Chapter 47
Chapter 47
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 46
Chapter Title: The Indefinite Contractor Attends the Party
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In the cold grip of winter, the final sunset of the year faded away, giving way to the first sunrise of the new year.
New Year's always came packed with all sorts of events.
The Magic Tower was no exception.
"May we receive bountiful blessings of mana this year. For the great path of magic!"
"For the great path of magic!"
The Magic Tower's New Year's ceremony.
In the gathering of all mages, the Magic Tower Lord tossed out his ritual New Year's greeting.
The event wrapped up in under an hour, and as the mages scattered in small groups, Titania called out to Daniel.
"Daniel. Would you join the New Year's investment attraction special event next week?"
"Pardon?"
Daniel was speechless.
'Why the hell would I go there?'
The investment attraction special event.
It was the Magic Tower's largest social gathering of the early year.
High nobles, heads of massive trading companies, even imperial royals.
To put it bluntly, it was a venue for those elite enough to provide sponsorships to the Magic Tower.
Just getting acquainted with even one person there would pave a smooth road ahead.
Every mage in the Magic Tower dreamed of attending, but naturally, qualifications were strict.
Regular mages needed to be 5th grade or higher, with achievements officially recognized by the Tower.
A tiny handful of Indefinite Contractors did participate, but they were exceptional cases with accomplishments rivaling regulars.
"There? Me? Why?"
"Why do you think?"
Titania let out a smirk.
"Because you're famous. You're not denying it, are you, Dragon Slayer Sir Daniel?"
"Ah."
His dark history, forgotten amid winter desk work, resurfaced.
Gorgo, perched on his shoulder, tilted its head.
"Dragon Slayer? Master, did you take down a dragon?"
"Not the kind you're thinking of. A wyvern. Wyvern."
"Still sounds impressive."
Daniel scratched his head.
"I don't really need any sponsors."
"I know. I just need your help."
"My help?"
"Having someone famous at my side changes the difficulty of everything we do there."
"Ah, got it."
Now Titania's invitation made sense.
A place to flaunt achievements, build noble connections, and snag sponsors.
With a celebrity around, conversations flowed easier, so she wanted him as a supporter.
"You won't come out losing, Daniel. Connections with the higher-ups make life easier in all sorts of ways."
"Easier how?"
"Provincial nobles? They're surprisingly weak to ties with even higher powers."
"Hoo."
Interest finally sparked.
In another month or two, winter and desk duty would end, thrusting him back into fieldwork.
Fieldwork's real pain wasn't the tasks' difficulty.
It was the environment.
And among those hassles were the troublesome clients—the requesters.
If he could deploy a single connection to tame those pains instantly?
"Hmm. Alright. Turning down the director's offer would be rude, so I'll give it a shot this once."
Daniel accepted.
A political stage for boasting results and networking.
He hated it, but if it smoothed out work, he could stomach it once.
"Smart choice, Daniel."
Titania flashed a bright smile.
"Prepare formal attire. Elena will assist."
"Sure thing."
Two weeks later, at the Magic Tower's banquet tower.
Stepping out of the carriage and into the special event hall within the tower, Daniel let out a whistle.
"Now that's something."
Daniel surveyed the extravagantly decorated hall.
The ceiling, etched with magic circles, twinkled like the Milky Way.
Magic devices scattered throughout projected illusions like holograms, captivating the eyes of men and women, young and old alike.
It felt just like one of those massive event shows from his previous life.
As they'd said, it wasn't merely a social affair—it was where the Tower's mages poured their souls into showcasing technology and vision to lure investors.
"There they are."
Far off, Titania and Elena in dresses were greeting arriving guests.
Figuring he wouldn't gain much by mingling, Daniel claimed a nearby table and grabbed a plate.
'Time to eat.'
Men didn't go to weddings for the ceremony.
They went for the buffet.
Exactly like this.
Daniel reached for gourmet dishes he'd never touch otherwise.
To him, it was just a meal.
But to the mages darting around, sweating bullets to catch VIP eyes, this was utterly baffling.
Reactions to such deviant behavior came in two flavors: ignore or condemn.
"No class. Hogging a table and stuffing his face here. Has he got any sense?"
"Hm?"
Daniel turned his head.
A man about his age stared down with pity.
The brooch on his suit marked him as a fellow Magic Tower mage.
"Well, duh. An Indefinite Contractor who lucked into the spotlight—when's he ever been to a place like this? Expecting decorum was my mistake."
The sneering man jabbed a finger at Daniel.
