Recruiting Talent (1)
“...A dimensional rift, you say.”
Roimdel spoke in a shaking voice.
“A dimensional rift will open soon.”
“...”
“...”
At my words, not only Roimdel but the other two chief mages fell silent as well.
“H-how on earth do you know that?” Roimdel asked.
“The previous tower master prophesied it.”
I had no real excuse, so I sold out the former tower master.
“The previous tower master?”
“The mage Rundel.”
“...I’ve never heard that name before. Then you’re preparing for the dimensional rift because you believe that prophecy?”
“Yes.”
“I don’t understand. Believing the prophecy of some nameless mage...”
“Even if the former tower master was not an exceptional mage, I believe his gift for prophecy was considerable.”
“...So, what happens when a dimensional rift occurs?”
I knew a dimensional rift would happen, but I didn’t know the details.
Before the game began, all I had was fragmentary information from the community.
“That... I’m not entirely sure myself. Only that the Kassim Empire... no, the entire continent of Pangea could be placed in danger.”
“...I see.”
Roimdel nodded in reluctant acceptance.
“So that’s why you demanded independent command authority?”
“Yes. If the dimensional rift begins in earnest, I thought rapid decision-making and response would be the most important things.”
The real reason I wanted independent command authority was to keep myself alive, of course...
But I couldn’t say that.
“Independent command authority, huh...”
“You think it makes sense to give that kind of authority to a third-rate mage?”
As Chief Mage Roimdel muttered with his chin in his hand, Valter answered him.
“That’s true enough. Then let’s do this. We’ll acknowledge your independent command authority, but only within your own tower.”
“That would be more than enough.”
“Good. Then to summarize: the Fusion Magic Tower will be granted the status of a Special Cooperation Magic Tower and will exclusively supply Mana Amplification. The price will be 700 gold coins, or 500 if materials are provided. And in the event of a dimensional rift, the Fusion Magic Tower will be guaranteed autonomous action. Is that the agreement?”
Roimdel sought final confirmation.
“Yes, I agree.”
“Then let us draw up the contract.”
Roimdel used magic to lift a sheet of parchment into the air and began writing out the terms.
Golden letters were inscribed across the parchment.
“Read it, and place your mana signature.”
I read the contract carefully.
Everything we had just agreed upon verbally was written there exactly as discussed.
“But what about the other two towers that aren’t present here?”
“You needn’t worry about that. If the three of us agree on a matter, the remaining two towers will have no choice but to follow. Especially when it comes to a revolutionary spell like Mana Amplification; they’d be fools to pass up the chance.”
Chief Mage Valter spoke with his arms folded.
Chief Mages Roimdel and Serena also seemed to agree.
“Understood. I’ll sign.”
I left my signature on the contract along with a surge of mana.
Red blood and blue mana mixed together, forming a mysterious pattern.
“Good.”
Roimdel also left his mana signature, and then Valter and Serena added theirs as witnesses.
Once the contract was complete, it shone with golden light, split into four pieces, and flew to each of us.
“From this moment on, the Fusion Magic Tower is officially a Special Cooperation Magic Tower of the empire.”
Roimdel declared it.
“Congratulations, Tower Master of the Fusion Magic Tower.” Serena said with an elegant smile.
It wasn’t sincere, perhaps, but at least she was keeping up appearances.
“Hmph. A third-rate mage becoming the tower master of a Special Cooperation Magic Tower overnight. The world really does work in strange ways.”
Valter still looked dissatisfied, but he was no longer openly hostile.
“Thank you.”
At last, I had established at least the bare minimum of safety in preparation for the dimensional rift.
“I look forward to seeing what comes next, Tower Master of the Fusion Magic Tower.”
“Yes. You should look forward to it. I’ll show you what else I can do.”
“You really do have remarkable confidence. So when can you begin supplying Mana Amplification?”
“Ah, actually, there’s something I need to discuss about that.”
“What is it?”
“At my current level, I can barely make one a week. So I’d like to ask a favor... Could you cast this Mana Amplification on me?”
“Tower Master of the Fusion Magic Tower. You want us to cast the spell you made on you?”
“Yes. As you can see, I’m still just a third-rate mage. Even a single four-attribute fusion leaves me short on mana to the point of coughing up blood. But if I receive Mana Amplification, I’ll be able to create fusion magic much more stably.”
I pointed to my blood-stained face as I spoke.
“That’s true enough. If you collapse, the supply of Mana Amplification would stop as well. Very well. I’ll cast it.”
Roimdel took the Mana Amplification bead from me.
Then he mounted the Mana Amplification bead onto his magic wand and prepared to cast.
“Indeed... I’m looking forward to seeing how much your mana increases.”
Roimdel raised his wand.
The Mana Amplification bead began to emit an enigmatic light from the tip of the wand.
As Roimdel began the incantation in earnest, the mana of a 6th-circle grand mage flowed out through the Mana Amplification bead.
Whooooosh—
Gray-tinted mana began to wrap around my body.
At first it felt warm, but little by little it turned scorching hot.
“Ugh...!”
Suddenly, it felt as though something had exploded inside my chest.
There was a crushing pressure, as though my heart might burst, and at the same time I could feel every mana circuit in my body being forcibly expanded.
“Tower Master!”
Lia started forward, but Valter stopped her.
“Don’t touch him. Mana reconstruction is underway right now.”
An enormous change was happening inside my body.
The narrow, fragile mana circuits I had possessed until now were widening, becoming stronger.
Like a thin stream turning into a great river.
Kwaaaah—!
In that instant, blue light burst from my body.
“What in the...”
Roimdel staggered back with a shocked expression.
Waves of mana rippled around me.
