems that's not the case."
Kehkehkeh—.
Garion's hearty laughter reached Lua's ears.
As she listened to his warm chuckle, Lua hugged the crystal orb tucked in her bosom even tighter.
Standing before a crowd was always nerve-wracking.
'I can't mess up. Do it right, Lua Polaris.'
Squeeze—.
Embracing the crystal orb, Lua didn't forget who she was standing in for.
Even as knowledge gradually filled her mind, she was still just a fake pretending to be an archmage.
She had to avoid exposing her shortcomings as much as possible.
"Alright, I'm heading up!"
"Good luck."
With her resolve firm, Lua's eyes turned toward the passageway leading to the grand auditorium.
The stairs to the stage awaited her.
The Blue Tower's grand auditorium.
To face those who had come solely to see her, she stepped onto the towering stage.
Click, click—.
Her light footsteps climbed the stairs.
Once on stage, Lua soon activated an amplification spell and addressed the audience.
— "Ahem, ahem—. First, thank you all so much for coming today."
She began with a light greeting.
She expressed her gratitude to the audience who had gathered.
— "As you probably know from the invitations, I'm Lua Polaris, a formal mage of the Blue Tower."
And with that, she introduced her name.
At the same moment, cheers and applause erupted from all directions.
Clap clap clap clap clap—.
Just introducing her name drew thunderous applause from the seats.
A wave of noise from the countless crowd.
Amid the heavy roar, Lua felt her mind going blank.
'They're all welcoming me like this.'
But she couldn't get carried away by the reaction already.
What she truly needed to introduce hadn't even been revealed yet.
Swish—.
Lua Polaris pulled out the crystal orb she had been holding against her chest.
The eyes of the numerous spectators were drawn to the gleaming orb.
— "I won't bore you with long greetings, so let's jump right into what you've all been waiting for."
As if the previous thunderous applause had been a lie, silence fell over the vast auditorium.
Everyone stared at the single person onstage.
Everyone awaited her next words.
Something valuable—.
Anticipating another trend that would shake the capital once more, all eyes focused on Lua's next statement.
— "Let me introduce a new magical device to you all."
"......"
— "If there were a spell that could handle exchanging letters with someone far away in an instant, would you believe it?"
And Lua Polaris met their expectations.
She infused mana into the crystal orb in her hand and held it out toward the audience.
Swish—.
Gazing at the orb extended forward, Lua addressed everyone in the hall.
— "I'm unveiling a magical device with a special new function for the first time. It's the Polaris No. 2!"
A confident declaration to the audience.
Immediately after, the gazes toward her turned into fervent excitement.
No need for thunderous applause.
The upper class, who valued decorum, unleashed explosive cheers in its place.
Waaaaah—!
Amid the fierce roars echoing from all sides.
Lua Polaris wore a faint smile on her lips.
'Maybe... I have a talent for this sort of thing?'
Lua Polaris thought.
Honestly, she believed she deserved some credit for the magical device receiving such acclaim.
And so, the Blue Tower's public demonstration began.
* * * * * *
Alandorf Petreus, vice chairman of the Fanatic Magical Research Society.
He was a seasoned mage who had accumulated countless insights over his long years as a magic user.
As such, Alandorf knew well that life didn't always go according to plan.
Sometimes, you had to calmly accept the unexpected.
Just like the scene unfolding in the massive auditorium before him now.
"Ha......"
Alandorf let out a hollow chuckle as his eyes took in the stage ahead.
The stage where countless spectators' attention was focused.
There stood a familiar mage in a witch's hat, alone.
The rising star, Lua Polaris—.
The utterly outrageous mage Alandorf had desperately wanted to avoid.
'Well, as long as I behave myself, there shouldn't be any issues.'
Blue Tower's genius mage—.
Alandorf didn't entirely buy into that title, but it was undeniable that the girl before him bore it.
Even Blue Tower Master Abior was considering Lua Polaris as a candidate for the next tower master.
That was why he had come to witness the unveiling of the Blue Tower's hottest item, the "Polaris No. 2."
He needed to see what it was to decide on future investments.
'As long as I stay quiet and just watch, nothing will go wrong.'
Having somehow restored the burned invitation for that purpose, Alandorf had remained silent since the demonstration began.
Of course, he had his own calculations.
During his last invitation of Lua Polaris to his mansion, nothing had happened until he interfered with her mind.
As long as he didn't directly harm her, the Library's archmage wouldn't intervene first.
So, as long as Alandorf himself didn't act, there shouldn't be any problems.
Ahem, ahem—.
Clearing his throat like that, Alandorf sat quietly.
Meanwhile, on stage, Lua Polaris continued her presentation.
— "As many of you have guessed, the Polaris No. 2 also features ultra-long-distance communication magic."
In Lua's hand as she spoke was a crystal orb shimmering with iridescent light.
—The Polaris No. 2.
The star of today's demonstration.
— "Naturally, the Polaris No. 2 doesn't make the existing Polaris No. 1 obsolete."
She skillfully controlled the pace of her presentation.
Perhaps because the item she was introducing was so impressive.