"Hey, you. Your hot streak's almost over. Milk it while you can—that way, the fall hurts more."
Having spat his piece, the man turned and left.
Daniel eyed his retreating back, then sank his teeth into a beef steak.
"Mmm. Delicious. To die for. Wonder if I can take some to go?"
"You good, Master?"
Gorgo at his feet piped up.
"With what?"
"That just now. Not pissed?"
"Pissed? Nah, thrilled actually. Hey."
"Huh?"
"You've seen 'em—the ones shoving themselves at me to get buddy-buddy."
"Erk."
"Compared to that, keeping distance is saintly. Oh, this one's tasty too."
"... Sometimes I can't tell if Master's got nerves of steel or just a different sense of normal."
"Keep it simple."
Daniel resumed eating.
Main event was coming up soon; better finish before then.
That earlier exchange? Long gone from his mind.
Moments later, the lights dimmed gradually, spotlights converging on the stage at one end.
The highlight of the event had arrived.
"We now commence the Magic Tower's research achievements presentation!"
No sooner had the emcee declared than the first presenter took the stage.
As eyes from all the VIP attendees focused, Daniel set down his empty plate.
'Presentations, then break and meetings, done. Wrap it up quick.'
With the mindset of an office drone stuck at a drag of an event, Daniel watched the front.
The presentation curtain rose.
This was his first time watching a presentation session.
Which meant the shock hit Daniel hard.
'What's with the bloodbath vibe?'
Post-presentation reactions boiled down to three: stellar, average, disaster.
Six had gone so far—one stellar, three average, two disasters.
Anticipation built for the seventh as they climbed the stage.
'Even that guy's doing it?'
The man on stage—could it really be the same cocky strut from earlier?
Sweat pouring, tension etched deep, he began.
Not even a minute in, Daniel's gut screamed.
'Yup. Disaster.'
Way too technical; Daniel had zero clue what it was about.
But the audience's icy chill gave it away.
"Feels familiar."
"No different from last year's paper. Just a few tweaks."
Murmurs rippled through.
The man desperately pitched positives, but it was wasted effort.
Proof? Fewer than twenty claps at the end.
His slumped shoulders as he slunk offstage screamed pathos.
The rest got similar verdicts—a cold comfort.
"Idiots. That level? Should've skipped presenting altogether."
A nearby mage snickered.
"No choice. Bail on showing effort, and even current sponsors bolt. Gotta perform for a holdover."
"Who bankrolls a mage regressing?"
'Heh. Explains the prickliness.'
Drawing on past-life memories, Daniel pieced it together.
This was the arena.
A battlefield where mages scrapped for sponsorships or withered away.
Mage research was a money pit by default.
Tower budgets came down, sure—but they vanished in a blink during real work.
Sponsors were essential; to secure them, you had to flaunt competence via results here.
Made it or flopped?
The presentations laid it bare.
Daniel shook his head.
'Good thing an Indefinite Contractor like me skips that stress.'
Patting his past self on the back once more, he watched the final presenter.
The presentations ended, lights brightened anew, and musicians' tunes filled the air.
Meeting time—the real schmoozing hour—kicked off.
Mages bolted to their sponsors or hoped-for patrons with greetings.
"An honor you came again this year, Viscount."
"Yes. Fine presentation."
The viscount nodded tepidly.
Kyle was on pins and needles.
As feared, the presentation had disappointed.
'Damn. Gotta cling somehow. If his support cuts, my career dies here.'
"Viscount, if I may..."
"Hmm. Where is he? Word was he attended."
"Viscount?"
Kyle caught on.
The viscount's interest had long drifted elsewhere.
He was hunting for someone.
Who, though?
"Oho!"
The answer came quick.
The absolute worst one.
"There you are. Hey, Duke Daniel!"
"Huh?"
The viscount ditched him and charged over.
Toward the mage he'd dissed earlier.
Regular mage Kyle blinked in shock.
The Indefinite Contractor did too.
"Whoops, Sir Daniel now, eh? Long time—two years?"
"Uh... sorry, do I know you from somewhere?"
"Haha! Just two days together, so no surprise. Copper mine and kobolds—ring any bells?"
"Ahh."
Daniel nodded.
"Viscount Kalbark, right? Long time no see."
"You remembered!"
"That beef you treated me to? Still a standout delicacy in my mind."
"Hahahahaha! Worth the pricey cut and chef I hired!"
The viscount beamed with a smile Kyle had never witnessed, chatting animatedly with Daniel.
Witnessing it all firsthand, Kyle stood speechless in shock.