Leap (8)

After the banquet.

An official statement was released in Pahellen that the monster wave had ended. Kamier, speaking in a booming voice from the platform, looked happier than anyone in the world.

-Pahellen has endured.

The frost that had settled in my heart hadn’t melted away.

He chose to use his frozen heart rather than melt it.

__

I watched Kamier’s passionate performance while waiting for the resting soldiers. The white steam that came out every time he opened his mouth… the Mana he had awakened was truly pure white. Usually, Mana manifests as blue, but his Mana was strangely pure white.

‘…He’ll handle the rest on his own, I guess.’

I just hope he doesn’t get caught up in arrogance.

When you awaken magic, your thinking tends to change in a way that pursues self-interest, so you need to be especially careful in the early stages of awakening. If you can’t protect your ego, you’ll be devoured by arrogance and turn into a monster. Of course, we talked about it beforehand, but you never know what humans will do.

Still, I’m not worried.

He was someone who knew how to fail.

“Yujin.”

As I closed my eyes and meditated for a moment, I heard Kamier’s voice nearby.

Looking at the platform, the speech was already over. The residents were returning to their homes with bright faces, and the merchants were preparing to breathe bright colors into the gloomy streets. Kamier looked fondly at the streets of Pahellen that he had protected and bowed his head.

“Doryeon-nim.”

“I know.”

“….”

He glances around, wary of anyone seeing him. It wasn’t good for a noble to bow to a commoner, as it would cause rumors. Nevertheless, Kamier bent over 90 degrees, expressing his gratitude to me.

“I don’t know how to repay you for this.”

“….”

“In a world where effort has lost its value, and tolerance has become the cowardice of the weak. I saw hope for the first time.”

“….”

“My life has been nothing but failures. For too long. It’s been too long.”

“….”

“I promise not to reveal whatever your identity is. No, I know I don’t even have the right to say it.”

He kneels on one knee. Not the knee of a knight, not the knee of a noble, but the knee of a ruler. He, who would succeed Pahellen, knelt. The gazes of the nearby residents flew over, but he didn’t care. In that solemn and sacred sight, I couldn’t bring myself to tell him to stand up.

He drew his sword and plunged it into the ground, saying.

“Someday. Not now, but.”

Frost settling on my head.

“I will definitely repay you.”

A chilling cold.

It was a short meeting, not even half a day, but the miracle I had created had completely changed one person. I chuckled with a slight sense of regret. As expected, there’s no good in meddling.

Still.

“Doryeon-nim.”

Pretending to be a good person doesn’t feel so bad.

“Get up.”

I helped Kamier up and brushed the dust off his clothes. He stared at me with a blank expression. It seemed like a sincere statement, but to me, it was just childish antics. I understand the intention and sincerity. But that’s not enough.

“Now, straighten your shoulders, straighten your back.”

After correcting his posture, I stand on tiptoe. Even letting out a faint groan, I desperately reach out. Then, I barely touched his head. I brushed off the snowflakes that had fallen on Kamier’s head and said.

“Much better.”

Kamier blushed and turned his gaze away. I knew he had briefly glanced at my heaving chest, but I didn’t bother to mention it.

“It’ll be hard for you to repay me.”

Colin and the soldiers preparing to return.

There’s not much time left.

“The next time we meet, I’ll be standing in a very high place.”

Now it’s time to climb the Magic Tower in earnest. Based on the reputation I’ve built up so far, I will leap towards a higher place.

“You don’t need to draw your sword. Later. Just raise your hand for me.”

You just need to support me as I climb up from the side.

“Yujin! It’s time to go back!”

Colin’s shout is heard from afar. Kamier’s eyes wavered, but I ignored it and turned my back. I can feel the trembling vibration at the tips of his fingers. It was hesitation.

“….”

He couldn’t open his mouth in the end. He couldn’t overcome his hesitation. Yeah. I guess it’s not to that extent yet.

It was a short but impressive meeting. I don’t know if we’ll ever meet again, but if that day comes.

I hope he’s overcome that slight hesitation.

* * *

“Yujin-nim-!! Congratulations on your A-rank promotion-!!!”

The first to greet me upon returning to the Adventurer’s Guild was the receptionist, Mary. She was holding a banner that I couldn’t even imagine where she got it from, welcoming me.

Everyone’s attention is drawn to the slightly excessive welcome ceremony. But there was no interest like the first time. Everyone was nodding as if it was natural.

-I heard the Red Witch saved Pahellen this time.

-Damn. She never gets tired of sweeping up achievements.

It’s because I’ve been recognized.

I was an A-rank adventurer and the Red Witch. Everyone looks up to me. I was just an adventurer, but I was standing higher than ordinary people.

“You can make your A-rank plaque in any shape you want! Keep in mind that you can make it with rubies, sapphires, etc., not just crystals!”

“…Can’t I just receive it as is?”

“Hmm… Still. It’s A-rank. Ah, I’m sorry! Of course, there’s also a plaque that comes with the basic package!”

“Give me that one.”

“Really? Really, really?”

“Haa… Mary.”

Mary was really pouting with regret. The adventurer she was in charge of had become A-rank. It will probably be the first and last time. So she probably wants to take care of me as much as possible. She used to be scared of me when I was only B-rank, but when she realized I was harmless, she clung to me like a puppy.

But my opinion hasn’t changed.

“Too bad… Then I’ll bring you a temporary plaque, so please wait a moment!”

A few minutes later.

