Chapter 229
Chapter 229
The Five Great Magic Towers of the capital, Gran.
Their origins traced back to five grand archmages who, instead of claiming territories, erected towers as founding contributors of Grandia.
Each tower symbolized a distinct magical school—Wizardry, Fire, Water, Wind, and Earth—and stood at the cardinal points of the capital, initially serving as staunch loyalists to the crown.
But as centuries passed, the towers repeatedly shifted allegiances—siding with the nobility when royal authority waned and returning to the crown when it strengthened.
Eventually, unless faced with national crises like foreign invasions, they transformed into independent entities pursuing their own interests, indifferent to any central control.
Even now, as the royal family was being overturned, the four great towers (excluding the Royal Magic Tower) remained passive spectators.
Their ability to maintain such independence relied on the flexibility to switch allegiances whenever pressured by those in power.
Yet in the current climate, where everything in the kingdom was being consolidated under the MacLaine name, even they couldn't help but feel uneasy.
That was precisely why the Tower Lords of the four great towers had gathered.
"Did Cheyson Riverfield surrender without resistance?"
"Over a thousand knights have entered the royal palace. How could the Royal Magic Tower possibly defy them?"
At the words of Framer Carson, Tower Lord of the Tower of Flame, Gilbert Limore, Tower Lord of the Tower of Wind, sighed in response.
Since this was common knowledge, the other two Tower Lords didn't even react—or rather, they were too preoccupied with the gravity of the situation.
The atmosphere among the four Tower Lords was heavy with tension.
Among them, Redios Crater, Tower Lord of the Earth Magic Tower, kept sighing repeatedly, his mind more troubled than the others—not by future concerns, but by regrets of the past.
'Should I have treated MacLaine better and secured a firmer connection back then? No, no. I did enough. The real issue is Clayton...'
The Earth Magic Tower had a favorable—if not outright friendly—relationship with MacLaine.
But now, Clayton, renowned as the kingdom's sole archmage, and the past conflicts between them weighed heavily on Redios' mind.
'I pushed him too hard, trying to escape Evertern's shadow.'
Redios' expression turned uncharacteristically somber as he recalled his old rival—Clayton's master.
Perhaps lost too deep in his thoughts, he was a beat late in noticing the voice calling him.
"...Tower Lord Redios!"
"Hm? Ah... Lord Framer. What did you say?"
"Where is your mind right now? At a time like this!"
True to his fiery nature, Framer's booming voice made Redios' face stiffen slightly.
Despite being peers, the way Framer spoke to him felt condescending.
At nearly ninety, Framer was the eldest among the Tower Lords, practically belonging to the same generation as Redios' own master.
Redios immediately bowed his head slightly.
"My apologies, Lord Framer. I have much on my mind..."
"Exactly! That's why we've gathered—to share our concerns and find a way forward! So, Tower Lord Redios, let's hear your thoughts first."
Beneath snow-white eyebrows, piercing orange eyes locked onto him.
A face lined with wrinkles, an irritable glare—the very image of a cantankerous high-ranking mage.
As Framer's scrutinizing gaze bore into him, Redios unconsciously swallowed dryly.
"Hmm... Given tradition, would MacLaine really go out of his way to attack our towers? If we unite—"
BANG!
"Do you have a plan or not?! Are you joking right now? A man who beheaded his own master and killed the king wouldn't care about tradition!"
"No, what I meant was—"
"Don't speak thoughtlessly! Give us a concrete proposal!"
The deafening voice of the near-nonagenarian filled the meeting room.
Redios' face flushed crimson at the sudden rebuke, but Framer wasn't wrong.
Gritting his teeth, he forced his chaotic thoughts into order.
Now wasn't the time to dwell on old grudges.
"My apologies. It seems my thoughts weren't fully organized. Let me rephrase."
Moistening his dry lips, Redios met the gazes of the other Tower Lords.
"To maintain our influence, we must unite and make our stance clear. We must show MacLaine that provoking us won't go unanswered. He wouldn't want unrest in the capital while the kingdom is still unstable."
"Good. Now you're making sense."
Framer's expression softened slightly, but Regen Pieta, Tower Lord of the Water Tower, seemed to have a different view.
"And what if MacLaine decides to strike first? The forces gathered in the capital alone are overwhelming for our towers to handle."
"Would he really resort to such extremes? Our towers are vital assets to the kingdom..."
Redios voiced his dissent, but Regen's disapproving gaze was already fixed on him.
Though not as overtly hostile as Framer, the look of pity in his eyes—coupled with his handsome face that made him appear a decade younger—only stoked Redios' irritation.
But before tensions could escalate further, Gilbert Limore, Tower Lord of the Wind Tower, struck the table to regain attention.
"We needn't think too extremely, but overly optimistic assumptions will only hinder us. Rushing is unwise, but waiting to gauge MacLaine's reaction would be too late."
So what do you suggest?
The other three Tower Lords glared fiercely.
Yet the mild-mannered elder, Limore, remained unshaken as he continued.
"Given the circumstances, MacLaine may not even be interested in our towers. Rather than provoking him unnecessarily, we should observe internal reactions and take measured steps."
"How do you mean?"
"We'll need to plant reliable informants within."
"Setting aside how we'd plant them, what if we're betrayed?"
