Wintersheld Magic Academy (1)
The magic city of Wintersheld.
Located southwest of Midtemple, it was one of the four great cities of the continent.
It was the cradle of magic, and the preeminent center of learning and knowledge on the continent.
Built upon a region where mana had flowed abundantly since ancient times, Wintersheld had developed around its prestigious magic academy, which boasted hundreds of years of history.
As talented mages gathered from all corners of the continent, safety from monsters was naturally guaranteed.
Consequently, ordinary citizens had also begun to settle in the surrounding areas.
Clack, clank—
And now, the carriage we were riding in was cutting through the heart of that great city.
"Wow..."
Adelia pressed her face close to the carriage window, gazing out at the cityscape.
Bloop!
The miniature Sea Moon Jellyfish also poked its head out from her inner pocket.
Hmm.
By the way, it's going to be troublesome if the Sea Moon Jellyfish keeps showing itself like this at any given moment.
Rustle—
I rolled up Tristan's Cloak and draped it over the creature.
Then, I thought to myself:
Do not show yourself until I give the command.
Ring!
The life dwelling within the 'Easter Egg' assists in communicating with the Divine Beast.
The Sea Moon Jellyfish immediately quieted down.
"...?"
Witnessing this, Isaac Berylof wore a look of utter bewilderment.
He seemed displeased that I was using Tristan's Cloak so casually.
But like the coward he was, his lips merely twitched a few times, unable to utter a single word.
Pfft.
Letting out a small chuckle, I looked back out the window.
It was a unique landscape where peculiar architecture and advanced magic engineering harmonized.
To Adelia, who had only ever seen the sacred and lofty architecture of the Holy City, the avant-garde appearance of Wintersheld seemed to come as a fresh shock.
Of course, she wasn't the only one captivated by this grand sight.
It looks even cooler in person.
Seeing the scenery I had witnessed hundreds of times in the game unfold vividly before my eyes made my heart flutter.
The magic tower rising in the distance was a particularly spectacular sight.
A colossal tower soaring high above the city's buildings. It stood at the center of Wintersheld, occupying a vast estate that spanned half the city's total area.
That very place was our destination: Wintersheld Magic Academy.
"..."
I silently stared at the top floor of the magic tower.
Eventually, I'll have to meet the 'being' secluded up there...
...But for now, let's deal with the situation at hand.
Just as I was lost in thought, Isaac spoke up.
"It is a truly wonderful city, isn't it?"
Isaac Berylof began to explain the city, acting as if he were our tour guide.
"Wintersheld is the only academy city on the continent. Politics, economy, society, culture... everything else falls under the influence of the magic academy."
Of course, having memorized the lore of Lost Elder, I already knew all of this.
Wintersheld is largely divided into two districts.
The Outer Tower and the Inner Tower.
The Outer Tower was a mixed commercial and residential area where ordinary citizens lived.
On the other hand, the Inner Tower was the actual campus of the magic academy, a space primarily used by students, professors, and researchers.
"Ordinary people who aren't mages cannot enter the Inner Tower district without special permission. Even if permission is granted, they must undergo an extremely rigorous screening process."
Glance—
Looking back and forth between the two of us, Isaac Berylof continued.
"However, since you two are visiting under the professors' invitation regarding the 'Earth Dragon subjugation' commission, you should be able to enter the Inner Tower district without any issues."
Isaac Berylof finished with a meaningful smile.
The reason he emphasized the 'Earth Dragon subjugation' was simple. It meant the affiliates of Wintersheld Magic Academy only knew us as ordinary adventurers.
In other words, the moment it was revealed that I was a Sword Master, it would cause a massive stir.
He probably doesn't want any unnecessary commotion.
Of course, the same went for me.
My purpose in visiting the magic academy was, first and foremost, to make contact with the Shadow Society.
But would it be possible to contact a secret society while drawing everyone's attention?
Obviously not.
Therefore...
"Don't worry too much. What you fear won't happen."
"Thank you for your understanding."
I intended to play along with Isaac Berylof and the Shadow Society for the time being.
Yes. At least, for 'the time being.'
