Royal Magic Tower (3)
Chapter 61
“…”
Ray was deeply perplexed as he tried to assess the situation.
He could tell that something akin to a barrier was preventing outsiders from entering a certain area.
The question was how he had managed to pass through it.
‘Either there’s an error in the Obelisk security system, my identity was mistakenly registered as a manager level, someone intentionally let me through, or…’
It was also possible that he possessed a strong resistance to the force restricting people’s movements within the Obelisk.
Ray felt a headache coming on.
Only now did he understand the reaction of the mage he encountered inside the Obelisk a few days ago.
For a knight apprentice to casually wander around a restricted area was truly absurd.
‘Even if they let me go at the time, they must have found it interesting…’
By now, they were surely conducting a thorough background check.
‘At least for now, I’m lucky.’
If word got out that Ray had wandered into prohibited areas of the Obelisk, he might have already been detained.
However, it was correct to assume that the mage who saw him remained silent not out of goodwill, but due to sinister intentions.
For a moment, Ray considered whether he could eliminate the mage before they acted.
‘That would be insane.’
This was right in the middle of the Royal Magic Tower.
If a mage murder case occurred, regardless of the mage’s standing, the Empire would undoubtedly make every effort to uncover the truth.
‘Ah, my head hurts.’
The safest option seemed to be quietly staying in his quarters until his study period ended and then slipping away with his group.
Ray bit his lip and turned back toward Florya.
If he ventured further in and encountered another mage, things would only get more complicated.
While his curiosity about what lay deeper within the Obelisk wasn’t entirely absent, he couldn’t just barge in without purpose or preparation.
Tsuk!
Just as Ray was about to cross some sort of ‘line’ distorting space,
A beam of light fell in the dark corridor.
As Ray quickly turned his head, the light gathered in a corner of the corridor, gradually forming a vague human shape.
That light cluster, reminiscent of a hologram, spoke to Ray.
[Successor.]
Ray’s expression noticeably distorted.
[We are waiting. Why do you linger instead of ascending the tower?]
“…”
There was no room for hesitation.
Ignoring the light figure, Ray hurriedly moved toward Florya.
Florya, who had been looking around, suddenly stepped back when she felt movement near her waist.
“Oh, where did you go?”
“Uh, well…”
Ray glanced back at the corridor unnoticed by others.
The human-shaped light cluster had already evaporated into thin air.
“…I was spaced out and lagged behind.”
“Was that it?”
Satisfied with the explanation, Florya resumed walking towards the entrance alongside Ray.
Ray moved his legs, tense and ready to leave the Obelisk quickly.
As he reached the entrance, he looked up at the large portrait hanging beside it, which he had always passed by without much thought.
“Miss, isn’t the model of this portrait…”
“The young Resina, they say.”
“Ah, damn it…”
Ray muttered under his breath.
*
The successor mentioned by the hologram.
The only thing Ray could immediately think of was ‘Harshia’s successor.’
Since Resina was known to have been friends with Harshia in the past, it wasn’t strange to assume some arrangement had been made for Harshia’s descendants.
‘Did it recognize the core?’
Since Ray wasn’t actually Harshia’s bloodline, the only means to determine if he was the ‘successor’ would have been through the core.
Ray struggled to hide his agitation.
Resina had prepared either small or grand arrangements for the successor of Spatial Blade.
On the surface, this seemed like good news for Ray.
But could he really receive these arrangements quietly and discreetly?
Harshia had been royalty, and anyone who properly inherited the Spatial Blade would undoubtedly have been under the protection of the royal family.
Whatever preparations Resina had left for the successor, there was a high probability that someone from the royal court or the magic tower was aware of them.
If the setup included notifying the royal family the moment the arrangements were delivered to the successor, touching Resina’s legacy would be foolish.
‘That hologram earlier—if it wasn’t controlled by a person, it might be some kind of AI-like entity… Surely, it wouldn’t go around other mages claiming someone is the successor, would it?’
Reasons not to return to the Obelisk kept piling up.
With a troubled expression, Ray was asked by Florya,
“Is anything bothering you? Your face doesn’t look good.”
“I saw a ghost just now.”
“Ghosts?”
“A 600-year-old ghost suddenly started chatting with me like we’re old friends.”
“…Do you have a fever?”
“No fever, but lately I’ve been thinking a lot, so my head hurts.”
“If you’re okay with it, can I help you talk it through?”
Ray turned to Florya.
He didn’t plan to confide in her about Luna.
However, to deduce a list of mages who might attempt coercion, Florya’s assistance was crucial.
He originally considered seeking Alesya’s help, but she wasn’t very reliable.
“I’m looking for a mage to recruit for our territory.”
“Hmm…”
Florya opened her fan, waiting for Ray to continue.
Ray listed the qualifications he needed in a mage one by one.
After hearing the entire story, Florya tilted her head slightly.
“You’re asking for too much.”
The conditions were unrealistic.
