Chapter 240
Chapter 240
Stealing the elite mages from the towers is an outrageous act that disrupts the balance of the magical society. We formally protest to the royal family.
—Freimer, Tower Lord of the Flame Tower, and the other four Tower Lords
Pfft.
"They drove them away with oppression and discrimination, and now they have the nerve to come forward like this?"
Clayton let out a dry laugh as he looked at the official document in his hand.
Considering Tower Lord Redios's reaction when he had declared his independence, this protest was nothing more than an excuse.
"Using this as a pretext, are they?"
It was clear that the Tower Lords, temporarily subdued by force, wanted to seize this opportunity to shake off even a fraction of the royal family's interference.
Of course, things wouldn't go as they pleased.
Just as Clayton smirked, recalling the greedy monarch of this kingdom—
Knock knock.
"Master. The mages you requested have arrived, as you instructed."
The voice of Grick from beyond the door snapped him out of his thoughts.
"Good. I'll be right out."
It was time for a new beginning.
And...
'The people gathered here will also have to make a fresh start.'
A slightly mischievous smile flickered across his lips.
—A single unified tower is fine, but what I envision is something beyond that...
He couldn't wait to see how the mages would react to the king's grand ambitions.
***
"Are all the mages assembled?"
"Yes. They're in the banquet hall. Master Clayton is currently entertaining them."
"Good. Let's go."
Logan stepped into the mansion, listening to Grick's report.
Once the residence of Duke Douglas, then his own dwelling, and now a temporary gathering place for mages—the security at the entrance was tight.
"Salute!"
"Your Majesty—"
"At ease."
Passing through rows of knights, Logan headed straight for the banquet hall without delay.
—His Majesty the King has arrived!
Mages clad in robes of various colors immediately parted to either side and bowed deeply.
"Your Majesty."
"Your Majesty."
Logan walked slowly between them, wearing a gentle smile.
It bothered him slightly that those wearing similar robes clustered together, but that was an issue to address later.
For now, he simply needed to impress upon them how seriously he regarded this matter.
These mages were precious resources—the future backbone of the Magical Military Unit.
"Your Majesty, we weren't expecting you today. We were to meet tomorrow—"
"No, no. When it comes to meeting talents who will shape the kingdom's future, the sooner, the better."
Patting Clayton's shoulder as he hurriedly descended to greet him, Logan ascended the dais and surveyed the silent hall.
The mages, who had gathered around the platform, looked up at him with intense curiosity and faint unease in their eyes.
Logan pointed to a middle-aged mage whose gaze burned particularly bright.
"Such fierce fire mana radiating from you—you must be Elder Max from the Tower of Flame?"
"Gasp! Please lower your words, Your Majesty. They are too generous for me."
Max immediately dropped to one knee, but contrary to his humble words, a faint smile tugged at his lips.
The fact that the king knew his name alone made him feel as if a bright future had unfolded before him.
"I heard you were a candidate for Tower Lord of the Tower of Flame. Yet you've been treated unfairly. As the king of this nation, I couldn't stand by and watch such injustice, so I summoned you."
"Y-Your grace is boundless!"
"And isn't that Elder Gerald from the Royal Magic Tower?"
"Y-Your Majesty!"
Logan called out each of the 5th-Circle mages by name, offering words of encouragement.
Elder Gerald and Roywin from the Royal Tower, Justin from the Water Tower, Ephese from the Wind Tower, Ragon and Aemon from the Earth Tower—
All of them, elders who had been ostracized despite their talents, knelt with expressions of deep gratitude.
"I intend to unite talents like yours to forge a new military force for our kingdom. Will you join me in this endeavor?"
"Of course, Your Majesty!"
"Without question!"
"Thank you for your trust!"
The atmosphere in the banquet hall heated up with their confident responses.
"Now, now. Today, eat and drink to your heart's content. And starting tomorrow, let us embark together on a new beginning for the kingdom's future!"
"We pledge our utmost loyalty!"
The mages' eyes sparkled with anticipation for the new tower they would lead, and the gathering concluded in a warm, convivial atmosphere, with everyone dreaming of a bright future.
***
"The mages' eyes were shining like stars."
After the banquet, Clayton cautiously broached the topic when he and Logan were alone.
"Naturally. And they'll continue to receive the treatment they deserve."
"But Your Majesty, I think you omitted the most crucial part—that this isn't a tower, but a Magical Military Unit."
"Is there really a difference?"
Logan grinned, but Clayton felt a slight headache coming on.
"...Then I suppose I have to be the one to break it to them?"
"Wouldn't that be best?"
Logan's smooth smile was infuriatingly smug. Clayton groaned and rubbed his temples.
'As if he doesn't know...'
