Chapter 132
Chapter 132
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 132
Chapter Title: The Five Pillars (9)
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The aftermath this time was even greater than the last. Excluding the Magic Tower Lord's followers, Oklamud's faction was the strongest group within the tower. No matter how hard he tried to make sense of it, Aslerus simply couldn't wrap his head around it.
Aslerus slammed his fist on the desk and shot to his feet.
"D-don't talk nonsense! If it was Elder Oklamud's base, there would've been high-ranking mages on my level guarding it in droves! How could you possibly break through that security and take the 'pillars'!"
"So how do you think I got this? Did I play shell games with those spell-slinging bastards?"
"……."
"I could prove it by showing you exactly how I killed them, if you want."
Veins bulged and throbbed across his rock-hard muscles. Aslerus flinched. Still, sensing a threat to his own unassailable position, he refused to back down and kept nitpicking.
"N-no, that's not the point... Ah, haa... It just doesn't make sense. H-how could you block all those spells, dodge them... without even getting singed by the flames... No, it doesn't make sense!"
"……What the hell are you babbling about?"
"Th-that's not all! How could you slaughter the tower's precious talents like that? They all clawed their way up through bone-grinding effort! And when Elder Oklamud finds out, he'll unleash hellish revenge for sure……."
Kadim scowled and shot him a look of utter disbelief. What the fuck is this guy even saying? One minute he calls them his fiercest rivals.
There was no need for Kadim to refute it himself. A cold incantation cut off the fumbling protest.
Craaaack—
Rock-hard ice clamped over his fumbling mouth like a muzzle. Coltran narrowed his eyes and fixed him with a chilly glare.
"Enough with the idiotic drivel, Aslerus. Securing those pillars meant spilling their blood no matter what. If anything, shouldn't you be thanking Kadim here for handling it alone?"
Craaaack, craaaack—
"Mmph! Mmph! Mmph!"
The ice snaked up his neck like vines, splaying out to pin his head back firmly. Aslerus was forced into a bow toward Kadim. He thrashed to break free, but the ice surged forward again, gluing his face straight to the desk.
'Mmph, mmph, mmph!'
Coltran spared not a glance at the battle mage locked in a deep kiss with the desk.
"Hmm... Still, I have to admit I'm a bit worried about how Oklamud will react. It would've been fine if we'd wiped him out cleanly too, but of all people, he was away……."
'Mmph, mmph, mmph!'
Kadim ignored the muffled groans and crossed his arms impassively.
"I didn't leave any witnesses. Does he have some way to figure out what happened?"
"He does. Oklamud knows a spell to temporarily revive the dead. He'll have brought the corpses back to question them. Unless you pulverized every last one beyond recognition—which I doubt……."
"……."
In truth, he'd smashed almost all their skulls.
But there was one—the last mage he'd killed. He'd only lopped off his horns and left. Kadim felt a twinge of regret. Should've just blown that bastard's head off too while he was at it.
Coltran clapped his hands with a smack and lightened the mood deliberately.
"Well, even so, it'll cripple their forces for now—they won't move easily. Especially once they learn I'm backing you. Don't worry too much, Kadim."
"……."
"And there's more good news. We've tracked down the last one, the 'Pillar of Water.' The council chairman himself contacted me first, saying he's holding it. I sent a messenger to negotiate, so a reply should come soon……."
Speak of the devil. Just as the words left his mouth, a telepathic message arrived.
"……Already? Hold on a moment."
The mage dispatched as messenger burst in, panting. He glanced once at the hulking barbarian with the grim face, then twice at the high mage whose face was plastered to the desk. Masking his shock with practiced ease, he approached the elder.
The elder, upon hearing the chairman's message, couldn't hide his own agitation.
"……What? He's putting it up for auction?"
*
The potbellied man stood by the window, surveying the cityscape.
