Danao frowned as he looked at the inspector from Blasphemia who had once again requested a private meeting.
“Gorgoph is one of those dispatched to Argos. I found it hard to believe when you guaranteed that the ones most suspected of being traitors were actually innocent.”
He had just witnessed Gorgoph, with genuine malice, casting a fatal curse against Argeyirion.
“Indeed. A spy in disguise would find it difficult to unleash such fierce attacks on their own faction.”
Ortes shrugged. There was no need to reveal everything about the behind-the-scenes story—”Actually, Gorgoph is Argeyirion’s spy, but he believes the real Argeyirion operatives are double agents working for the Ten Towers.”
“The keen eyes of the heretic examiner have proven effective. Truly, your reputation is not exaggerated. However, why have you come to me instead of interrogating Argeyirion yourself?”
“Isn’t it because Argeyirion came directly?”
“Did they retreat from Gorgoph’s attack? If they’re rushing here to regroup, there’s no need for us to be overly cautious.”
In Danao’s demeanor, pride in the defensive magic installed at the Amimone Magic Tower was evident.
The defensive magic of a magic tower usually correlates directly with its history and financial resources.
An assault on the Amimone Magic Tower, with its deep history and vast capital, would impose overwhelming disadvantages on any opponent. This was Danao’s judgment.
“And I must shake that judgment.”
Basic strategy was established.
Mislead by presenting one example as the whole, exaggerate sparse instances, and focus on low probabilities.
After quickly making his decision, Ortes’ first word was “No.”
“No?”
“Argeyirion’s army hasn’t shown its full potential yet.”
“Hmph. Even so, can they break through the defenses of a magic tower? Not even the defectors from Blasphemia or even their commander could rival a proper tower.”
“Of course. Despite this intense extra-dimensional surge, only the outskirts of Algus City have been distorted, proving your capabilities. But…”
Ortes paused momentarily, deliberately delaying to unsettle Danao.
“Will Argeyirion fight head-on?”
“What?”
“Consider this: how did Argeyirion enter Algus City after retreating from Gorgoph?”
“There must already be a highly skilled mage capable of conducting rituals that summon such an extra-dimensional storm within Algus City. He likely arrived with other sinister plans.”
“I don’t think so.”
Ortes began, citing classified information from the analysis of the ‘Ten Towers Elder Daro Assassination Incident.’
“They seem to have acquired a long-range spatial artifact. Evidence suggests numerous assassins appeared simultaneously while Elder Daro was on an external mission in Oji.”
“Blasphemia believes these abilities were provided by myth worshippers. There’s a recorded case of a sect devoted to the ‘Gatekeeper God’ using similar powers.”
“So… Are you implying Argeyirion is preparing an invasion using that artifact?”
“You’ve seen those evolved silver soldiers, haven’t you? We at Blasphemia have done our best to develop methods to capture the silver worms.”
Algus City had been thoroughly searched by Blasphemia over the past few days for any hosts or variants of the silver worms. If they existed, they would have been discovered.
After explaining, Ortes whispered almost silently.
“Blasphemia found no suspicious points in Algus City. So what does the appearance of these silver worm variants mean?”
In reality, Ortes’ explanation deviated from the truth. Argeyirion had prepared countermeasures against Blasphemia’s detection magic, reducing both the energy field and biological reactions of the silver worms and their hosts to minimal levels.
Through this method, they had consumed all the pre-planted hosts in key areas of Algus City to trigger the extra-dimensional storm.
But these “facts” were irrelevant. What mattered to Ortes now was creating a convincing illusion.
“Do the mages of Argeyirion claim they teleported outside your city?”
“Yes. It’s undoubtedly the involvement of some arcane artifact used by myth followers.”
“Hmm…”
“Of course, unlimited teleportation without a medium seems impossible. That’s why they chose a slightly distant transfer to Algus City rather than inside the Amimone Magic Tower, right?”
Danao understood Ortes’ implication—without a medium, space travel would be unrestricted, meaning that if a medium exists, it removes limitations.
And within the Amimone Magic Tower, there were always magicians ready to sacrifice themselves to serve as magical mediums.
