Ch.292Episode 12 – The Strongest Mage in History

# The Magic Tower.

The cradle of wizards and a treasure trove of magic. Regardless of birthplace, race, or language, the Magic Tower is both homeland and sanctuary to those who walk the path of magic.

But not everyone who walks the path of magic is a great person.

Those who commit crimes and are pursued by law enforcement agencies,

Those caught unexpectedly while distributing drugs,

Those whose names are erased from the faculty roster and expelled from the Magic Tower for conducting experiments that violate human ethics,

Necromancers who cross the line and step into forbidden territories, and so on.

They are the shadows and reefs of magical society, taboo incarnate.

They exist in reality, but they are beings unrecognized by the Magic Tower.

More accurately, it would be correct to say that society as a whole keeps them hushed up.

Perhaps that’s why.

When the existence of necromancers surfaced, the wizards of the Magic Tower chose silence.

## Episode 12 – The Strongest Wizard in History

The room in the cathedral assigned to Francesca. As a companion of Saint Lucia, she was assigned one of the best rooms in the cathedral.

Opening the brown wooden door, the interior scene came into view. I could see the back of a woman standing by the window, arms crossed, gazing outside.

A tailored suit with delicate lines capturing the elegant silhouette unique to women. The double-breasted suit wrapping her slender waist looked like a splendid evening dress.

“Hah…”

Francesca, displaying her uniquely aristocratic aura as always, exhaled sharply.

“Administrator.”

“Ah, you’re here?”

Francesca, who had been standing by the window, turned to look at me.

Her purple hair, swept to one side, swayed like a boat’s sail caressed by a gentle breeze, and a pale smoke settled around her like morning mist.

The captivating curves drawn by her slightly twisted body. As my gaze flowed downward like a river, I noticed the pipe held in her leather-gloved hand.

About to enter the room, I leaned my shoulder against the doorframe and stuffed my hand into my pocket.

“I didn’t know you were a smoker.”

“It’s not tobacco, but magic herb.”

Saying so, Francesca put the meerschaum pipe to her lips.

With the cream-colored meerschaum pipe in her mouth, reminiscent of Sherlock Holmes, she slowly exhaled smoke like dawn mist.

Strangely, as if to prove her words, there was no characteristic smell of tobacco.

The round metal container on the dark wooden desk was filled with magic herb leaves from a famous brand, surrounded by a tamper for pipe smokers and tiny pieces of magic herb as small as powder that hadn’t been tidied up.

I walked steadily toward her and spoke.

“I was actually looking for you, so I’m glad you’re in your room. Administrator, could we talk for a moment?”

“May I ask what business brings the military officer here?”

“It’s about the wizards of the Magic Tower.”

“Ah, that topic… I was actually planning to come see you about that issue.”

Whoo. Francesca lightly exhaled smoke and turned her head. It seemed like she was avoiding my gaze, but in reality, it was her own effort to hide her expression.

Her furrowed brow, creating wrinkles on skin so transparent that blue veins were almost visible, clearly revealed Francesca’s discomfort. It was as if even recalling it was unpleasant. Her coldly averted gaze and expression stained with displeasure were utterly frigid.

“You’re here to ask about the rejected support request, aren’t you?”

“Yes.”

After carefully examining the body parts of the necromancer I had cut off, the Imperial Magic Department concluded that the necromancer was operating in the north.

The sudden appearance of undead, the corpse spiders and giant spiders that attacked the rift, hundreds of missing civilian households, murdered Imperial combat wizards and Magic Department investigators, plus the battle in the underground of the northern metropolis.

After receiving the Magic Department’s examination results, the Imperial government concluded that necromancers and demons were behind the incidents that had occurred over the past month. The Imperial Chancellor sent letters to the Order’s Council of State and to countries involved in the conflict with demon-kind.

For reference, the Abas government has also received the Imperial government’s letter.

After reading the Chancellor’s letter, the Prime Minister, right after finishing the cabinet meeting, drafted a statement pledging full cooperation in all cases jointly investigated by the Empire and the Order. Once the speech writers polish the wording a bit, it will soon be made official.

The reactions of pro-Imperial dictatorships and the Order need not be mentioned.

The dictators eagerly rattled their bells toward the Emperor, and the Pope, facing imminent abdication, was desperate to establish the remarkable achievement of “demon subjugation” for his successor, Raphael.

Of course, from the Pope’s perspective, who despises wizards more than anyone, a necromancer who has made a pact with a demon is an existence that cannot be allowed to live, even with abdication approaching. Anyway.

This is reliable information I heard while accommodating Veronica’s injection as she dealt with friction against fundamentalists and hardliners within the Order.

At that time, Veronica clearly said:

‘The Magic Tower… *sniff*… When a necromancer appears and the Magic Tower does nothing… there will definitely be talk…’

‘You mean they need to do something?’

‘Yes… The Empire sent a letter to the Oracle too… and I’ve already given my brother a heads-up…’

According to what she heard from an Imperial official, the Oracle also received a letter from Chancellor Stolypin. A letter requesting cooperation to capture the necromancer and demon.

Not content with that, Veronica even used her personal connections to persuade Francesca.

If she, an executive of the Magic Tower’s Secretariat Bureau and a member of the Ranieri family, and Evangellos of the Lysidice family, commander of the Magic Brigade, jointly advised the Oracle, the Oracle’s committee members would not remain idle. After all, how could the haughty Oracle ignore the opinions of the descendants of great wizards and the highest officials in charge of internal and military affairs on the ground?