"Your identities have been verified."
Just as Isaac Berylof had guaranteed, we smoothly passed through the checkpoint leading to the Inner Tower.
"Welcome back to the main tower, Assistant Berylof."
The guard opened the gate immediately after checking his identification, and our carriage began to move smoothly along the street once again.
Clack, clank—
The scenery of the Inner Tower visible outside the window was starkly different from the Outer Tower district.
Instead of the lively atmosphere of the commercial district, calm and orderly buildings lined the streets. Between them, magical devices floating in the sky caught the eye.
"We have arrived."
Screech—
Before long, we reached our destination.
An antique stone building. Complete with grand pillars and a main gate carved with ornate reliefs.
It was the main hall of Wintersheld Magic Academy.
"I will guide you this way."
Stepping down from the carriage, Isaac Berylof took the lead. Entering the main hall, we followed him up the stairs.
"First, we are heading to the laboratory of the professor in charge of the joint research on 'Labyrinth Village Specialty Cultivation.' After a brief greeting, I will guide you to your private quarters..."
"Isaac Berylof!"
Freeze—
Right then, a sudden shout rang out.
A short, wrinkled old man came striding down from the upper floor.
The old man, sporting a bushy beard, glared at us with fierce eyes.
Isaac Berylof faced him with a slightly flustered expression.
"P-Professor Biorf...?"
Biorf. An 8th-circle mage and a tenured professor at Wintersheld Magic Academy.
Among the players of Lost Elder, he was an NPC nicknamed 'Chihuahua.'
Because he behaved exactly like one.
"Have you lost your mind!"
Professor Biorf marched right up to Isaac Berylof's nose and bellowed.
Due to his short stature, he had to stand three steps up the stairs just to meet our eyes.
"Where on earth have you been wandering off to without a word!"
"W-Well, that is..."
"Do you not realize how the lab falls apart without you? I'm already busy enough to die with research, and now I have to manage people too?!"
Professor Biorf's face was flushed red with anger.
Whiplash—
His sharp gaze quickly shifted to Adelia and me.
"And who are you people? Why have outsiders crawled all the way into the main hall?"
Isaac Berylof hurriedly intervened.
"Professor, these are the adventurers who took on the Earth Dragon subjugation commission in Labyrinth Village. They were invited by Professor Servich to assist in the final stages of the 'Labyrinth Village Specialty Cultivation' research..."
"Dammit! Professor Servich?"
Biorf shrieked.
"By what right does that fox keep trying to piggyback on my work? 'Labyrinth Village Specialty Cultivation' is my research! I did it all from start to finish!"
"..."
"That wench only helped a tiny bit with the final experiment! And yet she got her name listed as a co-author on the paper? How dare she...!"
"What is all this noise about?"
Click, clack—
The sound of heels clicking against the marble floor cut off Biorf's heated words.
A woman was descending from the upper landing with an elegant stride.
As the light from the fireplace illuminated her face, her delicate features were revealed.
Reddish hair flowed softly over her shoulders, and her brilliant green eyes held a calm composure.
"Selena... Servich..."
Professor Biorf growled in a hostile voice.
Unbothered, the woman replied with ease.
"Biorf, those two are guests I invited. No matter how you feel, I cannot let you behave so rudely to them."
"That's because you piggybacked on—!"
"And I piggybacked? Let me repeat: belittling the person who solved the core bottleneck of the research as merely 'piggybacking' is a highly childish attitude for a scholar."
"What! Childish?"
Biorf's face flushed even redder.
"A research project I spent five years on! From A to Z! A study I designed and experimented on myself! You only participated in the very last step, and you dare try to steal my credit?!"
The woman descended the stairs and stood beside Professor Biorf with a nonchalant expression. Biorf's height didn't even reach her chest.
"Look, Biorf. Without that 'last step,' your research would have remained incomplete forever. In research, results are what ultimately matter."
"Utterly shameless! Just like how you took my assistant without a word!"
"Your assistant...?"
"Yes! Isaac Berylof belongs to my laboratory! Do you hear me?"
