The Magic Tower's Verdict
Investigator Alik stepped into the Golden Light Magic Tower with heavy footsteps.
The empire's greatest repository of magic, where its top mages gathered.
Even for Alik, a mage himself, the tower was undoubtedly a sacred place—but that didn't make his steps toward the interior any lighter.
"…Ruen."
He wasn't one to grow deeply attached to anything. Yet strangely, a heavy ache kept throbbing in his chest.
An orphan. Looking about ten years old.
Judging by the timeline, it must have been during the Salt Flower Rebellion… the war with the Free City Alliance 'Okeanos.'
As one of the commanders in that war, Alik felt a debt of guilt toward Ruen.
"First… let's finish the job and think later."
Shaking his head to dispel the sorrow, Alik ventured deeper into the tower.
The first thing to greet him upon entering was the 'Pillar of the World' piercing through the massive central hall.
From the floor all the way to the invisible ceiling above.
Inside the transparent tube stretching toward the sky, liquefied high-density mana swirled, emitting a subtle rainbow glow.
"…Still the same as ever."
The marble floor beneath Alik's feet came alive with magic circles writhing and glowing like living things.
A miracle designed by the world's first mage and legendary grand sorcerer.
Thanks to that miracle, the tower remained unmarred by centuries of time, preserved in its original state.
The celestial globe on the ceiling, replicating the constellations, rotated with a soft frictional hum, while magic books on the walls flapped like birds with wings.
As he passed corridors, small orbs of light materialized in the air, orbiting him like guides—or perhaps sentinels.
Through the windows, the capital's skyline was visible, but the tower's specially processed glass rendered the outside world in distorted, more beautiful hues.
As if to say that any tragedies unfolding out there had nothing to do with this place.
Alik frowned in disgust at the beauty.
The soldiers who had died on the eastern front amid salt-tinged bloody winds. And children like Ruen, wandering the streets after losing their parents.
The mana stones and resources gained from their sacrifices now shone indifferently inside that massive pillar.
Whether it was himself or the scenery that repulsed him, even Alik wasn't sure.
"Tch."
Clicking his tongue briefly, Alik stopped before a grand door adorned with golden motifs and carvings.
[Elder Council Direct Research Lab]
The crystal orb recording the crime scene had already been sent to the tower last night.
By now, they must have reached some conclusion.
Creeeak. Alik flung open the heavy door.
A pungent wave of perfume hit him immediately.
In the center of the research lab, atop a table, the crystal orb replayed the market district alley scene on loop.
"You're here, Alik."
At the massive round table in the back, one of the elders seated there—Elder Council Chairman Gunther—spoke while staring into the orb.
"Because of this crystal orb you sent last night, the council hasn't slept a wink."
His voice held more excitement than reproach.
Alik walked forward and stood before the round table.
Dozens of reports analyzing the remnants littered its surface chaotically.
"Any analysis results?"
At Alik's question, Elder Belias—infamous for his impatience—slammed the desk.
"As if! We can speculate it was mana extremely compressed into heat and light, but realizing that would require dozens of senior mages racking their brains for days!"
The report in Belias's hand bore red stamps: 'Measurement Impossible', 'Spell Formula Unidentifiable'.
"So, it was magic?"
"…Probably."
Belias raked a hand through his hair.
"It seems like magic, but the Golden Light Magic Tower can't identify it."
"…The Tower Master will be here soon."
The research lab door opened right as Gunther finished speaking.
Beyond the widely swinging grand doors, platinum blonde hair shimmered in the breeze.
"Yes! I have arri—ved…?"
The Tower Master, Elmaster Yriel's gaze locked onto the footage in the crystal orb.
It was a complicated look.
Finding my way to the count's mansion had been easy. My instincts just led me straight there.
Next problem: getting back to the inn.
For a total newbie to the capital's layout like me, locating the inn squeezed between buildings was tough—even flying.
'This looks familiar.'
Wandering aimlessly, my body naturally drifted toward somewhere familiar.
The main street where I'd seen Yriel yesterday.
I was standing in the middle, pondering when I'd been here, when—
"This is the crime scene."
