The Girl with the Mask
Rachel's words left the Wind Tower mages exchanging stunned whispers.
'The Land of Darkness? No, a South Continent? What the hell does that mean?'
As far as I knew, this world consisted of just three continents: the West Continent ruled by the Initium Empire's emperor where I was, the North Continent, and the East Continent under its absolute monarch. So the mention of a South Continent from the mages was enough to shock me.
"The South Continent... is a place called the Land of Darkness."
I blinked in confusion, and Walter replied with a flustered expression. Every time South Continent was mentioned—like it was a name too taboo to utter—Walter and the others' faces filled with unease.
"S-South Continent? What nonsense is that?!"
Owen bellowed in denial, but Rachel simply stared silently at the floating projection in the air.
"July 22nd. At the southernmost tip of the West Continent—"
"Rachel, I don't think further explanation is necessary."
"...?"
Rachel activated the crystal orb's projection to back up her words. But Servius interrupted, pulling a parchment from his robes.
"Everyone, take a look at this."
The parchment shot into the air as if it had wings, unfurling horizontally. A blinding light burst from it.
"Th-that's from the Sky Tower...?"
"Yes, a decree from the Sky Tower."
Servius confirmed Owen's stunned murmur in a low voice.
'What the...?'
I was just as shocked. A high-frequency hum like noise emanated from the dazzling light in the air.
— In response to Wind Tower Master Servius's request, the Sky Tower decrees —
— Tower of Inquiry Master Owen has caused greater peril with an unproven treatment for dungeon disease —
— Thus, Wind Tower Master Servius requests a magic trial to restore his tower's honor, and the Sky Tower permits it —
The mechanical, unnatural voice echoed like a machine reading text as the noise faded.
The voice vanished from the floating scroll as it ended.
"A magic trial?! Servius, are you in your right mind?!"
The scroll dropped to the floor, and Owen roared as if his sanity had fallen with it.
"Of course I am. Doesn't it all seem too suspicious? Dungeon disease, unseen for decades, erupts in Frederik Dungeon Zone right after your visit. And you bring mercury—poison, basically—as a 'cure'."
Servius turned to Owen, rising with a sly smile.
"But that's not all. Like the territory office's evidence, even the Sky Tower suspects your South Continent visit. How can we not think you lingered here to deliberately ruin Wind Tower's reputation?"
"You... take responsibility for that claim?"
Owen scowled, drawing a two-handspan wooden staff from his robes.
"Responsibility falls to the trial's loser."
Servius extended his arm, summoning a long wooden staff with a hook-like handle.
"Shall we take this outside? I don't want to ruin my sacred magic tower over a trial."
Servius leaned on his staff with a venomous grin. Owen glared fiercely and stormed out.
'What the hell...'
In this sudden, solemn turn, Walter, the territory office staff, Servius and Owen's disciples, and I followed like rats after the pied piper.
Servius and Owen's disciples cleared the plaza crowd, which had swelled into a circle around them.
"Erect the protective barrier."
"Yes!"
At Servius's command, his disciples muttered incantations, drawing mandala-like patterns on the ground. Soon, the plaza was encased in a translucent hemispherical dome.
"This should suffice for the trial. I'll yield the first strike."
"No mercy from my staff!"
Owen struck first. Charging with a yell, sharp ice spikes shot from his staff with whistling sounds.
Fwoosh!
But the dagger-like ice spikes melted into vapor before reaching Servius, consumed by flames rising from his body.
Thud!
Servius countered. Slamming his staff into the ground, the plaza's stone surface bulged in multiple ridges like something charging underground.
Crunch! Crack! Grind!
I'd expected mages to just lob fireballs, but their battle dragged on intensely. The ridges split into dozens of spikes, stone spears erupting toward Owen.
"Tch!"
Just before the stone spears pierced him, Owen tapped the air like a conductor. He leaped skyward as if stepping on invisible platforms.
