Niobe was barely alive, thanks to the massive explosion Carisia had prepared that targeted solely the space where the Amimone Magic Tower once stood.
Even though it hadn’t struck her directly, Niobe had been within the radius of its transcendent heat. Having stayed at the forefront of the Amimone Magic Tower to draw the attention of the mind parasites, she couldn’t fully escape the catastrophic blast when the great magic activated.
After the battle ended, Ortes was the one who unearthed Niobe from the rubble. This was due to Carisia’s advice.
“Search near the ruins since she was likely fighting the mind parasites until the last moment.” Along with this suggestion came a gentle caution.
“Are you alright?”
“Senior…”
A wry smile crossed Niobe’s face.
“The artifact was quite intense.”
Ortes hesitated. It seemed Niobe mistook Carisia’s “magic” for an ancient artifact prepared by Ortes. Given how closely Niobe had observed Carisia, there was a chance she might have guessed her true nature, but fortunately, those concerns were unfounded.
“You were lucky. You managed to overload their space magic and caused it to self-destruct. That Niobe got caught up in it—”
But Niobe shook her head, signaling that there was no need for apologies. She realized Ortes trusted her more than expected. Recalling Carisia’s words, Ortes considered her proposal: rather than merely hiding the truth and using her as a collaborator, what if they made her a bridge to establish friendly forces within Blasphemia for Hydra Corp? It was a risky gamble.
“Senior… do you think I’m suitable for this position now?”
Ortes nodded. From the time Niobe fell for his early deceptions as a rookie to now, her growth had been astonishing.
Conversely, such a capable person could be extremely dangerous if turned into an enemy. After much deliberation, Ortes decided to trust Carisia’s judgment.
“Yes. You’ve done excellently, Niobe. Ordering your troops to retreat first and staying behind at the front line to buy time was exemplary.”
With a small voice, Niobe murmured, “If so, then I’m relieved,” and shyly smiled. Seizing the appropriate moment, Ortes continued.
“But… is this organization really suited for someone like you?”
“Hmm?”
“I’m not sure if this place matches your potential.”
“Senior?”
Confusion clouded Niobe’s expression. Carefully choosing his words, Ortes wondered how far he could push without damaging their collaborative relationship. How far would Niobe’s loyalty extend?
“There will always be doubts within Blasphemia. Why does Argeyirion attract so many people?”
“That’s—”
“It’s something beyond mere ambition or desire for wealth and glory. Through my many battles against Argeyirion, I’ve come to understand some of the methods they use to recruit others.”
This wasn’t entirely false. Considering Nastiorn’s cooperation with the mind parasites, it was clear the hand of the Wizard King reached into the subconscious of Argeyirion members.
Ortes half-joked about their recruitment method being akin to a “hypnosis app,” but the reality—a single, unsettling truth—was tied to the origins of the Ten Towers.
‘The betrayal of the Wizard King’s top disciples.’
The shameful secret hidden for thousands of years. The grand justification of serving the Wizard King must have been used to persuade other mages.
“What are you talking about?”
“I maintain my stance on Argeyirion—they’re all dangerous individuals under the influence of extraterrestrial forces. But our organization…”
“Senior. Don’t go any further—”
You’d become a traitor. Niobe’s gaze warned Ortes to stop.
“Our organization may harbor secrets even worse than theirs.”
Niobe’s mind was overwhelmed with confusion, her expression a mix of bewilderment and distress. Ortes placed his final bet.
“…You can report these thoughts to higher-ups if you wish. I’ll take no action. If you decide otherwise, please contact Hydra Corp.”
Ortes handed Niobe over to another member of Blasphemia. Left in deep turmoil, Niobe wrestled with her thoughts.
*
Cnemon thought bitterly.
“d*mn Argeyirion bastards…”
Had he taken one more step forward, Amimone Magic Tower would have been his, only to vanish into thin air.
However, the plan wasn’t a total failure. Cnemon himself scored the highest in the final selection, and Kine, officially registered under the Tabning school, delivered a critical counterattack against Argeyirion’s raid during the Tower Master selection.
Thanks to Kine’s leadership, Nastiorn—a senior officer whose name Ortes provided—was repelled. Recognized as a testament to the strength of the Tabning school, Cnemon became the master of the now-destroyed Amimone Magic Tower.
Ironically, the main tower was gone, leaving only the branch.
“Truly regrettable. This is all because of Argeyirion.”
Ortes offered condolences in a somber tone. While it was natural for Cnemon to feel regret, he couldn’t blame Ortes for the loss.
“Hmph. Who would have known the Argeyirion bastards would go so far as to vaporize the entire tower? Though considering the retaliation from the Ten Towers, it was short-sighted of them. Still, it was effective in showcasing their power.”
“…Argeyirion! All this is due to their poor choices!”
Uncharacteristically passionate, Ortes denounced Argeyirion. Recalling Lampades’ theory that Ortes used Argeyirion as a smokescreen for Hydra Corp, Cnemon reflected.
‘So that’s it. Did Argeyirion uncover Ortes’ plans and strike preemptively? Things are getting complicated.’
According to what Lampades had said, Ortes was preparing to overturn the world while cleverly avoiding the attention of the Ten Towers, using Argeyirion as a cover for Hydra Corp. The dynamic was simple: the confrontation between the concealed Hydra Corp and the Ten Towers, masked by Argeyirion.
However, following the incident in Algus City, Argeyirion severed ties with Ortes entirely.
‘So now we have a three-way battle…’
But Hydra Corp would likely have the upper hand. The Theistic Order, believed to be aligned with Argeyirion, was actually Ortes’ personal ally.
They would side with Ortes. The attackers targeting the order were likely aware of this and sought to eliminate Ortes’ agents beforehand.
‘But thanks to Kine’s counterattack, the accusation of superstition worship stuck to Argeyirion…’
Though the order was truly on Ortes’ side, the charges were completely transferred to Argeyirion. It was a terrifying strategy indeed.
Understanding the situation, Cnemon nodded toward Ortes, who was still berating Argeyirion.
“Don’t worry too much. After all, you fulfilled my first request.”
“My first request? Ah.”
Originally, Cnemon desired the complete annihilation of the Amimone Magic Tower. With not even a single brick remaining, his wish had been perfectly fulfilled.
“At least I did become the Tower Master, even if only in name. Both plans succeeded partially.”
Cnemon felt satisfied with the current situation, proof that Ortes’ plans didn’t always succeed perfectly.
Perhaps the world wouldn’t end after all.
If Ortes’ plans succeeded only ‘partially,’ perhaps the world wouldn’t burn entirely but only cleanse its corrupted parts.
There was hope that the catastrophic plan prepared by the great evil would halt at an appropriate point. Cnemon found solace in this hope.
‘I don’t deserve to entertain such thoughts, given that I serve that great evil.’
With a bitter smile, Cnemon asked Ortes,
“What’s the next move?”
It was common knowledge among those with keen intuition that Kine, who played a decisive role in Cnemon’s selection as Tower Master, wasn’t originally from the Tabning Magic Tower but rather a mercenary.
And it was also known that the entity providing such mercenaries was Hydra Corp, the sponsor of the Tabning school. Already, Carisia was receiving an overwhelming number of inquiries about renting out said “mercenary.”
Particularly valued was their ability to handle Argeyirion, which drew interest even from Panoptes and, indirectly, the Ten Towers.
“For now, I plan to return to Etna City. There’s much preparation needed since the situation has changed in various ways.”
“Fair enough. Your trusted tool betrayed you, after all.”