Even if her delivery lacked some polish, the audience was enthralled.
As she continued, a shocking statement soon emerged from Lua's lips.
— "However, starting with the Polaris No. 2, ultra-long-distance text transmission is possible."
"Ultra-long-distance text transmission?"
— "In other words, you can send letters instead of your voice."
The words from Lua's mouth.
The nobles listening were stunned.
And rightly so—the idea was incredibly innovative.
Letters sent via communication magical devices—.
Meaning letters could arrive faster than carrier pigeons.
It was enough to upend the nobles' common sense.
Even Alandorf, hearing it, felt a fresh shock.
"Ultra-long-distance text transmission...?"
Proving it, the audience murmured in astonishment.
"You could exchange letters anywhere in the empire!"
"Unlike face-to-face communication spells, even if you can't check it right away, it shouldn't be a problem."
If true, the continent's political landscape would change dramatically.
It was even more revolutionary than the existing Polaris No. 1.
Unlike voices that dissipated after transmission, the Polaris No. 2 could leave a savable record.
— "Exchanging letters from one end of the empire to the other would take just the blink of an eye."
— "No more waiting for distant letters to arrive, or the hassle of training carrier pigeons."
— "Of course, no worries about letters being intercepted midway, like with pigeons or couriers."
Amid the murmuring crowd, Alandorf nodded quietly.
Indeed, just as Lua Polaris said.
Noble culture across the empire would change from now on.
Even scheduling appointments would be done differently.
"As expected of a genius mage's creation."
"Polaris No. 2... the name suits it perfectly."
Clap clap clap clap clap—.
Enthralled applause filled the hall.
So moved were they that some even called out to Lua.
"So, when does it go on sale?"
"I'll buy one right now!"
"How much is it? Name your price—!"
Voices demanding to purchase erupted from all sides.
If it was as described, the Polaris No. 2 would soon become the empire's latest craze.
To avoid missing out like last time, the nobles rushed to secure it first.
As the commotion spread through the audience.
Alandorf's senses soon detected a faint, subtle flow of mana.
"...Hm?"
It was so delicate and weak that one might miss it without full concentration.
However, once it touched the soul, the story changed.
Alandorf Petreus could comprehend and analyze anything that reached the spiritual realm.
"......"
Swish—.
Alandorf's gaze turned toward someone preparing magic from afar.
A spell to interfere with another's soul was slowly taking form.
'The tower guards must have screened the guests, so what lunatic is preparing magic?'
In the midst of the chaotic audience.
A shadowy mage cloaked in a robe was chanting there.
Whoooong—.
No grimoire in the mage's hand.
Instead, he was using his own body as an altar to expand his spirit form.
It was black magic, not standard spellcraft.
"Wait, that guy...!"
Watching the mage, Alandorf soon realized the man's identity.
No one else, but that man couldn't escape Alandorf's notice.
After all, he was someone in the same field as Alandorf.
Permian, the black mage of the Veil of Truth.
The dangerous black mage known as the Red Candle had infiltrated the Blue Tower's grand auditorium.
"No way—he's targeting Lua Polaris!"
Moreover, Permian was suppressing his presence as much as possible while preparing black magic.
Even without deep analysis of the ritual, Alandorf could guess his goal.
The black mage was undoubtedly preparing a forbidden body-transfer technique.
Without even knowing who was behind Lua Polaris.
"He's completely insane! Out of targets, he goes for Lua Polaris?!"
Alandorf's face paled upon spotting Permian.
If this continued, trouble was inevitable.
He had to avoid getting dragged into it.
Abandoning the puppet and fleeing was one option.
Or dealing with the fool before things escalated.
In the end, Alandorf made his choice.
"...Let's escape."
Alandorf immediately circulated his mana.
He tried to detach from the puppet he controlled and recover his soul in its pure form.
Thus, as the two taboo-handling mages secretly prepared their black magic.
Flash—.
Suddenly, Alandorf's vision went pure white.
And soon, Alandorf Petreus's memories cut off.
* * * * * *
When Alandorf came to, he faced a familiar sight.
An endless expanse of a grand library.
A beautiful edifice, as if crafted by a great artist with utmost care.
In its center, Alandorf confronted someone he knew all too well.
"......"
Ahh—.
A sigh escaped Alandorf's lips.
It was only natural.
The figure before him now was one that inevitably drew such a reaction.
"Another uninvited guest, it seems."
And that figure stared at Alandorf with a cold expression.
A sharp will pierced into Alandorf's mind.
Jet-black hair like the night.
Piercing eyes gleaming beneath it.
The familiar young man clutching a grimoire in one hand glared at the intruders from his seated position in the library.
"Strange. I clearly used the spell on Lua Polaris...?"
"......"
Moreover, Alandorf wasn't the only one dragged into the library this time.
Not far from where Alandorf stood.
There sat the parasite Permian, with his arrogant face.
Swish—.
As Permian cluelessly looked around.
Alandorf, staring at that foolish expression, reached a pale conclusion in his mind.
'Damn it—.'
It seemed he had been pulled into the archmage's library once again.
This time, caught in the black magic of Permian, his mortal enemy no less.