Though Redios found the idea reasonable, the hot-tempered fire mage clearly disagreed.
Despite Framer's scowl, Limore smiled and replied,
"That's precisely why we must proceed cautiously. Moreover, if I recall correctly, that archmage—the Golem Master—hails from the Earth Magic Tower, does he not...?"
Following Limore's gaze, all eyes turned to Redios.
Here it comes.
The topic he dreaded most had surfaced, weighing heavily on his mind.
Memories he'd tried to bury now tormented him anew, leaving him no choice but to respond with a bitter smile.
"Ah... Yes, that's true."
"Even if he's independent now, he was once your disciple. Surely you can at least gather preliminary information from him?"
Using an archmage as an informant.
If possible, there was no surer method.
"Ah... That much should be feasible."
"An excellent idea."
Hope flickered in the others' eyes—but for Redios, it only brought suffocating frustration.
He knew full well it was impossible.
"But, you see—"
He couldn't admit that Clayton was someone he'd avoid even at the cost of his dignity.
Yet making empty promises would only backfire.
As Redios hesitated, chewing his lip—
"L-Lord Logan MacLaine and Archmage Clayton have arrived!"
A voice from outside froze the expressions of the Tower Lords.
Creak.
Only two figures entered through the opened door.
In these turbulent times, they had boldly come to the Tower of Flame at the northern edge of the capital—without a single escort.
Yet no one would call them reckless.
An Aura User and an archmage.
Even if the towers had laid a trap, these two transcendents could inflict catastrophic damage.
Knowing this, the Tower Lords broke into cold sweat despite the visitors' calm demeanor.
Logan strode in indifferently, his gaze sweeping over them before he casually took a seat at the head of the table where the Tower Lords convened.
"It's fortunate you're all gathered. Saves me the trouble of visiting each of you separately."
His meaningful words were followed by Clayton standing silently behind him—a natural display of dominance that momentarily stunned the Tower Lords.
"...What do you mean?"
"As you're all aware, the kingdom is unstable. I've come to seek your cooperation in swiftly restoring order."
At Clayton's words, the Tower Lords exchanged bewildered glances—
"Under Archmage Clayton's leadership, the command of the Five Great Magic Towers will be unified. We expect your full cooperation."
Without pause, Logan declared it as fact.
"Excuse me?!"
"W-Wait, that's—!"
"The towers have always maintained neutrality, Lord Logan!"
"This disregards tradition—!"
BANG.
The Tower Lords' protests vanished beneath the sound of Logan's palm striking the table.
A strange pressure emanated from his hand, bearing down on them.
"In this national emergency, dissent will not be tolerated. Choose: submit, or be branded traitors and crushed. Here. Now."
His icy tone jolted their spirits.
Their faces twisted with indignation and confusion, but none dared speak up.
The aura radiating from Logan's bare hands made it clear—opposition here meant death.
Moreover, Clayton's own oppressive presence surged behind him.
Huuuuum.
A golden-brown energy seeped from Clayton's smiling form, saturating the room.
As mages attuned to mana, the Tower Lords recognized it instantly—Mana Force, a higher form of magical energy.
Their faces paled.
'This... is a true archmage.'
'Unbelievable. To think he'd remind me of Juan Douglas already...'
'Remarkable.'
While the other three Tower Lords reflected on their own experiences, Redios felt only despair as he stared at Clayton.
'My entire life spent in Evertern's shadow... and now his disciple has become an archmage.'
His lips bled as he bit down, his gaze filled with anguish—but Clayton merely met his eyes with a faint smirk.
Redios' face contorted further.
'Am I not even worth acknowledging?'
His clenched fists trembled with nothing but futility.
That was why he was the first to break the suffocating silence.
"Do you truly think the two of you can intimidate four Tower Lords?! This is the Tower of Flame! Isn't that right, Lord Framer?!"
"Well said, Redios! Lord Logan MacLaine. However transcendent you may be, this is my domain!"
Huuuum.
Redios' words spurred Framer forward, his face red with fury.
Huuuuuum.
Simultaneously, a surge of violent mana erupted from him, pushing back against Logan and Clayton's pressure.
The tower's power converged around them, pressing down with increasing intensity.
CRACKLE.
'They've made a fatal mistake coming here!'
Framer saw this as his chance.
The fire mana converging upon them wasn't Mana Force, but the accumulated might of centuries—enough for a 5th-Circle fire mage to momentarily overwhelm even two transcendents.
"Pay for underestimating the Tower Lords, Logan MacLaine!"
With Framer's roar, the mana moved at his command—
But.
"Underestimate you? Hardly."
A cold voice. A flash of gold.
Slice.
The pendant around Framer's neck fell, severed with barely a sound.
Huuuum.
Like a receding tide, the mana drained from the room.
The Divine Sword Secret Art, Flame Severing, had severed the connection between tower and Tower Lord.
"Th-This can't be... Even if the artifact broke, temporary control should've—"
As Framer muttered in disbelief, his face ashen, Logan smiled coldly at the Tower Lords.
"Now, let's hear your decisions again."
A gentle tone laced with lethal intent.
Clayton's golden-brown Mana Force disrupted their mana.
The golden aura hovering at Framer's throat drained the color from the old mage's face.