Chapter Index





    # The Magic Tower and Protests: An Inseparable Relationship

    The Magic Tower and protests are inseparable.

    Like weeds breaking through concrete blocks, the Magic Tower was established by overcoming religious oppression, and mages gained freedom after thousands of years as a reward for resisting persecution.

    In that context, it’s not strange that protests constantly erupt in the Magic Tower.

    After waging all-out war against a global religious organization, protests against a mere government are nothing.

    When government policies are disliked, they grab picket signs; when angered, they beat up guards who look weaker than them (most protesters in the Magic Tower are mages); when they feel like it, they break shop windows and take expensive magical tools and supplies. That’s roughly what protests are like in the Magic Tower.

    Just as riots are a representative French culture, protests are one of the many elements that make up the Magic Tower.

    It’s only been a hundred years since they confronted religious orders for independence, so protests should be considered endearing by comparison.

    Given that they’re the type who hate being controlled and immediately look for masks to hide their faces at the slightest hint of disadvantage, it was clear that protests started by mages would eventually pass as minor happenings.

    That is, under normal circumstances.

    “So the mages started a protest?”

    -‘Yes.’

    “And it could turn into a riot at any moment?”

    -‘Yes.’

    “In an area under martial law, of all places?”

    -‘Yes.’

    ## Episode 12 – The Strongest Mage in History

    Though I’m constantly accused of being a commie, I’m actually someone who loves labor unions and civic groups more than anyone.

    To be precise, I love ‘foreign’ labor unions and civic groups.

    For someone who makes a living as a spy, labor unions and civic groups are a kind of stage, a meeting place, and a hideout for revolutionary fighters.

    People gathering in hopes of getting scraps, those who come out of pure-hearted volunteer spirit, those who come for socializing, those who need image management, those dragged out against their will due to peer pressure, and so on.

    There’s no better place to exploit people.

    Due to the nature of these organizations, they often attend rallies or protests, and because so many people gather, there are plenty of opportunities to form nutritious relationships. It’s like a job fair or exhibition.

    The current situation was exactly like that.

    “Quiet down, people!”

    A middle-aged man in a robe raised his voice while gesturing angrily. His magical power hummed as the fabric of his robe floated up, then began to shake violently as if caught in a typhoon.

    “…What is this?”

    I was at a loss for words after arriving at the scene immediately upon receiving Francesca’s contact.

    People were gathering like clouds around a building in a northern metropolis. The line extended far beyond the building’s interior to the outside. It was truly a bustling scene.

    There was a truckload of people obviously showing off “I’m a mage.” People wearing colorful robes of various hues differed in age, gender, and even race.

    “What? This person? How old are you?”

    “No, this is troublesome, sir. I don’t know which school you belong to, but both of you need to calm down first…”

    “Let’s move along- please don’t block the way.”

    “We can’t reach Lord Lysidike. Where is Lord Ranieri now?”

    “Is anyone here from the Necromancy School? Anyone from the Necromancy School!”

    At a glance, some people with the same robe patterns were gathered together, perhaps from the same school, while others with different patterns were conversing, and there were even some lost family-like figures searching for people from specific schools through the crowd.

    Except for when working at the Magic Tower, I’d never seen so many mages in one place…

    “What a complete mess.”

    It was chaos.

    I rushed here after receiving Francesca’s message about a protest breaking out, and the situation was quite serious. It looked even more serious because I couldn’t understand what was going on. Francesca said she hadn’t fully grasped the situation either and wanted to meet to talk.

    I stared at the blocked entrance and streets filled with mages.

    “…How am I supposed to get through?”

    It was mentally taxing just having so many people gathered, but the mages seemed angry and were being quite irritable.

    I couldn’t tell why so many magic-users were fuming with anger, but it was clear they were causing trouble around them.

    Verbal fights escalated to physical ones. Grabbing collars was basic, and they looked ready to cast spells at any moment.

    Amid the angry crowd creating an ominous atmosphere, the Magic Tower’s civil servants who manage mages and the Imperial Internal Army troops controlling the crowd all looked perplexed. Imperial Army officers kept muttering curses, and the troops prepared for possible incidents with anxious expressions.

    After sensing the indescribable atmosphere at the scene, I desperately wanted to leave quickly. But I couldn’t move carelessly without knowing Francesca’s location, who had called me here.

    “Where on earth is this person…”

    “What’s the matter, Military Officer?”

    “Ah, Senior Lyudmila. I need to enter the building to meet the administrator, is there any way?”

    When I asked while pointing to a group of angry mages, Senior Lyudmila shook her head with a troubled expression.

    “I’m sorry, but neither the Internal Army nor the Military Police can enter there now. Perhaps you should wait for the situation to calm down or call Administrator Ranieri outside?”

    “Whether she can come out or not is one thing…”

    I scratched my eyebrow while watching the mages raising their voices along with light physical altercations.

    “But I’m not sure what might happen to her if she does.”

    No one knew what would happen if Francesca appeared at this savage scene. Why were they suddenly acting like this?

    It was awkward to grab a passing mage and ask about the situation.

    I might face retaliation if I grabbed an angry person, and the Bureau’s mages were busy dealing with malicious complainants.

    As for the Internal Army… well, they’re just decorative. What would they know?

    Just as I was trying to figure out how to enter the building…

    A curse erupted from the angry crowd.

    “Hey, you bastard!”

    With a tremendous volume reminiscent of a martial arts master’s roar. The mage, who could have been a world-famous vocalist had he studied singing, swung his arm with a short, thick curse.

    Yellow magical power rippled from his hand cutting through the air. As a small amount of magical power gathered in the mage’s grasp, a spell formula began to form.