“Certainly, only two people have confirmed identities here—myself and the Tower Lord. Including Gorgoph, that makes three. Three isn’t enough to monitor all the mages.”
“If a traitor uses this moment of loosened surveillance to access that artifact…”
An internal and external pincer attack. Danao clenched his teeth.
“Then, what do you suggest we do?”
“It’s simple. We need to pursue and annihilate the retreated forces of Argeyirion.”
“What nonsense…?”
“If all personnel, including spies, engage in combat, then even if the spy creates a medium for teleportation, it won’t matter much, will it?”
A spy is dangerous only when they can betray from within and support Argeyirion’s invasion. Conversely, if outside the magic tower, even if the spy creates multiple mediums for teleportation, their actions become meaningless.
Argeyirion already has the ability to penetrate Algus City’s defenses but lacks the capability to breach the crucial defenses of the Amimone Magic Tower.
“In emergencies, focusing on high-level space magic is difficult. During battles, precise and swift spells that can cut lives or protective spells that can save them are more critical.”
“What if the space magic is abandoned and the traitor attacks from behind?”
“Assemble a pursuit team. Ensure other mages can immediately respond and handle any signs of betrayal.”
When Ortes judged that Danao’s trust had crossed a certain threshold, he finally revealed his true purpose.
“Excluding the silver worm variants, Argeyirion’s forces consist of just one mage who fought with Gorgoph. Eliminating him alone would drastically increase our chances of survival.”
However, this lone mage sent by Argeyirion must possess considerable skill.
“To defeat such a mage, we need another powerful mage.”
“Are you suggesting I serve as a shield?”
“Let’s call it temporary tactical armor. If the Tower Lord personally eliminates Argeyirion’s mage, wouldn’t that also prove the loyalty of the Amimone Magic Tower?”
After much deliberation, Danao asked a reasonable and rational question about Ortes’ plan.
This was the final piece of the puzzle to complete Ortes’ desired scenario.
Sprigo, the mage of Argeyirion, was deeply contemplative.
“To be or not to be, that is the question.”
If the adversary had revealed themselves, Sprigo would have chosen immediate flight without hesitation. The foe embodied unimaginable malevolence and madness.
The adversary wasn’t one who set traps; they were the trap.
Sprigo believed this terrifying entity could turn even the air he breathed into a snare.
Yet, as a member of Argeyirion who had battled this nemesis, Sprigo trusted in his ability to overcome the mere traces left behind by the adversary.
Was the monster truly lurking within the Amimone Magic Tower? Or was it merely a trap laid out like the faint darkness lingering in memory?
After withdrawing troops from the tower, Sprigo began a brief but deep contemplation.
His thoughts were interrupted by simultaneous warnings from the Drachma hidden throughout Algus City.
“What?”
An attack?
Not defense?
Currently, the manpower remaining at the Amimone Magic Tower was minimal. Danao had stationed supervisors among the factions he had merged to preserve some strength should the Ten Towers attempt a purge.
Even so, it was still a proper tower. Redirecting all but the minimum number of mages required to maintain the defensive barrier, the Amimone Magic Tower’s offensive capacity exceeded expectations.
“There you are.”
The ground where Sprigo stood transformed entirely into strong acid. Feeling his shoes dissolve, Sprigo extended his wooden branches and climbed up the building wall.
Moments later, an entire side of the multi-story building turned toxic, cascading toward Sprigo.
At the forefront of this sharp and ferocious assault, naturally, was Tower Lord Danao.
Danao’s final question to me:
If the most accomplished mage leaves the tower, who maintains the defensive barrier through the magic core?
As an outsider, I obviously couldn’t.
But wasn’t there a qualified Amimone Magic Tower mage, verified as blameless by Blasphemia and capable enough to be dispatched to Argos?
Gorgoph.
“Oh… Oh! To infiltrate the Tower Lord’s chamber bloodlessly in this manner!”
Those deemed “flawless” by Gorgoph remained to defend the tower—and, naturally, they were all collaborators.
“Praise the vanguard of Argeyirion! Hail the wise one who secured victory without bloodshed!”
I stood before the magic core of the Amimone Magic Tower, accompanied by an army of collaborators.