An endless ocean moistening the horizon, pristine white streets harmonizing with alabaster buildings, a vast blue sky stretching infinitely—and the tower rising imposingly, as if overlooking that very sky.
It was a picture-perfect vista that would leave anyone breathless in admiration.
"……Hoo."
But to the potbellied man—Conrad—it all felt like a prison without bars.
He was the chairman of Vestana's council, tasked with managing this "miracle city." In other cities, the chairman wielded absolute power. But Vestana's was different.
The true rulers here weren't the council—they were the Magic Tower. And the essence of being "Vestana's council chairman" was having your nose pierced by the tower's master, doomed to live out your days as livestock in this barless cage.
Not that previous chairmen hadn't harbored rebellious thoughts against the Magic Tower Lord. But every last one had vanished from the world without a speck of dust remaining.
The Tower Lord was a "monster" who defied even death and brooked no resistance or treason. The only reason Conrad had kept his life and position this long was his innate cowardice: shutting his mouth like a mute, thinking nothing like an idiot, groveling in submission like a dog.
But what meaning was there in merely clinging to such a spineless existence?
Conrad was utterly sick of life as a puppet chairman. He'd dug up a few of the Tower Lord's secrets through backchannel investigations, but he lacked either the cunning to exploit them or the guts to expose them.
So his fallback plan had been a "generational change" at the tower……
'Positions shape people. Even a new Tower Lord would end up using me the same way eventually.'
……which led to the conclusion that time would bring the same mess.
Ultimately, Conrad's final solution was this:
'Vanish. Take a fat stack of cash and go. Some remote imperial resort— even the Tower Lord won't find me there. If I can get him purged clean before I leave, perfect... but that's basically impossible…….'
And now, in Conrad's hand was the very item that would fund his lavish escape.
The 'Pillar of Water'.
A magic tool the Tower Lord had entrusted to him personally.
He'd once thought it just a powerful magic staff. But recently, it turned out to be the key to a secret passage to the tower's deepest level. Before he knew it, all the elders were bloodshot-eyed hunting for it.
Normally, he'd never dream of selling it. But not now. The Tower Lord was away on a long inspection to Soltana. This was the perfect chance to sell it on the sly and vanish from Vestana.
He'd first considered handing it to Oklamud, a top candidate for next Tower Lord. But Oklamud, having more leeway than the others, was notoriously stingy.
'That tightfisted old geezer... I said a modest reward would do—who said anything about pocket change?'
So Conrad made up his mind.
He'd gather all the elders and auction off the 'Pillar of Water'.
Odds were it'd still end up with Oklamud—his faction had the deepest pockets by far. But pitting the elders against each other would surely drive the price way above Oklamud's initial offer.
The plan was flawless. At worst, he'd pocket a few million luden. Enough for a villa, a vacation home, a sleek carriage…….
Just as Conrad's heart swelled with visions of a golden future—
Knock, knock, knock.
'……Preparations are ready, Chairman. Let's head to the "Demon Cave" at once.'
His aide signaling the auction setup was complete.
Conrad sucked in his gut, gripped the 'Pillar of Water' sternly, and leaned on it.
"Got it. We're leaving right now."
*
The 'Frozen Heart' Coltran was usually as unflappably cool as a glacier. But even he couldn't fully mask a flicker of concern now.
"Are you sure about this? Oklamud's bound to show up. Maybe it's best to steer clear for now……."
"Didn't you say not to worry since you're backing me? Or was that just empty talk?"
"……."
Coltran let out a deflating chuckle as he stared at the barbarian who seemed utterly devoid of fear.
"Pff... Fair enough. No need to worry there. What really concerns me is something else far bigger……."
The elder stroked his sparse beard and glanced back. Lowly mages toting luggage, ornate chests gleaming. They looked loaded enough to buy a fortress at a glance—but reality was different.
Over half those chests were empty.