A familiar voice. Alik's.
"Eek…!"
A weird noise slipped out at the voice from just one building away.
"…Did you hear something just now?"
"Y-you must have misheard!"
Then Yriel's voice. No wonder this spot felt familiar—it was right near the market district alley.
She'd said she'd request the tower's cooperation, and sure enough, she'd dragged Yriel to the scene.
The culprit returns to the scene, huh? …Not intentionally, though.
Hiding with stealth magic, I slowly moved toward the voices.
Crunch, crunch.
To muffle footsteps, I applied noise cancellation principles to erase sound entirely.
Peeking around the building corner: Yriel and Alik.
Alik looked dead serious; Yriel was sweating bullets.
"What do you make of it, Tower Master? Definitely magic?"
"Y-yes! It looks like an incredibly advanced hierarchical spell…."
Alik jotted notes at Yriel's answer and slowly walked deeper into the alley.
"Can't read the suspect's intentions. Seems like they tried to cover it up… but also like a deliberate sloppy provocation."
"Yes…."
My shoulders shook at Alik's words.
No, I hid it pretty perfectly!
Oblivious to my feelings, Alik bent down and continued.
"There are footprints, but can't confirm they're the criminal's."
Those were the traces from me and Yriel hurriedly kicking dirt over the messed-up ground.
Honestly, if we hadn't, it would've been way more disastrous—he just didn't see it.
"Y-yes…."
Yriel, avoiding eye contact and giving one-word answers—Alik's gaze turned suspicious.
That pure personality even applied to lying, huh.
'Sigh….'
No choice. I crept up silently behind Yriel.
Right at her back. She didn't notice even up close.
I raised a finger and traced her back.
"…!!"
"What's wrong?"
"N-nothing!"
The reason for tracing her back? Sending signals.
No evidence or not, I couldn't stand the anxiety if this dragged on.
Scribble, scribble.
"Ah! So…."
"Yes. I'm listening."
"There's no residual mana trace at all, so even I can't find any."
Yriel somehow read my writing and relayed it to Alik.
"I see…."
"Yes! Uh…. Sorry I couldn't be more helpful?"
Alik sighed at Yriel's words, closing his notebook.
"Nothing to be done, then."
Seemed he had no more questions.
As I sighed in relief from behind, Alik pulled out another notebook.
"Then, for the next case, I'd like your assistance as well. A theft at the count's mansion."
Yriel's cold sweat intensified.
"…Why are you sweating so much?"
"W-well, I've been in the North until a few days ago, so it's a bit hot."
Yriel reading the excuse I'd hastily scribbled on her back.
Alik nodded and continued.
"They say multiple items were stolen from the count's mansion overnight. The guards suspect an inside job, but the count insists it was magic."
"Yes…."
"The stolen items aren't serious anyway, so it'll be a formal investigation. Can't ignore the count, though."
Alik opened his notebook and read the list.
"Magnifying glass, one screw from a chair joint, drawer handle from the third drawer on the right in the study, three decorative pebbles from the fish tank."
Alik frowned, flipping a page.
"And they say the nose from a figure in a hallway landscape painting was precisely cut out. Oh, the latest addition: the lid from the chamber pot in the bedroom."
Alik sighed, adding,
"Does this really scream mage? I think we should question the count's sanity first."
"Y-yes… right."
"It's minor, so no need for the Tower Master to worry. Just procedure to report 'Elmaster assisted' to the count."
Alik pocketed the closed notebook.
"Thank you for your help, Tower Master."
Only after confirming Alik's polite bow and retreat did I whisper softly in Yriel's ear, still stealthed.
"Hey, why'd you take the chamber pot lid?"
"It was you, Ruen? I only took what you told me to…."
Yriel trembled indignantly.
"Anyway, lead the way back to the inn quick."
Busy day, but I got plenty of info.
Now, just how to use it for me—and the North.
"Understood. Did you handle your business at the academy?"
"Something like that."
I'd confirmed the full list of characters hailed as key historical figures in the main story.
Poverty's being solved gradually, so now it's time to build a foothold in the capital.
Sorting future plans in my head, I followed Yriel back to the inn.