Mage Community (2)

Mage Community.

Originally, there was a tower.

It was known as the Mage’s Tower, but when the Empire of the Capatia Millions was founded, an imperial law was enacted stating that no building could be higher than the imperial palace, which led to this situation.

— Now.

The height of the imperial palace is 8 stories.

It’s a very ambiguous height, so those who have to build below that height might have complaints, but they can’t dare express dissatisfaction to the imperial family, so time just passes like that.

Still, befitting a village where mages gather, although the height is low, the village itself is quite large.

“What on earth is this smell?”

Alec grumbled.

As they got closer to the village entrance, there was a strange, musty smell.

Yona’s face was also stiff due to her inner tension, but she couldn’t get used to the smell.

At the entrance of the village, there was a large arch.

With words engraved saying “Welcome to the Mage Community”, it was quite ambiguous whether this was a village of mages or what.

Near that entrance, Kairoc suddenly stopped.

“Kairoc?”

As Yona asked Kairoc about this, Kairoc turned to look at Yona with a grin.

“Well, this is where I part ways.”

“Huh? Ah.”

At Kairoc’s words, Yona finally realized that their journey together ended here.

From the beginning, Kairoc’s destination wasn’t the mage community, but to go further up past Lake Cantasia to the North Cantasia River.

Kairoc didn’t seem to have any intention of entering the mage community with them.

“Are you leaving right from here?”

“That’s better. You guys go into the village, and I’ll head that way.”

“I see…”

Yona looked back at where Kairoc was pointing.

A road branching off from the community entrance.

The road going up that way still had hazy mist settling on it.

“So, how long will you be there?”

“Well, I haven’t thought about that. Well, I’ll see the chief’s face. See my family’s faces too. Check if the kids are doing well.”

“…Kids?”

At those words, not only Yona but even Alec had a dumbfounded expression.

Kids?

“You mean your kids?”

“Yeah, my kids, whose else would they be?”

“…You were married?”

“It’s been 50 years since I got married.”

50 years have passed, but how many of those years has he wandered in foreign lands?

Yona’s expression changed from dumbfounded to awkward again at those words.

“…So your wife raised the children alone?”

“That’s right. Children are originally raised by mothers. Isn’t it the same for humans?”

“Hey, what are you saying? How can a mother raise children alone? You’re talking nonsense, really.”

Yona turned sharply to look at Alec.

Yona’s expression wasn’t gentle to begin with, but with her eyes raised high, she looked even fiercer, causing Alec to involuntarily shrink back as soon as he saw that gaze.

“Hey, baldy. What do you think?”

“Wh-what?”

“Do you think mothers raise children, or parents raise them together?”

‘What is this crazy woman saying now?’

Alec felt exasperated but also reflected on his childhood.

Alec’s father and grandfather, who were often away from home gathering herbs.

As a result, Alec spent more time with his mother during his childhood.

Things like how to handle Alec’s superhuman strength, or how to respond in emergencies during adventures.

He learned all those things from his mother.

And he also heard then that his family had been matrilineal for generations.

“…Mothers raise them?”

Those words uttered unconsciously.

Thanks to that, Yona’s eyes raised even higher.

“Wow, I really can’t believe this. To think I’ve been traveling with people like this, if I had known earlier, I would have abandoned them all!”

Only then did Alec realize he had chosen the wrong answer, but it was already far too late.

“Anyway, stay healthy. If I finish early, I’ll stop by first. Or you can come if I don’t. If you say you’re Kairoc’s companions, everyone will welcome you.”

“Treat your wife well!”

“Alright, alright. Alec, you’re going to have a hard time.”

“What nonsense!”

Leaving Yona shouting behind, Kairoc turned around.

Alec also waved lightly to Kairoc and then pulled Yona’s head, forcibly turning her around.

“Stop making a fuss and let’s go in quickly. Who would like it if we make such a commotion near the village entrance?”

“But Kairoc is…!”

“Every family has its circumstances. Just let it go.”

While Yona kept grumbling “But still,” Alec pulled her hand and headed towards the village entrance.

Then, feeling her hand suddenly slip out of his, Alec turned around to see Yona waving her hand as if telling him to go ahead.

‘Suddenly holding hands and making a fuss.’

Yona briefly watched Alec’s back as he shrugged and walked ahead leisurely, then followed behind him, pouting her lips.

The village had no guards, and no guardhouses or fences were visible.

Instead, they only felt something scanning their bodies as they entered the entrance.

However, as soon as they entered, Alec and Yona stared straight ahead with their mouths wide open at the rapidly changing scenery.

There was a tower.

A massive tower that looked to be at least 30 stories high stood before their eyes.

It was a tall and massive tower, as if declaring that this place was not part of the human world and thus not subject to imperial law.

From the 1st to 5th floor, it was round like a disc.

From the 5th floor up, much narrower floors stretched up like a pillar, and after rising high like that for a while, the upper part widened again, with the top floor clearly being a narrow level.

