Everything According to Procedure (1)
“A crisis of continental extinction……”
Marcelo let out a low groan.
The World Tree, a being thought to exist only in legends. The mere fact that it truly existed was shocking enough. Yet His Excellency had not only discovered it but even sprouted its seed and returned.
And to top it all off, he had formed a contract with a spirit in the process.
“Even I struggle to keep pace with His Excellency’s strides.”
But Marcelo’s lament didn’t last long. He quickly assessed the situation with cool precision.
“A splendid judgment, however. The World Tree of legend harmonizes the Arcana world. The longer its absence persists, the stronger the demons’ forces grow, while those resisting them gradually lose their power.”
Lee Hoyeol sprouting a new World Tree was akin to planting the seed of hope across the Arcana Continent.
A matter on an entirely different plane from magical research.
Does His Excellency even realize he’s accomplished something so monumental?
It was an achievement worthy of being hailed as a legend by every soul on the continent. Yet the man himself remained utterly nonchalant—as if it were nothing out of the ordinary.
Marcelo couldn’t help but wonder.
……Has he not considered it that far?
Rather than basking in his feat, Hoyeol seemed content with a leisurely tea time. Marcelo steeled himself.
Even if it brands me as a chatterbox.
His Excellency needed to truly grasp the magnitude of what he’d done.
“It’s not mere words—the continent is already stirring with new winds……”
The moment Marcelo, resolved, began to speak—
Clink—
Hoyeol set down his teacup and opened his mouth.
“Thy words ring true, Marcelo.”
Calmly, without a hint of fanfare.
“By sprouting the World Tree’s seed, a surge of life’s energy shall ripple across the Arcana Continent.”
He continued.
“This vital force shall greatly bolster those resisting the brink of extinction. Not in words alone, but in vitality and mana regeneration alike.”
His tone betrayed no fluctuation.
“Those who witness the new World Tree shall instinctively sense the continental crisis. They shall face the demons with renewed resolve to protect it—and the continent.”
No agitation, no excitement.
He knew it even more precisely than I did……!
To acknowledge such a monumental deed and recite it so impassively—as if it were simply duty fulfilled.
“As ever, His Excellency’s thoughts elude my grasp.”
Marcelo could only marvel once more at the vastness of Hoyeol’s vessel.
[A new World Tree has taken root on the Arcana Continent.]
[The Arcana Continent blesses the birth of the World Tree.]
[A surge of life's energy ripples across the entire Arcana Continent.]
[Vitality regeneration buff applied continent-wide.]
[Mana regeneration buff applied continent-wide.]
I’d merely read the messages as they appeared.
Because the messages said so, I accepted it as fact.
……But Marcelo doesn’t know. How many grueling intermediate steps I skipped to succeed.
I’d ignored the proper path, stacking shortcuts on shortcuts to reach the end.
I knew that better than anyone—yet here I was, brazen as ever.
I was genuinely shocked by the thickness of my own skin.
Of course, maintaining an unchanging demeanor, neither elated nor dejected. At least I wasn’t trembling—that was a relief.
Grandfell might not show it, but……
Wait, what did Marcelo just say……?
His next words made me flinch.
It was the kind of statement that beggared belief.
“Tower departure no longer requires majority approval from the leadership.”
At first, I nodded along. The Mage Tower’s leadership wasn’t intact anyway.
The Tower Master couldn’t act normally. Three of the five elder mages had been outed as demon worshippers.
With only two elders left, what did “majority” even mean?
Yeah, I thought that was it……
“Tower departure. That authority has been granted to us.”
……What?
That’s what he meant?!
The realization hit, and a quest window popped up before my eyes.
The Weight of the Chief (Repeatable)
▲ ● Verify in Topaz Hall. (Success)
▲ ● Successfully hold the regular conference. (Success)
▲ ● Oversee the mages’ tower departure. (In Progress)
I couldn’t help but flinch.
Tower departure—chutap—its meaning was crystal clear.