"……In terms of funds, we're hopelessly outmatched. Oklamud has as many hoarded coins as followers. If he wins the 'Pillar of Water' at this auction, we'll be in real trouble……."
The pillars only worked as a key when all five were together. Even with four in hand, Oklamud snatching the water one would ruin everything.
He'd brought extra empty chests to bluff, but it wouldn't take long for their poverty to show. Coltran rubbed his throbbing temple.
Kadim pondered intently before asking.
"As for that last pillar, why not just steal it from the chairman or rob whichever elder wins it? Why bother with the auction?"
"……The chairman holds a tool to summon the 'Magic Tower Lord.' Steal from him, and he'll call his master instantly. Oklamud's doubled down on security after his own incident. Miss this auction, and our easy shot at all five pillars is gone."
"……."
Kadim's firm lips tightened. After mentally tallying costs, he posed another question.
"How much do you think that Oklamud bastard's bringing?"
"Hard to say... At least five million luden, I'd wager……."
Kadim's eyebrow twitched upward. Coltran mistook it for shock at the absurd sum.
……It was the exact opposite.
In any case, Coltran's group hurried on to the 'Demon Cave' where the secret auction was held.
The atmosphere was much the same as last time. Murky air thick with the stench of demon slaughter, prisoners caged behind iron bars, dank shadows crawling like sewer sludge.
But the freakish residents reacted entirely differently. No one eyed Kadim as some barbarian prey this time. Instead, they all trembled at the sight of him, prostrating themselves frantically. Even the beastly inmates did the same.
To be precise, it was Coltran they feared, not Kadim.
"……Quite the different reception from last time."
"Even gutter vermin recognize predators. No one in Vestana misses the meaning of this robe."
Coltran ostentatiously flapped the cuffs of his black robe, symbol of Sage rank.
They crossed the streets smoothly enough, reaching a dead-end wall. Coltran murmured an incantation, touching the mystical runes in sequence. The space twisted like wrung fabric, ceiling and floor rotating clockwise...
Rumble rumble rumble...
……revealing the secret auction chamber.
A palatial space compared to the passage. Intricately carved ceiling and pillars, obsidian slabs and marble podium, sofas arrayed in neat rows.
The council elders already there sat in a line, eyeing Coltran warily or flashing polite smiles with greetings.
"Hahaha, late as usual, Coltran! What's with all the baggage? Sell off your entire magic tool collection?"
"Heh heh, no contest—you'll snag it anyway. We'll just watch and head home."
"Those chests aren't half empty, are they? Someone we all know's apparently raiding his vault out of spite... Heh heh heh……."
"……."
……Whatever the tone, the underlying intent to probe was clear.
Attention on Coltran didn't last. It nearly shifted to the barbarian at his side but skipped straight past to the rear. At last, the auction's star guest appeared at the entrance.
Rumble rumble rumble...
An elderly man of savage, hulking build strode through the twisting walls and floor.
Council seat one: 'Black Rock Inferno' Oklamud.
His entrance flipped the lax mood on its head.
A tense hush hung by a thread, breaths escaping precariously. Oklamud swept the room with blazing eyes. When they locked on the massive barbarian, realization dawned—sparks exploded, brows twisting in fury.
Yet he held back the rage for now. Instead, he declared to the elders in a venomous voice.
"If you're just here to gawk, get out. This ain't some backroom gambling den for has-beens."
His subordinate mages grunted as they flung open the chests trailing him.
A dazzling golden radiance bloomed forth.
"Ten million luden. Ten million. I've brought every coin to dump here. Without this resolve, this amount—you got no shot at the 'Pillar of Water.' Don't waste time; leave now, you fools!"
"“…….”"
Not a breath stirred in the silence.
The elders gawked, frozen like statues. Unbelievable. An insane fortune matching their combined totals. Even Coltran paled at twice his estimate.
But one person—one man in that chamber—reacted differently.
The towering barbarian beside Coltran.
Pfft.
Kadim snorted.