The pitiful mana of a third-rate mage began to rise at a terrifying pace.
[System: Mana Amplification has been cast.]
[Current mana: 127 → 384]
[Duration: Permanent]
Seeing the message float before my eyes, I was stunned.
My mana had increased more than threefold.
I was no longer a third-rate mage, but someone with the mana capacity of a true 3rd-circle mage.
“I can’t believe it...”
“...About 3rd-circle, I suppose.”
Valter and Serena murmured in admiration.
“Thank you, Chief Mage Roimdel.”
I thanked Roimdel and slowly got to my feet.
Power surged through my entire body, and I could feel mana flowing through me in a way that was on an entirely different level than before.
“Hm. To think the spell you created could produce this result. Truly astonishing.”
Roimdel, too, seemed moved by the effects of Mana Amplification.
“Thanks to this, I should be able to make Mana Amplification faster and in greater quantities. I think I can manage two a week now.”
“That should be enough. For now, we should begin with the core members of our three towers.”
Roimdel said with a satisfied expression.
“Then let us conclude things for today. Tower Master of the Fusion Magic Tower, you must be exhausted. Please rest.”
“Ah, just a moment.”
But I called Roimdel back as he was about to leave.
“What is it now?”
“I have one more request regarding the dimensional rift.”
“And that is?”
“I’d like access to the mana observation data from across the empire. I think it’ll be necessary if I’m to detect the signs of a dimensional rift in advance.”
Roimdel thought for a moment at my words, then nodded.
“A request like that I can grant gladly. You are now a tower with Special Cooperation status, after all. Observatory Director, make sure the Fusion Magic Tower also receives the observation data.”
“Understood, Chief Mage.”
The Observatory Director lowered his head.
“Thank you.”
Now it was truly finished.
No matter when the dimensional rift opened, we had at least completed the minimum preparations.
***
News that the Fusion Magic Tower had completed a four-attribute fusion spell for mana amplification spread quickly across the entire continent of Pangea.
Within only three days, every mage in the imperial capital had heard the news, and a week later the towers across the continent had begun to stir.
“A third-rate mage completed Mana Amplification, which had failed for twenty years?”
“Unbelievable. It must be a scheme by the Vilheim Magic Tower.”
“No, I heard even the chief mages of Crown and Astral personally confirmed it.”
Among the mages, all manner of speculation and rumors ran wild.
The imperial palace also convened an emergency meeting.
“Your Majesty, a report has arrived that Mana Amplification has been completed at a place called the Fusion Magic Tower.”
The imperial chancellor reported to the emperor.
“The Fusion Magic Tower? A name I’ve never heard before.”
“It was a third-rank tower on the imperial frontier. However, it seems it has now gained the status of a Special Cooperation Magic Tower recognized by the five great towers.”
“Interesting. Does that spell truly amplify mana?”
“Chief Mage Roimdel of Vilheim personally confirmed it. He supposedly turned a third-rate mage into a 3rd-circle mage, so the effect seems undeniable.”
The emperor rested his chin on his hand and sank into thought.
“Impressive. The empire’s strength will expand even further.”
“Shall we invite him and grant him a reward?”
“No. Send someone to keep a close eye on him for the time being.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Meanwhile, reactions were coming from outside the empire as well.
The intelligence bureau of the northern kingdom sent an urgent dispatch.
“A revolutionary spell has been developed in the Kassim Empire. It is called Mana Amplification, a spell that permanently increases mana.”
The great mages of the Eastern Alliance gathered as well to discuss countermeasures.
“If every mage in the Kassim Empire receives that spell, the balance of military power will collapse completely. We must uncover the secret by any means necessary. Does anyone have a good plan?”
“What if we send someone?”
“Someone?”
“Yes. A mage disguised as a disgraced exile, to steal the method from them.”
“Good. Carry it out.”
“Yes, sir.”
The merchant guilds also moved quickly.
“Begin trading with the Fusion Magic Tower. I don’t care if the price is 1,000 gold coins or 2,000.”
“Guild Master, 2,000 gold coins? Even so, at that amount... and right now the empire’s five great towers are monopolizing it...”
“Do you really think it’s worth that little? If we can obtain it, we can resell it for several times the price.”
“...Understood. I’ll look into it.”
Many people began moving toward the Fusion Magic Tower.
***
It had been a week since my trip to the Vilheim Magic Tower.
Many things had changed in that time, but if I had to pick the most obvious change of all...
“Tower Master! Tower Master! There are mages swarming in front of our tower again today!”
“...Again?”
I sighed and looked out the window.
Sure enough, dozens... no, hundreds of mages were gathered in front of the tower.
“Yes! I think there are even more than yesterday.”
“Ha... What am I supposed to do?”
“What do you mean, what are you supposed to do? Hurry up and accept them as disciples of the tower!”
That was the problem. A great many people had heard the rumor and come here, hoping to become disciples of our tower.
“Ha... There’s a problem with that.”
“What kind of problem?”
“It’s that not all those mages are here purely to become disciples.”
“Huh? Then why else would they be here?”
“Because of course... spies are mixed in among them.”
Lia’s expression hardened.
“Spies?”
“The northern kingdom, the Eastern Alliance, and the other towers within the empire. They’ll all be trying to uncover the secret of Mana Amplification. Disguising themselves as disciples is the easiest way in. Well, even if that isn’t their reason... some may simply be here to keep watch.”
“Oh... yes, that makes sense... Then what should we do?”
I fell into thought for a moment.
If I wanted to grow the tower, I needed disciples, but I couldn’t just take in anyone carelessly.
“Hmm... is there no good solution?”
I opened the list of fusion spells.
Maybe the answer was in here again?