—We are scholars, not weapons of war!
He could already picture the high-ranking mages throwing tantrums.
Logan had clearly planned to dump all the backlash onto him from the start.
With a bitter smile, Clayton decided to retaliate by bringing up a topic that would make Logan uncomfortable.
"Your Majesty, the budget pressure must be quite severe lately, no?"
"...Well, as you know. But why bring that up—?"
"Actually, aside from the mages we invited, many others have inquired about the MacLaine Tower. Just in numbers alone, it's likely double the invited attendees... Given the allocated budget, I fear it won't be enough."
Clayton felt a small but intense satisfaction watching Logan's expression falter.
"...Double?"
"Yes. And if you accept them, even more will likely come. It seems the accumulated corruption in the towers is worse than we thought."
If that happened, the Magical Military Unit they envisioned would materialize overnight.
But could the royal family, already stretched thin, afford to take in twice the number of mages—essentially money-devouring liabilities?
'Impossible.'
Even Clayton thought it was a pipe dream.
But still...
"What do you think will happen if we don't accept them?"
"The Magical Military Unit you envision will be delayed several times over. Perhaps indefinitely..."
Clayton trailed off, but Logan understood immediately.
"...They'll think the royal family discriminates based on favoritism?"
"Exactly. Mages are a prideful bunch, more than you'd expect."
"Sigh..."
Logan clutched his head with a groan.
Majeong Water Farming, dam construction, the military—
The projects he had already launched were draining funds left and right.
—Even the people of your homeland, the MacLaine Territory, may turn their backs on you, Your Majesty.
The weighty warning from Dwain flashed through his mind. Logan sighed deeply and stared at the sky, lost in thought.
But...
"Bring them all in."
"Pardon?!"
"The sooner we amass formidable strength, the smaller the losses we'll face in the future. Since we've started this, we must charge ahead at full speed."
Clayton had no rebuttal. He could only nod silently.
***
And within days, over 200 mages from all five towers arrived at the MacLaine mansion, seeking refuge.
Most were mid-tier mages (3rd to 4th Circle) or young practitioners.
Clayton welcomed them with mixed feelings.
Of course, the mages who joined soon realized that the path ahead wasn't as rosy as they'd imagined.
A week later, gathered in the royal palace, they learned that they weren't joining the MacLaine Tower—but the MacLaine Magical Military Unit.
"A military unit?"
"You mean a combat force?"
"Us?"
As the mages murmured uneasily, their employer—the king—delivered the final blow.
—You will not belong to the MacLaine Tower, but to the MacLaine Magical Military Unit.
—Naturally, you will undergo basic military training.
The shocking announcement left them dumbfounded.
Not a single mage present had left their tower without being cursed out.
If they walked out now?
They'd be reduced to wandering mercenary mages overnight.
In the end, the mages had no choice but to grit their teeth and participate in the unit's training.
Even the elderly mages nearing sixty were no exception.
The sight of them running across the training grounds, white beards fluttering, became a spectacle in itself—and a subject of mockery for those who hadn't joined.
But despair was fleeting. As time passed, smiles began to reappear on the faces of the unit's mages.
Through combat training, those who had long been stuck at lower circles started breaking through their limits one by one.
Physical conditioning—something they'd never considered suitable for mana users.
And using magic to enhance it.
This pioneering approach, unthinkable to mages of this era, gradually opened their rigid minds, spurring their growth.
"Did you foresee this outcome?"
"Didn't you say it yourself, Clayton? That focusing on construction and pouring all your energy into it led to your own growth—and your disciples'?"
"Well, yes, but..."
Logan credited Clayton, but he had anticipated some of this effect.
'The Magical Military Unit. The Empire already proved its efficiency.'
A combat organization created by the Empire to utilize mages as military assets.
Strangely, the more they trained and fought, the faster the unit's mages advanced in their magical prowess. A decade into the Empire's wars, mages were clamoring to join the unit.
Of course, Logan didn't know the exact reason or mechanism behind it.
He had merely sought to supplement their lacking military strength by emulating the Empire's structure.
That it yielded better results than expected was simply a bonus.
But there were side effects.
"Your Majesty, do you finally understand how terrifying budgets can be?"
Dwain smiled grimly, dark circles under his eyes.
Logan could only return a bitter smile at the sight of his haggard retainer.
Before him lay a meal barely fit for a king—a meager bowl of soup and bread.
"No meat until the farming and dam projects are complete."
"...Is this really necessary, Dwain?"
"I could ask you the same! Was this really necessary?!"
Half-mad, Dwain's eyes gleamed dangerously—as if he'd bite Logan if he heard one more complaint.
Ahem.
This was all his own doing.
Logan sighed and forced down the bland soup.