Whoosh! Whiiish!
Flipping midair, Owen slashed horizontally with his short staff like a sword. Wind blades poured down with deafening whooshes, slicing the stone spears.
"Hup!"
Boom!
But the wind blades only severed the spears. They clanged against Servius like metal on metal, leaving him unscathed.
Kaboom! Boom! Crackle— Fwoosh! Pop— Bang! Bababang!
Clang! Ching! Ching!
Flames, explosions, and dazzling spells flew wildly as they vied to cut each other's throats.
"Whoa... mage duels are brutal."
"Why are they even fighting?"
"If I knew, I'd open a fortune-telling shop."
"Hey, let's back up more. Getting caught in that would hurt bad."
The trial's noise drew adventurers and locals to the plaza. A magic trial was that shocking.
"Wow..."
I let out a soft gasp.
'If they're this strong, why bother with healing? Just knight it up.'
My only fights were mob clears with Walter. Even to me, Servius and Owen's clash was no joke.
If other tower masters matched them and had fought on the frontlines, the war might've ended sooner.
"Doesn't make sense. They fight like born warriors..."
"Mages are combat-proficient, especially tower masters like them. Quite strong."
Walter nodded at my murmur.
Bang! Thud! Crackle! Kaboom! Thud!
Their battle intensified, spells from two 5th Circle mages splintering the smooth barrier with cracks.
"Urgh..."
Servius gripped his long staff with both hands, slumping as Owen's wind blade grazed him. His robe shredded like after a beast attack, revealing a gashed, toned body.
"Haha, the West Continent's fastest blade, diced by my magic? Feels odd."
Owen descended leisurely like stairs, smirking at the bloodied Servius.
"Kuhuhu. You still don't get it. Why I was called the fastest blade."
"Because Master Servius wields the swiftest wind blades—"
The moment Owen's foot touched ground, frail-old-man Servius sprang like a spring, drawing a sword from the hook handle.
Stab!
"Guh, guhuk...?"
A stiletto blade from the staff pierced Owen's jaw, exiting through his forehead.
"Master Owen!"
"...No!"
Owen's disciples collapsed sobbing. Wind Tower mages sighed in relief.
"Cough... kuhk..."
Blood poured from Owen's throat. Servius gripped the blade handle, infusing magic into the hook.
"Heh, Owen. It wasn't wind magic that earned me 'West Continent's Fastest Blade'."
Slice—
The hook froze razor-sharp. Servius reaped Owen's head like a sickle through wheat.
"I got the title by wielding a blade fast and right. To save... or kill."
Thud— plop—
"Woooah! Lord Servius!"
"Servius wins the magic trial!"
"Fastest blade in the West Continent!"
"Wind Tower! Wind Tower!"
Servius smirked, flinging Owen's head from his blade like trash. Wind Tower mages' cheers shook the air.
'Crazy... fucking lunatics.'
Why call it a magic trial? This isekai felt as barbaric as medieval times. Then Servius tore off his rags, revealing a ripped body unfit for his age, and approached me.
"This proves Wind Tower's innocence, right?"
"...".
Speechless, I froze. Servius smiled warmly.
"Bill your damages to the Tower of Inquiry."
"...".
* * *
A bloodbath called a truth-revealing assembly. Two weeks after that brutal duel.
"Special discount for maids and knights! Whitening products to banish dull skin and wrinkles at once—on sale now! Come browse!"
"Whitening... doesn't that have mercury?"
"Oh my?! Sis, what are you saying? Who uses mercury these days? This is high-concentration snail cream..."
Every late September Monday kicks off Future's Day for a week. But last September 25th, syphilis erupted in Frederik Dungeon Zone, canceling this year's event—Idolene 562—until now.
'Yeah... the epidemic's aftermath means fewer customers than last year.'
Pandemics shrink morale. Half the shoppers wandered my stall outside.
"Excuse me, are you Baron Gold?"
A masked girl approached me.