Mary brought a small crystal plaque.

“It’s a temporary plaque, so it’s small, but the authority is the same! Yujin-nim is an A-rank adventurer with this! Please continue to be active in the future!”

I put the plaque in my arms and give a short greeting.

‘Red Magic Tower….’

When I turn my head, a tall tower fills my vision.

There are several ways to enter the Magic Tower, but they are mainly divided into three categories.

First. Submit an academy completion certificate.

The academy ‘Astra’ is located in the capital, Taleon. If you graduate from there, you can enter the Magic Tower and even the Imperial Palace if you do well. However, those who graduate from the academy usually enter the White Magic Tower, so it wasn’t very practical.

Second. Submit a letter of recommendation from a high-ranking noble or someone equivalent.

In the case of nobles, only the head of the family or the eldest son is eligible. That’s why I didn’t get a recommendation from Shuriel. Hairak would never hand me a recommendation. Anyway, I only have Kamier as a connection, so it didn’t apply to me.

Third. The traditional practical exam.

The only way for commoners to enter the Magic Tower. What I’m aiming for is the third one. Just submitting my A-rank adventurer plaque will automatically satisfy the climbing qualification.

Considering my power, I wouldn’t have to do something like this… but it would take too long to climb from the bottom. The Magic Tower is hostile to newcomers. If I build a foundation like this, I won’t get caught up in trouble.

‘It’ll be difficult right now….’

It’s getting dark.

It’s not application time now, so I had to apply tomorrow.

“Ah….”

Come to think of it, tomorrow will be the 10th day since I arrived in Bridonia.

‘I wonder what Shuriel is doing.’

The 10th day is the day the Grand Assembly is held. The Imperial Capital Taleon, Madria Grand Assembly Hall. The only day when the four Magic Tower Lords, the three Deputies, and the five Priests all gather.

‘…I hope nothing bad happens.’

It’s not that I’m particularly worried about Shuriel, but I’m still concerned about the horns on her head. I hope she doesn’t get attacked at the meeting. A Deputy with horns. Even I think it’s bizarre.

‘What if she’s stripped of her Deputy status…?’

Will I have to take care of her? Hmm. I don’t know. Nobles are still nobles even if they’re rotten, so they’ll probably handle themselves well.

If she becomes a father that Aileen would be ashamed to see, I’ll use my power to put her back in her place.

* * *

The next day.

I woke up early in the morning and headed straight to the Red Magic Tower.

A tower so tall that I’m worried it will collapse in the wind. It boasts a whopping 100 floors. It’s excessively tall and looks as thin as a toothpick, but each floor is expanded with space magic.

The wizards who climb the tower are called climbers.

The higher you go up the tower, the more trials it presents to the climbers.

From overcoming their own limits to relatively simple things like submitting magic research or papers. The wizards aim to overcome these and raise the number of floors as much as possible.

Among them, the 1st floor.

I stepped into the place where magic begins.

“….”

The interior of the Magic Tower was very quiet compared to the wide space like a hall.

Except for the receptionist with the monocle who was in charge of reception in the middle of the hall, only a few gloomy wizards were carrying piles of books and going up to the upper floors. Teleport. A technology that effectively replaced the elevator.

“Hmm?”

The receptionist with the monocle, who was reading a book, raised her head.

“What’s the matter?”

A clear voice. It was a woman. The pink-haired woman closed the book she was reading and straightened her monocle. Her right eye was blue, while her left eye was red.

I narrowed my eyes and analyzed her. I can feel such strong Mana that I can’t believe she’s a wizard residing on the 1st floor.

“State your business.”

At least near the 80th floor. No. Or even higher. Are there only monsters like this in the Magic Tower? It’s a little funny that I, the monster among monsters, am saying this, but there’s no doubt that the woman in front of me is abnormally strong.

‘If I split myself into a thousand people, three or four of them might lose.’

It was an objective analysis.

I stopped analyzing and took out my A-rank plaque from my arms. Then, I looked directly at the woman in front of me and said.

“Climbing.”

I’ve come to conquer the tower.

“….”

An A-rank plaque.

A realm that can’t be ignored.

The woman in front of me narrowed her eyes sharply and looked at me. Her blue and red eyes shone like crescents. The wizards passing by were startled by the Mana spread everywhere and stumbled.

“Do you have a completion certificate or a recommendation letter?”

Is it a test from the beginning? As expected of a closed Magic Tower. I didn’t succumb to the violence of the Mana she was emitting and emitted even stronger Mana.

“I came to apply for the practical exam. But…”

The woman in front of me responded with an even stronger wave. A wave so strong that the floor tiles cracked. The Mana is shaking. I frowned as I looked at the collapsing 1st floor.

“Is this the practical exam now?”

We’re going to collapse for real if we go any further. In the end, I raised the white flag. The pink-haired woman was a typical wizard. Stubborn, unwilling to lose, and a human group that only knows themselves. She withdrew her Mana when I raised the white flag.

“Puhaha, sorry. I heard the Red Witch was here, so I got too excited.”

She put her monocle in her arms and said.

“…I wanted to meet you once, but I didn’t expect you to come on your own.”

Blink.

My vision flashed and her figure disappeared. I identified the place where the Mana had shaken and reflexively turned my head.

She was standing behind me.

“Nice to meet you! I’m the Vice Tower Lord, Pekapollis. I’m holding down the fort as the Tower Lord’s proxy, but… please feel free to treat me comfortably!”