Chapter 73
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 73
Chapter Title: Mage Tower's Mage (3)
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A heavy, sticky silence settled behind the wide-open door.
A stillness as if time itself had frozen.
What broke that heavy air was a faint popping sound.
-Clink.
The sound of something glass-like shattering.
A quick glance revealed a crack in the vice tower master's monocle.
Though invisible, it seemed his mental state had taken a scratch too.
...
Whatever.
I shrugged and turned to leave.
In the place where the World Tree or whatever had stood, only an empty doorframe remained.
Somehow I felt a repair bill might come flying my way... but whatever, I could just forward it to Dean Raymond.
"Seems like I've done what I came for, so I'll be off."
I wonder what the beds in the Mage Tower are like? Maybe they've got spells for deep sleep?
Ah, but first, I'm hungry, so food...
"H-Hey! Wait!"
But my plans were blocked before I could even cross the threshold.
"Miss Lunaris, please wait!"
Urgent footsteps thundered like an earthquake, and in an instant, dozens of mages blocked my path.
When I came to, the wooden wall had been replaced by a wall of robed people.
"What was that spell just now? What the hell was it?!"
"Did you calculate all the formulas in your head? No, more than that! You didn't draw a magic circle? Didn't chant a spell?!"
"That's not the point! The mana in the air... the natural mana moved under control!"
"No wonder the guys dispatched to the academy haven't come back! They were hogging this incredible thing all to themselves?!"
The eyes of the surrounding mages were all bloodshot red.
Shock and fear.
And an even thicker, madness-tinged curiosity.
The mages grabbed my sleeves and pant legs, shoving their faces close and spraying spit.
"Let's talk! Just 10 minutes... no, 5 is fine!"
"Can I hold your hand? I just want to feel the flow of mana once!"
"Th-That spell that called the starlight... Can you shoot it at me too? I want to feel natural mana all over my body... Heh! Hihit!"
Wrinkled hands and gleaming eyes thrust toward me in competition.
"...Ah."
Only then did I realize what I'd done and where I was.
Even at the academy, there were times I was hounded all day by magic addicts.
Thinking of those people who drooled (literally streaming) and charged at me still makes me jolt awake at night screaming.
And this Mage Tower is where all those magic addicts gather.
Even a dozen made my head throb.
Here, there are dozens, hundreds of them.
"D-Dean Raymond... Cover for me..."
I turned for help, but.
"Hehe... What did I say? She's already surpassed the archmage level long ago."
The dean was surrounded by his own crowd, squealing happily.
"Well, she has the talent to earn the archmage title on her own... but I gave her a little push, shall we say? Ohohoho!!"
...
What a useless person.
Pushed this way and that, right at the moment someone tried to grab my arm by force.
[Goodness, how noisy.]
A soft, languid voice rang out through the noisy mages.
Not a shout, not infused with mana for threat.
Just like a grandma mumbling after waking up, a weary, relaxed tone.
But the moment it sounded, the marketplace-like clamor in the conference room settled as if by magic.
Excited, rampaging mages flinched.
Hands reaching for me froze in mid-air.
Soon, all eyes turned to the door.
"An old lady was enjoying a rare deep sleep, so who's making all this racket?"
It was a hunched old woman leaning on a worn wooden staff.
Loose robe topped with a stained shawl, dressed like she was just stepping out to the neighborhood.
But as she tapped her staff tak, tak on the floor and approached, mages bowed their heads and stepped back.
"It's you."
The old woman, now right in front of me, looked up with faded gray eyes.
"The cheeky girl who brought the commotion that woke me from my dream."
The smile at the corners of her wrinkled mouth oddly drew people in.
I blinked and asked.
"Are you the Tower Master of this Mage Tower, Grandma?"
Gasps escaped from here and there.
"Th-This insolent... Grandma?!"
Hmm, is "grandma" too much?
"If you guessed she was the Tower Master, you should have shown respect..."
"Hoho. That's a title that suits me perfectly."
The Tower Master burst into laughter as Vice Tower Master Wilhelm flushed red and raised his voice.
"Much nicer than stiff titles like Tower Master or Archmage."
