Ch.166EP.40 – Spring of the Knights (1)

-As always, today is a cold day too.

“…It seems the fairy is very angry again today.”

The child shivered once as he looked at the raging blizzard.

However, as always, the child put his hands together and begged for forgiveness toward the direction of the swirling snowstorm.

“Fairy, please forgive us.”

Words of forgiveness he had been saying daily for about three years.

Whether the fairy was listening or not, the child always begged for forgiveness.

“I want to see sunlight.”

The adults said that there used to be something called ‘sunlight’ in the past.

They said the sky wasn’t covered with dark clouds but was blue, and breathing without a mask was refreshing.

But the child didn’t know such things.

When the child was born, the sky was already always gloomy, and only white snow fields filled the land.

According to adults, it was all because they had angered the fairy, and because of this, adults often cursed something called the ‘high ones?’

Some even got angry at the fairy.

They asked why it was being so cruel when they had done nothing wrong.

But instead of sympathizing with those adults, the child would sneak out of the village at this time every day, put his hands together, and make a wish.

Forgiveness.

Mom and Dad had said it.

If you’ve done something wrong, it’s only natural to apologize first.

So the child apologized every day on behalf of those high ones.

And by apologizing like this.

‘Maybe someday she’ll return the sunlight?’

The child dreamed.

That someday he too would be able to see the blue sky.

That the villagers could get food through farming instead of dangerous hunting.

That his little sister would grow up seeing sunlight.

And…

“That we could live warmly like the people in the ‘Colony’…”

The child begged for forgiveness for such a future.

Hoping that the fairy would no longer hate humans.

“Eren, what are you doing there?”

“Ah, Mom!”

“Come quickly, you’ll catch a cold.”

“Yes!”

The child answered his mother’s call and placed a pretty pebble, which was like his treasure, on the ground.

It was a gift for the fairy.

*

*

*

Whooooosh!!

Blizzards rage throughout the central continent all year round.

It wasn’t always like this.

There was an incident where the Imperial Royal Family and the Magic Tower joined forces to capture and use a fairy, and because of this, the winter fairy’s anger brought winter to the central continent for over 10 years.

Because of this, at some point, the central continent became a cursed land where farming was impossible, and the angry people and territories each claimed to be kings, forming military factions.

However, ridiculously, the direction of this anger was limited to the Empire, and the Magic Tower, known to have led the experiment, did not receive critical gazes.

The reason?

It’s not particularly because the Empire’s people were foolish.

Simply.

“So this is the Magic Tower’s giant greenhouse.”

“It really covers the entire city?”

“What a spectacle.”

A greenhouse created by the Magic Tower.

The magical field surrounding the entire city looks like a vinyl house for growing crops.

Except it was built large enough to cover the entire city.

It was magnificent beyond words, and even admirable.

While the weather outside is winter, the inside of the city is filled with the warmth of spring.

And such greenhouse-type cities have now naturally formed throughout the central continent.

Although the Magic Tower committed a wrong, this was the result of their measures to seek forgiveness for that wrong.

The giant greenhouse ‘City House’.

Or also called [Colony].

Thanks to these colonies, the perception of the Magic Tower among imperial citizens was that of ‘a group that causes accidents but tries to solve them,’ and it was also called a necessary evil facility for their survival.

Of course, not all citizens lived in colonies.

There were still those who denied mages and lived outside the colonies, or those who cultivated slash-and-burn fields did not enjoy such benefits.

However, for those who enjoyed the privilege of colonies, the Magic Tower was an organization that should never be denied.

Rather, it was regarded as an organization like a temple that was infinitely necessary for them.

Whoosh.

As soon as they enter the colony, warm air envelops the visitors.

Merchants and travelers who entered the colony through the blizzard finally felt relief and took off their thick coats.

“Phew, I can finally breathe.”

“I thought I was going to freeze to death.”

“Come on, let’s move the goods first.”

Since blizzards were prevalent, most merchants were focused on selling food.

Food was scarce in any colony.

And a new merchant from the western continent felt relieved at the high prices of food sold after breaking through this harsh blizzard.

He felt that his hard work had paid off.

Perhaps because he now had some mental leeway after finishing his work.

“Come to think of it, I still haven’t seen the Magic Tower. My seniors said you can definitely see it just by walking along the road…”

It was like a merchant’s self-mumbling, but there were those who caught this without missing it.

“Hmm, it seems the merchant sir is new to the central continent.”

“…Who are you?”

“Hehe, just someone trying to earn pocket money.”

“Ah, a street kid.”

Street.

It was a derogatory term for abandoned street children living on the streets, and this little boy was probably a child earning pocket money by selling information.

When most people thought street kids earned money through theft, seeing one earning money in a place crowded with adults was both pitiful and admirable.

The merchant, whose pockets had become somewhat full from this trade journey, threw a silver coin to the boy, both to satisfy his curiosity and to do a good deed.

“Yes, this is my first time in the central. So tell me what you know.”

“Th-Thank you, sir!”

The power of a single silver coin was enough to loosen the boy’s tongue.

“What exactly are you curious about, sir? The largest military faction in the central currently? Or the most powerful lord or self-proclaimed king? Or the Magic Tower?”

“…While I’m curious about all of them, I suppose the Magic Tower concerns me the most.”

The Magic Tower, which has formed the largest force in the central continent.

Its influence is no exaggeration to say it accounts for 50% of the Empire’s.

For him, a merchant who mainly travels for trade, it was inevitably a place of concern.

‘The trade items keep changing depending on what the Magic Tower focuses on.’

Even a novice like him knew that the Magic Tower was one of the best trading partners for merchants.

They say they don’t even haggle over prices because they’re overflowing with money?