    “How dare you grab my collar! Do you want to die?!”

    “Uh, uhh?”

    Perhaps angered by having his collar grabbed during an argument, the mage shook off the other’s hand and drew forth magical power.

    In the blink of an eye, a complex magic circle appeared and wrapped around the mage’s arm like a coiling snake. He seemed to be boiling with rage.

    Unless one is a combat mage or trained in military magic, a spell deployed in such a short time wouldn’t have enough power to kill someone. But it’s common sense that even a low-powered spell can be fatal if it hits wrong.

    Magic blooming during a fight.

    Screams of shock erupted from all around.

    “Kyaaaah!”

    “A fight broke out!”

    “Who uses magic outside of a duel? Are they insane?”

    “Someone stop them! Quickly!”

    As the fist wrapped in a magic circle was pulled back forcefully and then thrust forward…

    A cool breeze began to blow.

    The wind gently embraced the crowd caught in the fight, the mage raising his arm to defend, and the mage throwing his punch.

    Like a human’s caress, like waves wetting a sandy beach, the wind wrapped around their bodies and stroked the swinging fist once.

    At that moment, time seemed to slow down.

    The shouting mage, the mage raising his arm to block.

    The screams and curses erupting, people running to stop the fight, and those covering their eyes and turning away.

    As I blankly watched the scene passing in slow motion, I could see a butterfly landing on the mage’s clenched fist.

    Like a dandelion seed riding the cool breeze, the butterfly sitting on the mage’s fist slowly flapped its wings as if someone waking from sleep was blinking, then spread its wings elegantly and flew away on the wind.

    Carrying the yellow magical power with it.

    I couldn’t understand how this was possible.

    All I knew for certain was that the magic enveloping the man’s fist no longer functioned.

    With the butterfly carrying the yellow magical power flying away in the background, the mage’s fist struck the other mage. The mage’s face showed bewilderment as he saw the collapsing rings and spell formula.

    Just as the mage who threw the punch, the mage who got hit, and the people who expected bloodshed belatedly understood the situation and were confused…

    “-When a person uses magic against another person.”

    A clear, distinct, and dignified voice took control of the chaotic atmosphere.

    “It’s either a legally sanctioned duel, war between nations, or murder.”

    The crowd blocking the building entrance parted. The mages retreated like the parting of the Red Sea.

    A woman was leisurely walking through the gap.

    Purple hair flowing long to one side, an unhurried and relaxed gait despite facing an angry crowd and a fight, a cold smile in contrast, and finally, eyes that somehow seemed to look down on people.

    “Lady Ranieri…!”

    It was Francesca.

    Slowly emerging through the parting crowd, she glanced at the Bureau’s mages standing awkwardly. Though she added no words, the mages jumped as if burned.

    They rushed to the mage who had thrown a punch during the dispute and forcibly separated the two. While the junior civil servants cleaned up the mess, Francesca concluded with a gentle voice.

    “I wonder which of the three that just was.”

    “Lady Ranieri…”

    The mage who had thrown the punch barely calmed his flushed face and opened his mouth.

    “This-“

    “Let’s hear your excuse later. I don’t have the luxury to listen to your excuses right now.”

    “…I apologize. I caused a disturbance.”

    “So.”

    Francesca glanced around the gathering once. After examining the silent crowd, she finally fixed her gaze on me watching from a distance.

    “Is there anyone who can explain what’s going on here?”

    *

    Francesca, who appeared at the scene, resolved the situation with a single gesture.

    The Bureau staff who had been in disarray dealing with the mages tidied up the chaotic scene in an orderly fashion.

    They cleared away debris broken by magic, and if anything had fallen, they set it upright again.

    When elderly mages rushed out of the building and joined in, the disorderly mages suddenly began to act briskly. Notably, the direction from which these mages came down was similar to the direction from which Francesca had appeared.

    After restoring order, Francesca briefly conversed with the elderly mages.

    Today wasn’t appropriate for discussion, so they would talk next time; it was regrettable that such an unfortunate incident had occurred. After exchanging words with her, the mages observed proper etiquette and began to withdraw, leading the other mages away.

    After the commotion had passed…

    Francesca looked around as she slowly walked. Though her gaze was elsewhere, I happened to be where her footsteps were heading.

    “Is it all over?”

    I called out to Francesca. She, who had been standing with a somewhat uncomfortable frown, turned her head in response to my voice.

    The wrinkles between her eyebrows slightly smoothed out as a bonus.

    “What a commotion since morning.”

    “It’s everyday life in the Magic Tower. Perhaps you don’t know well since you’re from Abas, Military Officer?”

    “I’ve seen it often in the news.”

    Our small talk wasn’t very long. The conversation that refreshed the mood and atmosphere was as light in its conclusion as it was in its beginning.

    I asked abruptly.

    “That just now, it wasn’t an ordinary protest, was it?”

    “You know well. It wasn’t the usual kind of protest. Even if newly dispatched mages might act that way, seeing seasoned veterans gathering, with even faculty officials mixed in, it’s serious indeed.”

    “What reason could make them cause such a commotion in broad daylight? They were even throwing punches.”

    “Well, I’ll explain that to you gradually. But before that…”

    Francesca, who had been watching the mages dispersing from the scene, turned her head to meet my gaze.

    “To explain the current situation, I think we need to look into this first.”

    “Look into what?”

    “Military Officer.”

    And then she asked me in a rather solemn voice.

    “I’d like you to tell me what happened during the past two days.”


    0 Comments

    Heads up! Your comment will be invisible to other guests and subscribers (except for replies), including you after a grace period.
    Note
    // Script to navigate with arrow keys