Rolling her eyes, the woman let out a sigh.
"Sigh. Assistant Berylof is a department-wide assistant, not assigned to a specific professor. Anyone can request his help if needed for research."
"But right now, he is working on my—"
"I merely asked Berylof for assistance for the official welcoming procedures, as we must host important guests who successfully completed the Earth Dragon subjugation. Are you really going to micromanage every little thing like this?"
"That's what I'm saying! Why are you the one inviting the guests related to the Earth Dragon subjugation? That is my research! Mine!"
Biorf raised his voice even higher.
"I racked my brain for five years, and you think it makes sense to list yourself as a co-author after pondering it for a mere five days?"
The woman did not back down either, replying sharply.
"To put it another way, I helped an incompetent researcher who struggled for five years over a problem that could be solved in five days. If I hadn't intervened, those five years might have easily become fifty."
"W-What did you say...?"
Professor Biorf's mouth opened and closed repeatedly. Unable to find the words, he eventually clenched his fists and spun around.
"Dammit!"
Unable to contain his rage, he stomped down the stairs. The sound echoed off the marble floor, gradually fading away.
The woman shook her head with an exasperated expression.
"My apologies. We've put on quite a farce in front of our two guests."
"..."
"Professor Biorf is as stubborn as he is passionate about his studies. I hope you can generously overlook this awkward situation..."
"Amusing."
I cut her off.
"Even as the world hurtles toward its end, you mages are holed up in a corner of this grand tower, squabbling over the order of authors on a paper."
Flinch—
Adelia glanced at me in alarm. Her face betrayed her worry over how the other party would react to such a rude remark.
However, instead of showing displeasure, the woman wore a meaningful smile. If anything, she seemed to find my comment refreshing.
"An interesting perspective."
She gracefully extended her hand, offering a handshake.
"Allow me to introduce myself formally. I am Selena Servich, a tenured professor at Wintersheld Magic Academy."
I took her hand and gave it a light shake.
"Now, let's not stand in the hallway. Shall we head to my office? We can discuss the details over a warm cup of tea."
I nodded silently and followed her.
Click, clack—
The sound of her heels echoing on the marble floor felt strangely imposing.
An overwhelming power hidden behind her youthful appearance.
The mana of a 9th-circle mage was causing the surrounding air to vibrate minutely.
Revealing such a powerful aura so casually was, in itself, a confident display of dominance.
Then again.
If one were to lead a secret society in the heart of Wintersheld, they would naturally need that level of audacity.
I've finally met her.
The corners of my mouth curled up slightly.
The leader of the Shadow Society, the Blood Empress.
"..."
Inside the professor's office.
Selena Servich looked at Gaon, who sat opposite her, with an intrigued gaze.
Before long, her lips curved into a smirk.
Amusing.
Gaon had already realized that she was the Blood Empress.
It was a fact one could deduce just by recalling the words he had uttered on the stairs earlier.
Gaon had come to the magic academy under the guise of an adventurer who had subjugated the Earth Dragon. Yet, speaking of the end of the world was by no means something an ordinary 'adventurer' would say.
In other words...
He is treating me not as a professor of the magic academy, but as the leader of the Shadow Society.
He must have decided there was no need to hide his identity in front of the Blood Empress.
Above all, Gaon's gaze solidified her conviction. His sharp eyes seemed to pierce through everything.
He is an extraordinary man, just as I heard.
Having finished her thoughts, Selena lightly placed her hands on the table.
Then, she began the conversation in a soft voice.
"First, let me express my gratitude for the Earth Dragon subjugation. Thanks to you, the research on Labyrinth Village specialties can enter its final stages—"
"Cut the useless pleasantries."
Clink—
Gaon cut her off, setting his teacup down on the table.
"We don't have time, so let's get straight to the point."
"...Pardon?"
"Hand over the leadership of the Shadow Society to me, Blood Empress."
Freeze—
The air in the room froze.
Adelia stared at Gaon with a face full of shock, while Isaac Berylof's eyes widened in disbelief.
After a long silence, Selena Servich opened her mouth.
"What did you say...?"