She leaned on her staff and stepped one closer to me.
"Yes, that's right. I'm the Tower Master managing this Mage Tower, Eleanor."
Then she winked playfully.
"Don't be formal; you can just call me Grandma."
"Yes, Grandma."
Without a second's hesitation.
I'm good at this stuff.
"Oh my, heavens! It's been ages since such a cute and lively mage visited this musty old Mage Tower."
Grandma Eleanor chuckled, shoulders shaking, clearly taken with me.
Then, Dean Raymond, standing aside, hesitantly chimed in.
"Um... Tower Master. We interrupted your deep research period; sorry for the noise."
Grandma Eleanor waved it off dismissively.
"Hmm? It's fine. I was just sleeping; what research?"
"Haha... Your dreams are your workshop and lab, after all."
"By the way, how long was I asleep?"
"...Nearly a month."
"Oh dear. My sleep is getting longer and longer."
She smiled bitterly, rubbing her nape.
"Maybe next time I fall asleep, I won't wake up at all. Hehe."
"Haha..."
"Tower Master..."
Dean Raymond and the other mages couldn't just laugh, forcing wry smiles and watching carefully.
In the suddenly somber atmosphere, I rolled my eyes a bit then casually spoke.
"It's enviable being able to sleep a whole month straight."
"Hm?"
"I love sleeping the most too. The academy's on break now, and I'd love to sleep straight through till classes start."
Ideally, until graduation.
Grandma Eleanor blinked at my random nonsense.
Then clutched her stomach laughing.
"Yes, exactly. At your age, lots of sleep is best. That's how you grow big and strong."
Saying so, she slowly raised her arm to pat my head.
Rough touch.
But the sensation on my hair wasn't bad.
It had a strangely cozy scent.
"...Anyway."
After petting my head for a while, her gaze shifted to Vice Tower Master Wilhelm on the platform.
The kind smile she'd shown me was gone.
Replaced by a chilling glare.
"What were you doing just now?"
"Uh... Verifying Miss Lunaris's archmage qualifications."
The vice tower master stammered, sweating coldly.
Even that old geezer shrinks before superiors.
"We prepared some tests per procedure..."
"Tests?"
Grandma hummed, glancing at the gaping hole of a door.
"This musty wood smell is little Wilhelm's magic... and the sparkling starlight scent is maybe little Lunaris's?"
"Do I need to compensate for breaking the door, by any chance?"
Scratching my cheek as I asked, she laughed again.
"No need. Little Wilhelm will fix it himself, so don't worry."
"Thanks."
"But that was truly beautiful magic. Starlight... Magic I couldn't even dream of."
She looked at me fondly, then turned back to the vice tower master.
"This proves her archmage qualifications sufficiently. What more do you want?"
"B-But Tower Master! For qualification verification, we need approval from at least five schools, and two-thirds consent from all tower elders..."
"Is that so?"
Grandma tapped her staff on the floor.
"Then, as Tower Master of the Mage Tower and head of the Dream Illusion School, I cast my vote in favor."
She turned to Dean Raymond.
"Little Raymond. You'll vote yes too, since you recommended Lunaris, right?"
"Of course! And the Elemental School I belong to fully supports student Lunaris."
"See, that's two schools already."
Grandma Eleanor smiled gently, slowly surveying the dozens of awkwardly standing mages.
"Any of you young ones here oppose?"
Her soft voice carried firm power.
The mages blankly shook their heads as if entranced.
"Hoho. See? They're all in favor."
"Urgh..."
"If you think I'm being tyrannical, come find me anytime. We'll talk calmly."
Vice Tower Master Wilhelm's face paled.
He swallowed dryly, then silently bowed his head.
"Well, that settles the annoying business."
Grandma Eleanor smiled kindly at me.
"By the way, dear, have you eaten?"
"No. I was just getting hungry."
"Perfect. How about eating together? Eating alone is so lonely."
"Steak for the menu."
"Hoho, so straightforward; I like it."
She laughed childishly and took my hand.
"I know a great restaurant. They serve the tenderest meat, soft enough for these old gums."