However, until now, when all governments have presented their respective positions, the Magic Tower has maintained silence, offering no response.

“To be precise, I’ve come to the Administrator to hear the answer I haven’t yet received.”

“Haah…”

Francesca’s hand dug into her hair. Her slender fingers thoroughly tousled her luscious hair.

It was quite different from her previously aristocratic demeanor, despite her fallen status. The Magic Tower official, with slightly dark circles under her decadent eyes, groaned as if having a headache.

“I did send a letter to the Oracle as requested, but besides hearing that there’s intense discussion internally, I haven’t heard anything else.”

“Internal discussions?”

What discussions could there be about a necromancer issue?

When I asked that question, Francesca immediately sighed.

“There are many reasons. Wizards operating in the north are worried that the Inquisition might label them as heretics too. Those people are quite notorious, aren’t they? They even fought a battle in the metropolis recently.”

“I know. That’s why they swarmed like bees to find you the next day.”

“Hmm. You remember that?”

With the meerschaum pipe in her mouth, Francesca smiled faintly. The combination of high-quality leather gloves, meerschaum pipe, and a suit that preserved the unique curves of a woman was truly fantastic.

“I’m trying to resolve people’s concerns at my level. Lord Evangellos, who’s at the front line, is also helping to calm people down. But the Magic Tower side seems a bit difficult. They’re worried about a completely different issue.”

“What issue are you talking about?”

“What else? They’re afraid of damage to the prestige of their esteemed schools.”

She reported that debates were fierce not only within the Oracle but also among government officials within the Magic Tower.

A necromancer has appeared after several decades. Those who experimented on groups of people and caused massive casualties in collusion with cultists have reappeared.

Operating in areas under martial law, with charges of undead creation, kidnapping, murder, terrorism, and even proven contracts with demons. Even excluding all those charges, the very suspicion that wizards were killed by a necromancer is problematic.

Most necromancers were the result of wizards from the Magic Tower or Ivory Tower turning renegade.

It’s quite an awkward situation for the Magic Tower.

The crime of killing fellow wizards born under the same parent of magic is never light. This is a unique culture of the Magic Tower created after cases where renegade wizards stabbed their colleagues in the back during the war with the Order.

That’s why, even after a hundred years, unlike ordinary murder, a wizard killing another wizard is a crime that doesn’t end with mere expulsion from the Magic Tower.

To this, Francesca showed a crooked smile, with the smoking meerschaum pipe in her mouth.

“Although we haven’t been able to identify them yet because we haven’t secured the bodies, the moment it’s revealed which school they’re from, there will be a huge commotion. That’s why everyone is keeping quiet and watching.”

“They’re afraid a necromancer might have come from their school, so they’re not moving carelessly?”

“Exactly.”

Pale smoke filled the air around her face. Amidst the thick smoke, Francesca crossed her arms while holding the pipe with her leather-gloved hand.

“Even if that’s not the case, if a necromancer emerged from a major school while someone was taking the lead to resolve this issue, that would also be a problem. Some might want to retaliate against the school that attacked them.”

“…Retaliation.”

“Yes. Retaliation. After the situation ends and fades from people’s memories, that’s when the conflict between schools will begin.”

Francesca added that due to wizards’ characteristic of valuing knowledge preservation and succession like life itself, there are people who consider the honor of the school their ancestors belonged to more important than their own lives.

Therefore, when high-ranking officials or promising talents of a school become embroiled in disputes with members of other schools, if there’s a significant difference in the schools’ standings, retaliatory actions are not uncommon.

“Especially in cases like this where wizards were murdered, smaller schools might face existential threats. There are already precedents of schools being dissolved or absorbed by other schools for similar reasons. That’s why everyone is just watching cautiously.”

I raised my eyebrow askew.

“Even though people have died?”

“Sometimes there are people who believe there are values more important than life. Noble beliefs, values, honor… It’s selfish and unsightly behavior, but is the world always beautiful?”

“What remarkable scholars.”

Despite my sarcasm bordering on mockery, Francesca showed no particular reaction. She just smiled as if amused, sitting in a plush chair with the meerschaum pipe in her mouth.

As the faint ember glowed, her lips parted. A languid voice flowed smoothly between her lips.

“I’ve sent someone to the Magic Tower to bring news from the Oracle. Lord Martinez will soon return with news, so I’ll meet with him and hear what he has to say.”

“When will you make contact?”

“Today. If there’s any new information, I should relay it to you, Major, right?”

“I would appreciate that.”

“Ah, but will you be recording this time too? We’re planning to meet at the cathedral, and well, here is…”

It was a question about whether eavesdropping would be possible in a place where the Inquisition is stationed.

“Don’t worry. I have my methods.”

Just before leaving the room, I peeked my head toward Francesca, who was crossing her legs and smoking her magic herb.

“I’ll bring some equipment, so please wait.”

“Of course.”

*

When I returned to Francesca with the equipment, she was organizing her desk.

“I’m back.”

I placed the bag on the desk and unlocked it. Inside the thick leather were various surveillance and eavesdropping equipment produced by the Military Intelligence Research and Development Department.

I took out a few useful items and attached the equipment to a band of appropriate size.

“Administrator.”

Francesca, who had been moving around near the desk, turned her gaze.

She had been cleaning the rim and stem of her pipe after the internal heat had subsided, removing moisture and ash. After organizing the pipe into a roll pouch, she approached me.

“Did you find what you needed, Officer?”

“It will take some time to attach the bug and test it, so let’s prepare in advance.”

“Let’s do that. How can I help you?”

“First, take off your pants.”