Around the tower, various shops like general stores, clothing stores, tool shops, and restaurants were positioned in a circle as if surrounding the tower, and around them, numerous people were actively moving about, giving the place a lively atmosphere.

“Wow…”

It felt like they had come to a different world.

From the outside, this tower wasn’t visible, and it literally looked like a village with hardly any tall buildings, but as soon as they entered, the scenery changed so drastically that it was truly amazing.

Yona once again poked Alec in the side as he looked around with his mouth wide open.

“Ah, ouch. Why?”

“Hey, stop looking around like that, it’s embarrassing. Don’t act like a country bumpkin.”

Because of Yona’s scolding with furrowed brows, Alec cleared his throat and closed his mouth.

But amazing things are amazing, and he couldn’t control his eyes that kept looking around.

“…Hey, Yona. Where should we go first?”

Yona couldn’t answer Alec’s question.

Returning to being a man. Receiving magical treatment for that purpose.

That was the goal, and Yona had only heard from Alevian to go to the mage community.

Yona had to admit that her thinking had been too naive, believing she could just go to the reception desk at the mage community and talk about it.

“Let’s go to the tower. We should go to the tower and say we came to receive some treatment.”

Yona made a decision after a moment of consideration.

She didn’t come here to play, and since she had a purpose, there was no need to pay attention to other things.

“Then that looks like the entrance over there?”

Where Alec was pointing, there was a huge glass door that looked like the entrance to the tower.

Such a large glass door, how expensive must it be?

Yona swallowed hard and approached that direction, with Alec quickly following behind.

The race that stood out the most was definitely the elves.

Elves, characterized by their long ears and attractive appearance, have the advantage of being able to research magic for as long as their long lifespans, so they seemed to make up a significant portion of this mage’s tower.

They seemed to be so numerous that three out of ten people passing by were elves, but seeing these elves, Yona muttered in shock.

“Why are there so many guys like Alevian…”

The fact that every one of them had eyes that seemed somewhat off reminded her of Alevian, making Yona feel somewhat uneasy.

Especially as she was suddenly reminded of the fact that she owed Alevian a kiss on credit, Yona shuddered.

“Is, is this it…?”

“Seems like it?”

Yona and Alec stood in front of the entrance of the mage’s tower, staring at the door.

Passersby glanced at them, occasionally giggling and laughing, but they didn’t even notice as they stared at the door.

The door is truly enormous—

It seems to be about twice Alec’s size.

Made entirely of transparent glass, the people coming and going inside are clearly visible, and Yona was slightly daunted by the sight of so many people bustling about.

“…Let’s go in for now. We can’t do anything unless we go in anyway.”

“You know you’re saying that for the fifth time now, right?”

Yona couldn’t say anything to Alec’s quip.

She had been repeating “let’s go in for now” for a while but couldn’t bring herself to enter, probably because she was a bit scared after all.

“Hey, let’s go. I’ll lead the way. Geez, being so chicken.”

Unable to watch any longer, Alec stepped forward and strode ahead, with Yona reluctantly following behind.

The door with a wooden handle attached to the transparent glass opened automatically as soon as Alec touched it.

Alec was startled by this, but Yona was unexpectedly unfazed.

She had seen plenty of automatic doors like this in her original world.

Once inside, it was much wider than it looked from the outside.

The lobby was so wide it seemed larger than the dining room in Ceres’ mansion, and from the ceiling, much higher than that mansion, chandeliers hung abundantly with light stones the size of adult fingers embedded, emitting light in beautiful colors.

Amidst this, there were so many people coming and going, each hugging parchments and books, hurriedly heading somewhere, while Alec and Yona stood in the middle, looking around.

It was massive, and the walls were decorated with reliefs carved with unknown legendary beasts, making it incredibly splendid.

On both sides, there were waiting rooms with chairs densely arranged, and judging by the number of chairs, it was clear that this mage’s tower not only had permanent residents but also quite a few visitors from outside.

In the center of the lobby was a reception desk.

The reception desk looked like several large brown wooden desks put together, and at each reception desk, two receptionists were paired up, responding to those who approached with smiling faces.

And among them, one uniquely empty reception desk.

Moreover, a reception desk where two women who appeared to be human, not elves, were standing.

Alec pointed to that reception desk.

“L-let’s go. It looks like there’s a reception desk over there.”

“Yeah, l-let’s do that.”

Yona agreed, and the two quickly headed there.

“Welcome to the Mage’s Tower. What brings you here today?”

A lady with a friendly smile all over her face asked Alec.

Since it wasn’t Alec’s turn from here, Alec poked Yona’s waist with his elbow.

“Ah, I got it… Don’t rush me.”

Yona, with a stiff face, opened her mouth slowly, forcing a smile on her face as if a creaking sound might be heard — or as if she might have a seizure at any moment.

“Um, I want to return to being a man.”

Alec let out a long sigh.