…However, since entering the Empire, the merchant had never met a mage, let alone seen the Magic Tower.

Given how enormous the name of the Magic Tower is, it’s puzzling why its existence is so invisible.

‘Where on earth is this tower…’

Throughout his journey, he had visited various colonies, but he had never seen anything like a tower.

Could it be in the Imperial capital?

“Haha, I think I know what you’re thinking, sir. The Magic Tower is an unmissable landmark of the central, yet how come you haven’t seen even a mage, let alone the tower?”

“…You’re quite perceptive, a clever lad.”

“Hehe, thank you. Ahem, before I answer, may I ask what you think the Magic Tower looks like?”

“Hm?”

The merchant blinked at the unexpected question.

A tower is a tower, he wondered what that meant.

“Do you really think it has the form of an actual tower?”

“W-Wasn’t it?”

“Hmm, you really came to the central without knowing anything, sir. If you had asked others, you would have known…”

“D-Do you think I wanted to be ignorant? Those mischievous fellows said I would know when I got there, but they didn’t tell me the answer.”

“Ah, that could be the case too.”

“Ahem!”

It’s somewhat embarrassing.

That a merchant, who should be sensitive to information, doesn’t know even this.

However, the perceptive boy didn’t poke at the merchant’s embarrassing point.

Not just because of the money he received, but because he knew well that it’s not good to give displeasure to others unnecessarily.

“…What those mischievous people said isn’t wrong either. If you stay in the central, you’ll definitely have a chance to see the Magic Tower.”

“Hm?”

“The timing is good. Or maybe you’re just lucky, sir.”

“What…?”

“Look up.”

“…Up?”

The merchant was confused by what the boy was saying, but he unconsciously looked up.

And then…

“Gasp!”

Soon the merchant was astonished and drew in a sharp breath.

Because he saw such an unrealistic sight.

[Groooo…!]

─A massive object, no, a castle was flying in the sky.

A castle in the sky.

This castle, which naturally evoked such a name, was infinitely huge and even an unrealistic sight.

How could such a large castle fly in the sky?

As if to answer this question.

“-They say hundreds of mages live inside the Magic Tower. And the telekinetic power of those hundreds of mages becomes the energy that lifts the tower into the air in real-time. Thanks to this, the Magic Tower flies in the sky all year round.”

“A-All year round?”

“Yes, of course, it occasionally lands for food and supplies, but they say the landing location is random.”

“Wow….”

The merchant seemed to understand why only a few merchants contract with the Magic Tower.

‘It would be difficult to contract when it moves around so freely.’

…However.

“But why do they float such a large castle in the air?”

“Hmm, according to rumors, there are countless artifacts inside the Magic Tower. They say they floated their tower in the air, a place too high for anyone to reach, to protect those artifacts.”

“That makes sense.”

“Another rumor is that there’s research that can only be done in the sky. Research too dangerous to be done on the ground.”

“…That’s a truly frightening story.”

Although not all his questions were resolved, the merchant, somewhat convinced by the boy’s words, threw another silver coin.

“Huh? Th-This is too much…”

“You have quite a way with words, and you know how to make a conversation interesting. You have the talent of a minstrel, haha.”

“…Thank you for your kind words, sir!”

“Live well.”

So the merchant nodded, having resolved his curiosity.

And…

“My next trade journey is decided!”

He burned with a dream.

None other than…

“…Another fool who will chase the Magic Tower, tsk tsk.”

The boy, whose innocent expression from just a moment ago was gone, replaced by a cynical sneer, clicked his tongue as he put the silver coins in his pocket.

There are such people.

Those who, when their first trade journey goes smoothly, mistakenly think everything will go well.

Not realizing it might be beginner’s luck, they should just stick to what they’re good at, but instead, they show off by trying to climb trees they can’t reach.

How easy would life be if passion alone could solve everything?

Truly…

“So naive.”

It’s not an appropriate statement for a still young boy, but the boy who had worked harder at the harsh life than the novice merchant evaluated it as such and turned around.

Not to go home, but to look for another gullible person who might be dreaming futile dreams.

During this.

Flinch!

The boy suddenly stopped in his tracks.

“……”

No, he had to stop.

Having lived only 12 years, but having developed a sense of danger detection better than anyone by living on the streets during those 12 years, the boy broke out in a cold sweat at this moment.

For good reason.

“…Well, is this enough?”

“Look at this guy?”

Somewhere in the back alley.

Two men, looking extremely dangerous, were emanating a murderous aura while pointing an axe and a spear at each other.

“Gulp….”

The boy swallowed dry saliva and stepped back.

They were definitely the dangerous type that should not be messed with-.

Thud.

“…Not good.”

Just when he thought his luck was good, the boy who stepped on a branch while backing away wore a grim expression.

And…

“Do you have business with us-?”

“……”

…The boy fainted.

“This kid, why did he suddenly faint?”

“You ruffian, it’s probably because your face looks so vicious.”

“…Sigh, I should deny that, but why can’t I?”

Ihan laid the child down comfortably despite feeling disgruntled.

He didn’t want the child’s mouth to get twisted from lying in a strange position.

After safely placing the child, he once again.

“…The situation has become a bit strange, but shall we try again?”

“Tsk, arrogant bastard.”

“If you don’t like it, don’t come. I can go alone.”

“……”

The spear-wielding man frowned with a displeased look, but since he was currently in the position of inferiority…

Whoosh!

He thrust his spear without hesitation.

Clang!

“…Hmm, not bad.”

“……”

And although the spear tip accurately aimed for Ihan’s forehead, the spear couldn’t harm Ihan’s forehead at all.

……Rather, there was only the sound of hitting metal.