“Indeed. Thanks to Your Excellency breaking the cycle of contradictions, the Mage Tower—and we—can finally act externally.”
The mages bound to the Mage Tower were finally mobilizing!
……The day had come at last.
I couldn’t show it, but I was deeply moved.
Is my dream finally coming true?
A sense of security settled in my heart.
I’d felt the need for reinforcements in the [Predator’s Swamp]. If we hadn’t coordinated ahead, if I hadn’t received their aid……
I never could have sprouted the World Tree’s seed alone.
In that light, the Mage Tower’s mages? No sturdier allies existed.
And now, tasked with a world quest, even greater challenges awaited.
With the Mage Tower as allies, we wouldn’t just take shortcuts—we could forge entirely new paths.
Pave a goddamn highway!
But hold on. The blinking quest objective seemed ominous.
Not just approving departures…… but overseeing them?
“The purposes for departure will vary, but they’ll all lead to rifts. Yet as Your Excellency knows from Senior Banggrit’s incident, rifts harbor the risk of demonic contamination.”
Right. In the [Crack in Shattered Dimensions], that nameless demon marked by ‘???’ had targeted Banggrit.
Of course, the elder mages’ collusion as demon worshippers had enabled it.
Even without that.
As a demon hunter, I was certain. Demons would infiltrate reality ever more slyly.
The stronger the demon, the more despicably it schemed.
Marcelo seemed wary too.
“I wish our full strength to be wielded properly.”
As the Mage Tower’s chief mage, he knew better than anyone: great power demanded great responsibility.
I hope the same.
I nodded silently.
Imagine if Banggrit had been possessed by a demon. The mere thought was horrifying……!
Me, who couldn’t flee from demons? I’d have charged in, weeping bitter tears, only to sink under my heavy pride and drown in the afterlife by now.
So.
“Indeed, oversight is necessary, as thou sayest.”
For my own sake in old age, I needed to supervise the mages’ departures—accompany them into rifts.
But oversight meant by my, Grandfell’s, standards.
“The procedure shall be simple.”
Procedure always came first, naturally.
Marcelo nodded. I spoke without hesitation.
“Mages seeking departure shall detail their purpose and submit it to me. Judgment of its validity rests solely with me. Naturally, the applicant’s rank holds no sway in my decision.”
Being dragged into nuisances by others? Grandfell’s heavy pride wouldn’t bend so easily.
Now that I, Grandfell, oversaw departures……
The mages must align to me.
I continued shamelessly.
“Furthermore, I shall determine and execute all departure schedules.”
Another lesson learned: in society, don’t make promises lightly.
Look—even now, handing over authority led to this.
“I shall convey this to the senior mages.”
Such unfair procedures passing unchecked?
Not my concern.
Hadn’t I declared it all along?
If you don’t like it, don’t ask in the first place.
As one bearing the chief’s weight, I’d reap every privilege.
To keep from sinking, at least.
Besides.
More pressing matters demand attention.
Yes, now that the Mage Tower was fully active, the greatest threat had to be eliminated.
A threat tied to the tower’s circumstances, the demons…… and even with priors.
[Reconstruction of the Mage Tower]
📍 The contradiction plaguing the Mage Tower. With even the pursuit of truth corrupted, rebuild it from the foundation.
▲ ● Confront the Tower Master. (In Progress)
▲ ● Dispose of the escaped demon worshipper. (In Progress)
▲ ● Find the true truth. (In Progress)
Overseeing departures, like the regular conference, was a matter of the chief’s pride.
Naturally, under my watch……
No deviations would be tolerated.
Time to dispose of the threat.
I rose from my seat.
“The time has come to interrogate the prisoners of the endless void.”
Marcelo asked with concern.
“Heading there immediately?”
“Indeed.”
“……Does it truly not faze Your Excellency?”
The endless void—mages born with innate mana faced profound mental shock from its powerlessness.
Marcelo, and even the sly elders, had lost their composure there.