An amateur mage might be lured with gifts to stay in the baron’s territory and teach children, but bringing a highly skilled mage recognized by the Royal Magic Tower to a remote corner of the empire and treating them arbitrarily was impossible.
Even if you coerced them using leverage, few would comply willingly, and it would surely raise suspicions.
“If a capable mage signs a long-term contract or stays tied to a specific region after their contract ends, the Magic Tower usually sends someone to verify if there was any undue pressure during the contract sealing process.”
The Magic Tower was prepared for situations where contracts might be misused.
Of course, no one anticipated that slave contracts could be formed with spirits.
“It’s better to lower your expectations. Hiring a mage at your desired level for the long term will be difficult right now.”
“Is that so?”
“Hmm… wait a moment.”
After pondering, Florya slowly spoke.
“There is a professor who fits the criteria you mentioned.”
“?”
Seeing Ray’s wide eyes, Florya smiled and continued.
“Professor Ropheiren, a scholar who values academic exploration. Although proficient in magical theory surpassing many high-ranking mages, he remains at the 4th Circle.”
“Aren’t there many such scholars in the Royal Magic Tower?”
Mages who prioritize academic exploration over advancing circles—often called ‘theoretical magicologists’—were one of the main pillars of the Royal Magic Tower.
Even if you forcibly brought one of them here, doing so would likely expose you to the suspicion of the Royal Magic Tower sooner or later.
“Hehe, what you need is a mage with regrets, right? Such a person would be easier to persuade, and afterward, it would be easier to convince others.”
“Are you saying Professor Ropheiren fits those criteria?”
“Even I, who’ve only been here a short while, have heard plenty of rumors about him. He seems to genuinely believe he’s under threat.”
“‘Seems to’?”
The nuance felt off.
It almost sounded like they were talking about someone with paranoia.
After a brief silence, Florya closed her fan.
“I don’t know much either. Whether Professor Ropheiren is trapped in paranoid thinking or truly facing threats remains unclear.”
“True, you haven’t met him enough times to judge.”
“I’ve seen him twice. He exudes passion for magic but has quite a prickly personality. Anyway,”
Florya stopped walking and faced Ray.
“If the latter is true, wouldn’t he be a good target for persuasion? Despite his recent lack of achievements, he’s exceptionally talented. Of course, you’d need to take risks to ensure his safety.”
Ray nodded.
If he could entice Ropheiren with safety, they could reach an agreement without significant friction and avoid arousing suspicion.
“The problem is who Ropheiren has offended.”
It would be bad if it was someone too powerful.
However, if both the Osiris family and the Phillips family joined forces to guarantee Ropheiren’s safety, most threats could likely be neutralized.
‘I suppose it’s reasonable to ask for this much in return for dealing with the spirit issue…’
Just as Ray was about to voice his request,
A loud explosion erupted from the building ahead, accompanied by a massive flame.
*
“Have you eaten?”
“…”
Ropheiren ignored Professor Zeno, who approached him in a friendly manner.
Zeno used to be a colleague with whom he engaged in deep discussions about magical theories, but now Ropheiren could only feel hostility towards him.
As Zeno clicked his tongue and walked away,
Ropheiren pulled his robe tighter, feeling a throbbing headache.
‘Bastards…’
It had been two years since important data began disappearing and ongoing experiments were sabotaged.
Some claimed Ropheiren simply made mistakes in his experiments and was delusional.
Regardless of the truth, it was undeniable that Ropheiren’s recent performance had significantly declined.
Ropheiren had already lost much of his standing, and it was likely he would soon lose his room at the Royal Magic Tower.
Considering the tradition of the Magic Tower, which typically gave professors five years to recover after a decline in performance, it was clear that a particular faction was pressuring the Royal Magic Tower.
‘What the hell was that kid researching anyway!’
Ropheiren had always been deeply immersed in magical theories and built relationships with various scholars to share knowledge.
Among them was a mathematician named Athor.
Mathematics was one of the most important tools for executing magic efficiently and accurately.
Ropheiren had spent a long time exchanging ideas with Athor about mathematics.
And then, after Athor began studying a specific concept,
Contact ceased.
Not long after, Ropheiren learned that Athor had died.
Though initially, he didn’t give it much thought despite regretting the loss of Athor’s research.
The problem arose afterward.
Ropheiren began noticing increased surveillance.
Others dismissed it as heightened sensitivity on his part, but Ropheiren was certain.
After the increase in surveillance, incidents of intrusions into his room and experiment disruptions became frequent.
With declining performance, pressure to leave the Royal Magic Tower followed swiftly.
Despite achieving commendable academic results over more than ten years, the treatment was unusually harsh.
Ropheiren was convinced that the moment he left the Royal Magic Tower, he would be killed.
‘So, if I’m going to die anyway…’
He had to see what was inside the Resina Record he so desperately wanted, even if it meant dying afterward.
As Ropheiren walked toward his laboratory from the building managed by the Blue Magic Tower, a glint of madness flashed in his eyes.
At that moment,
A massive explosion from the adjacent experimental building engulfed him.