But hadn’t I said it?
『As the next family head, the first thing Grandfell ingrained was indifference to petty joys and sorrows. The Claudy head’s seat allowed no tremor.』
The horrific endless void was my home turf.
But my cringeworthy past? I’d die before admitting it.
So I added, in my own way.
“Powerlessness is but one sense.”
“……!”
“Even that must become familiar. Isn’t that so, Marcelo?”
Repackaging my recent mana exhaustion tale into something profound……
*
Only darkness visible.
“……Art thou there?”
No answer echoed in the void.
“Damn it!”
Has hearing failed now too? Or could he truly not respond?
A Mage Tower elder. No, a demon worshipper. No, not even that anymore.
Just a powerless human groaning in the void.
How much time has passed?
His mind muddled, memories blurred. Even escaping the void posed problems now. Could he cast a single spell?
But such worries required hope.
After all this time……
Why was he still trapped here? Had all plans gone blank?
He shook his head, but doubts lingered.
……Yes, perhaps the plan succeeded. They know we’re trapped, could rescue us, yet abandon us?
Were we mere pawns to discard?
“Damn it……!”
Suspicion and distrust dominated his thoughts.
Then—
“!”
Creeeak— The void’s door opened. Footsteps approached.
Anyone would do. He’d beg to be freed.
“Who goes there? Come to release me—us?!”
No reply.
Only……
Click—
For some reason, that shoe sound lingered vividly amid chaotic memories.
Soon, an unbelievable sight met the demon worshipper.
“Y-You……?”
Fuzzy memories failed to name him, but……
Silver hair. An arrogantly noble face.
How could he forget?
The adventurer Marcelo had placed as co-chief.
His return to the void meant……
……After eons……
The plan, reaching true truth…… was still distant?
Despair renewed.
But true despair was just beginning.
“!”
The man sat. Then, wordlessly, picked something up.
Blurred vision obscured it, but he knew: a book.
And in the other hand……
……A cup?
Yes. A teacup.
Not the floating garden. This was the endless void.
Where time and bodily senses converged to nothingness. A horrific space where sanity shattered upon entry……!
Yet reading a book and savoring tea here……?
Can his mind remain intact?
The doubt didn’t last.
He realized soon enough.
Flip— Page turning.
Clink— Teacup moving.
“!!”
Those sounds became the clock’s ticking.
Reviving his broken time sense.
Not a cause for joy.
Days seemed to pass since the man opened the book……
Yet only one page has turned……?
Likewise, eons felt gone, but……
The steam from the teacup showed no sign of cooling.
“……Impossible!”
Something was amiss. Surely magic tricked the eyes……
Then it hit: no mana existed in the void.
Then the eons I endured……
Were mere weeks? Days?
Then……
How much longer must I rot here?
Despair on another level crashed down.
All from a single book and teacup.
……
Every spare moment must be cherished.
Back in school, top students never let books leave their hands during breaks.
And I was in a bind. Needed to dig every escape tunnel, every well.
Interrogations must be efficient too.
That’s why I brought a magic tome and teacup into the void.
Of course, no obligation to explain kindly.
『Advanced Theory of Enchantment Studies』.
Flip—
The book was for advanced enchantment studies. As chief, I could enjoy the tower’s free services—including enchantments.
No intent to attempt it myself.
Enchantments vary by the enchanter’s hand.
The result, the item’s effects, differed.
My mana-poor clumsy hands wouldn’t produce anything worthwhile.
Even borrowing hands required……
……knowledge to order properly.
Plus, this was knowledge to keep forever.
As I focused on reading—
A groan-like voice broke through.
“I-I’ll tell everything truthfully. Where the escaped elder mage is now, what he’s doing—I’ll reveal all I know……!!”
……What’s this now?
I hadn’t even started the interrogation?
Well, less work for me.
But.
Everything has its procedure.
Eyes on the book, I said.
“Wait.”
“……?”
Silence during reading. Basic etiquette.